Sustainably Customized

Mass customization has been and will continue to be the new phase for the retail industry. This shopping experience allows customers to customize products to their individual tastes with a few clicks of the mouse. We have seen Nike at the forefront of this venture with their NikeiD online sneaker as they believe “Your Shoes, Your Way”. Recently Nine West Canada launched their own version first as a test called the “Pick Your Pump Collection” to determine if mass customization would be successful with their business structure and current consumers. Nine West customers can select the color and fabric they desire online of a 3.5 inch pump called the Martina. In order for customers to have this shopping experience available to them, the technology is the most crucial part of the operation. Mass customization has many long term benefits but also requires individualistic supply chain methods and capable equipment. Moving from a traditional store to a mass customized operation cannot be decided lightly as costs and risks are inevitable. Once fully implemented the technology must consciously be updated and managed.  Once mass customization is in effect all efforts of forecasting and time-to-market reports are no longer needed. This type of business structure is very attractive because success comes in less time and effort than a traditional retail operation. Although this seems like a simplistic approach the technology must be supportive, and running at peak levels to create a success.

Mass customization is not only attractive for its cost benifits but it is also more environmentally friendly then traditional retail. It’s great for decreasing landfill waste and works to reduce our overall carbon footprint. Think about it, the customers are able to choose how the product is to be made before it’s produced. Once the shoe is created, the order goes to the factory that will then produce and ship it to the customer. Waste accumulates more frequently in a more traditional logistics plan. Goods are designed and created, sent to the retail store in hopes of being sold. This can be considered a push strategy, where consumers are being told what to purchase. When this is not successful waste accumulates. Mass customization works more like a pull system, where the customer has the power to determine when a product is created. I believe that mass customization is the first of its kind where companies respect consumer’s interests by also saving time and energy. If more companies listened to their consumers, and spent time tailoring platforms/software to handle such requests our landfills would be smaller and time could be spent on more sustainable efforts.

Introducing technology more and more is the future of the fashion industry. It will continue to drastically change the way we shop and how we decide to purchase. In the last decade, online shopping has drastically changed the retail industry. Mass customization could be the next great change. As technology evolves it will continue to change our shopping patterns to a point where shopping without technology would seem unheard of.

Original Article: 

http://mypbrand.com/2014/12/03/nine-west-canada-launches-pick-your-pump/

3D Printing + Recycling

3D Printers, Micro-controllers, Advanced Materials and Wearable Technology are the future of the fashion industry. Tara Brown a Forbes contributor wrote an article named “The Future of Fashion: Download File and Print” where she explains some of the current technology, immersing itself with today’s fashion industry. She also touches on some of the mergers happening as more engineers and architects are partnering with designers and using their knowledge to produce wearable technologies. These partnerships will continue to expand across the industry, technology will encapsulate the runway and soon the consumer will be able to take part by purchasing and creating their own gadgets. This is a remarkable advancement and allows the fashion industry to make strides in areas untouched before.

I have one problem with this growth, how do these technologies work to better our planet and our over-consumption lifestyles? These ideas seems to be feeding into the ever growing consumer age where more is better. I’d rather spend my time admiring a sustainable practice instead of watching a tech-couture fashion show. I’d rather own a beautiful garment that was hand embroidered or created from recycled materials and made with love or for a purpose, than something printed from a machine. This is my opinion and although the 3D printing age is upon us, I have found a company who is using this technology in an innovative way with the planet in mind.      

Will.i.am. has partnered with Coco-Cola and 3D Systems to create EKOCYCLE the brand and the EKOCYCLE Cube 3D printer.  Will.i.am. the Chief Creative Officer approached Coco-Cola with his idea for the 3D printer after he was inspired from viewing the aftermath of garbage and lack of recycling after one of his shows. He couldn’t understand why more people didn’t recycle and wanted to find a way to reuse the waste that is accumulated every day. The EKOCYCLE Cube 3D printer uses recycled plastic bottle and cans, to create a filament cartridge that will then be placed in the printer to create new products. EKOCYCLE believes that materials can always have a new beginning. The products printed since its creation last year have been accessories, gadgets/tech gear as well as fashion items such as suits, shirts and hats. Consumers can purchase the waste-less products directly online or take part in the movement by purchasing their own Cube printer from Cubify.  

I have more respect for companies that work towards innovation and who also take part in sustainable activities, especially if those activities clean up the mess consumers create from consuming products. Don’t be afraid to contradict growth and applaud those who take part in innovation through sustainability. This is technology I can believe in.

Below are some awesome videos to get you more familiar with EKOCYCLE. 

Get inspired! Recycling is cool!

Forbes Article:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tarabrown/2013/03/11/the-future-of-fashion-download-file-and-print/

About EKOCYCLE: 

http://www.coca-colacompany.com/cokestyle/ekocycle-transforming-3d-printing-using-recycled-plastic-bottles#TCCC  

EKOCYLE Shop: 

http://www.ekocycle.com/shop

When Did Nike Become an Upcycled Brand?

Nike, Inc. can be considered an upcycled sport brand. After reading a recent article posted to their site, examining their innovative products progression over the last 40 years, it brought to my attention the current sustainable industry in sports. Within forty years, Nike has progressed in not only their process of how they create their products but with the materials they used. When first thinking about what upcycled fashion is, many people at first would not classify Nike under its repurposed ideals. The first thought that generally comes to my mind when thinking of upcycled goods is businesses having the capability of turning trash into treasures. From what we have seen over Nike's extensive portfolio of products, not only is upcycling a means for everyday people to save money and a way to recycle unwanted goods but, it has impacted the fashion industry extensively today. Companies can no longer create goods without being transparent in their process. “Save the planet”, “Eco-friendly”, “Sustainability” is what captivates the minds of the consumers today. Having understood this, Nike has catered to today’s new customer and the planet by simply using recycled plastic bottles in the construction of their cleats. Being more conscious, eliminating our carbon footprint has changed from a customer gimmick to an overall industry transition. Nike should be applauded for continuing to create innovative products in the sportswear/athletic industry while being leaders in sustainable practices.

Original Article - “Nike Football Illustrated: A Timeline of Game-Changing Innovation”

http://news.nike.com/news/nike-football-illustrated-a-guide-to-game-changing-innovations

Technologies Influence & Fashion

In today’s society the idea of living life without technology seems unthinkable. Technology and the electronics that follow are embedded within our everyday lives, from helping us stay organized, being our reminder for daily activities, captivating our interests when boredom strikes and keeping track of our progress throughout the day. About a decade ago cell phones, digital watches and home computers were the new age gear for tech savvy individuals. With time, technology has transformed and now penetrated into normality for the fashion industry. No longer are we closed off from traditional fashion weeks, when viewers can gain front row access to Digital Fashion Week from YouTube. This has changed the definition of “fashion week” and can no longer describe the continuous feeds of fashion shows all over the country, all year long. This would seem unheard of ten years ago, when getting a ticket to a fashion show was top priority. Since fashion has found recent transparency, it has changed the way we react to trends and how designers are better able to track our interest. Instead of reading critics opinions in newspapers the next morning, today social media captivates every minute from every angle and personality, in real time. Experiences are cultivated for others to take part in, and this phenomenon of communication snow balls until the next big moment. Fashion today is ready in the moment, and information floods anyone who is interested. Technology has changed us into avid searchers of experiences, that we can gain access to without leaving our homes.

Another form of technology that integrates our everyday lives with the fashion industry, utilizes the built in data from our smart phones. With location service software, clothing stores are taking advantage of customer’s positions and in turn provide on the spot discounts while customers shop. Although many argue that this is an invasion of privacy, it is the next progressive step into how brands can intertwine into our daily lives while following this idea of “simplifying” things. This statement is what I believe the growing technological world is built on. First came omni-channel business, next came integration and mobile applications. Technology has made it possible to generate experiences without person to person interaction. Targeting continuous shoppers and brand loyal customers is the avenue for this type of technology. This had led to an additional tier to business strategies from creating a great in store and online customer experience, to creating communication channels to its consumer. Applications on smart phones are also creating another form of lifestyle branding that was born out of this new technological age. Today technology allows you to be surrounded through multiple avenues of information. This influence in our everyday lives will only grow, as stated by Anish Singh, “A decade from now, the processing power of the average computer – or smart phone – will be 32 times stronger than it is today.” The possibilities for our future as well as the business practices of the fashion industry will grow and adapt to technology playing an even larger part in our lives.