Clothing Industry: From 3D Printing To Big Data Wear

The fluorescent bright fabric is decorated with delicate lace. In the light of alternation, the swimsuit models emerge in the air, as if they are moving the natural world to the T stage. In the fashion week of Shanghai, the love group was stunning four in a swimsuit dress. What people did not expect is that such bright colors and smooth versions are based on a new technology, --3D printing.

Yes, you are not mistaken. 3D printing can also make clothes and bring unexpected results. "Based on the new technology, the decorative lace of swimsuit is more delicate, it can be any shape and soft, and maximize the reduction of designer's inspiration. This is a subversion of the traditional swimsuit making technology." Zhang Rongming, chairman of the AI group, said that in the near future, 3D printing technology Swimsuits and underwear will meet the needs of the market.

In recent years, the life of the garment industry has been somewhat difficult. There are realistic reasons for this difficulty: the high cost of employment and raw materials, the bad competition environment, and so on. The biggest constraint is the lack of demand. According to the data of China Apparel Association, last year, the garment production of Enterprises above Designated Size reached an increase of 1.27% over the same period last year, and the growth rate dropped by 4.93 percentage points over the same period in 2012. The increase in retail sales of clothing, shoes and hats and needle textiles decreased by 6.4 percentage points over the same period in 2012. Under the condition that the international market has not yet been improved, domestic demand is slowing down.

To tap potential market and rebuild consumption connection has become the current rule of transformation of garment enterprises. Some useful attempts similar to 3D printing have witnessed the sonorous pace of industry transformation.

"In addition to 3D printing, the hottest" big data "can also be used to make clothes. Chen Dapeng, executive vice president of the China clothing association, said, "for example, using big data to analyze which colors consumers prefer, which styles are easier to be sold and so on, and design clothing that is more close to the market, so as to comprehensively enhance the efficiency of the supply chain."

At present, the underwear brands like Adam and Ordifen have begun to accumulate and apply the body shape data of consumers, and set up a database of human body shape, and cut out more suitable underwear for Chinese people. Similarly, the clothing brands such as grace, exception and so on are also developing their own user data and finding new directions for brand development in communication with users.

Excavate Potential market It is not limited to new technologies. Some new ideas also have the effect of achieving twice the result with half the effort. Recently, the word "flexible supply chain" has become popular in the clothing industry. The so-called flexible supply chain refers to the fact that garment enterprises no longer focus solely on the production of clothing itself, but also include a complete set of customized services.

In this regard, Beijing Men's wear Xia Hua, chairman of the manufacturing company, Yiwen group, has a deep feeling. "It is not the bad market that does not consume. The key is how to create what people need more. We not only make clothes, but also provide clothing services, and even manage the wardrobe of our customers. According to Xia Hua, Yi Wen has opened exclusive services for every consumer, from clothing accessories to personalized decorations, and also to wardrobe housekeepers for clothing matching. The transformation of service mode has gradually released the demand of "dared not think" in the past, and has also made many sales enterprises like Yi Wen record new heights.

We should tap potential markets and make breakthroughs in channels. Last year, Taobao clothing sales increased by 117% over the same period last year, much higher than that of physical channels. More and more enterprises are beginning to realize the importance of channel construction not only to seize the opportunity of the Internet, but also to reduce the impact of the Internet on the sale of clothing entities.

Not long ago, the China Clothing Association awarded the 2014 China extraordinary business promotion award to a new shopping mall in Beijing -- Qiao Fu grass. The reason is the innovation of channels. "At present, the domestic market is mostly playing the" landlord ", renting the store to the brand, showing more than enough clothes, and individualized rationing. Chen Dapeng, executive vice president of the China clothing association, said that the overseas Chinese shopping mall's "buying style" strategy was borrowed from overseas Chinese. Through screening of fashion trends and fabrics, buyers can make the clothing in the market more responsive to the needs of consumers and diversify marketing methods.