Fashion has always been a way to express a person’s distinctive style and personality. In the past, shoppers would head to the department store and pick out shirts, pants, and other accessories to create their own look. However, there was hardly any uniqueness to these pieces.

With mass manufacturing, these clothing items were sent to all the local stores. In the process, a person could experience a dreaded fashion faux pas: showing up to an event in the same outfit as someone else. Over the years, custom clothing has begun to fill in those voids and give the consumer something that they want: unique clothing that is one of a kind.

Novelty Turned Normal

At one time, custom clothing seemed like a novelty idea. Sure, there have been many shops in the mall or other places where you could create an airbrushed shirt for a special occasion or another event. In some cases, these shops were able to turn out customized shirts in less than an hour.

In fact, there was a craze for airbrushed shirts in the ’90s. All you had to do was pick the design and add in some personalization. These places were thought to be a quick solution to getting customized clothing. Unfortunately, these shops were known for poor quality and inconsistent results.

Custom clothing really didn’t see a rebirth until the last few years. Sure, companies were around that could print shirts for reunions, parties, or other special events. However, those were often worn for the occasion and then left in the back of a drawer or closet.

With technology booming over the past few years, personalized clothing has come to the forefront. An example of leading technology in this industry is the software used by the Epson garment printer, offering high-quality prints at fast production speeds. Vendors can sell their wares through e-commerce sites and easily print customized apparel for their customers.

Social media has helped to boost the industry. The fashion-conscious no longer have to settle for clothes “off the rack.” Instead, they can create an individual clothing line that matches their mood while posting photos to their social media accounts. In turn, other people see these customized clothes and want to create their own designs.

Hottest Fashion Trends

What once was thought of as an experiment, these clothes continue to be the hottest items on the market. Custom clothing is ready to change an entire industry. Now clothes can be customized according to the individual’s size or preferences. There is a massive departure from shops selling those standardized, mass-produced clothes, which has been the business model for more than a century.

On-Demand Choices for Customers

Whether the consumer wants screen-printed t-shirts or a customized blazer, these on-demand items are beginning to set the fashion industry on its head. Today, a person can select the colors, fabrics, and other accessories for the piece. Once all that is entered into a computerized system, the clothing is created to match those specifications.

Along with providing the consumer with unique clothing, these services cut down the inventory losses for businesses. No longer will these retailers have to worry about unsold merchandise sitting on the racks. Personalized apparel meets the expectations of the customer who is seeking unique, boutique goods.

Changing the Fashion Industry

Personalized apparel is extending past shirts and pants. Adidas is debuting its Speedfactory, which manufactures sneakers to the exact shape and size of buyers’ feet. Indochino produces made-to-measure suits for its clients, while Amazon.com works towards a patent to create customized garments.

Exploring Clients’ Creative Side

With shoppers spending their money on those unique experiences, customized apparel will feed those consumers’ desires for years to come. Technology is also improving, and many of these unique pieces can be customized with a swipe of the finger. These shoppers never have to settle for those mass-produced pieces. Whether they want a customized belt, t-shirt, or blazer, there are limitless options in the marketplace.

Customized products have come a long way from those airbrushed shirt stands in the past. Now with a few clicks, a customer can create a whole wardrobe based on their unique personality and style.