New research reveals rising demand for custom made clothing and personalized virtual experiences

(CHICAGO, IL) – Consumers say they’re ready for the ultimate personalized shopping experience for clothing, according to a new research study. A whopping 44% of consumers surveyed say they are interested in or planning to invest in custom made clothing, with women indexing higher at 49%.

The national survey was deployed in September, and some of the results are included in a new fashion industry white paper from Balodana called Cultivating Custom. Because of the pandemic, consulting firm Deloitte issued guidance in April accelerating its earlier predictions for adoption of custom apparel: they said custom apparel will account for 30% of the fashion market by 2030. This inspired Chicago startup Balodana to research not just consumers but also the companies providing solutions that will help make “slow fashion supply chains” a reality.

“We interviewed a number of companies who provide technology to the industry, from 3D body scanners to factory automation, and it’s clear the space is heating up quickly,” said Dana Todd, CEO of Balodana. “As a custom clothing marketplace we are obviously

interested in how we can capture and satisfy all that demand, and how our global network of tailors can scale their businesses. What we found during our research not only supported Deloitte’s findings but also indicated adjacencies in virtual showroom adoption and modified shopping behaviors post-COVID19.”

Key research findings:

• Custom clothing is highly valued by consumers; three-quarters of respondents said they valued custom clothing at 50% or more compared to mass-manufactured items
• 63% struggle with inconsistent sizing in traditional manufacturing, wearing 2 or more “standard” sizes
• A surprising 52% said they’d be willing to wait up to 3 weeks for custom clothing, and 32% said they’d wait a month
• 90% either had a positive experience or were willing to try body measurement technology via 3D scanning or AI
• 62% are somewhat or very comfortable being measured in-person, providing proper safety precautions are taken

Companies interviewed for the white paper included Gerber Technology, Shima Seiki (TSE: SHSMF), and Henderson Sewing Machine Co Inc., who are each addressing demands for sustainability and efficiency in clothing manufacturing. Leaders from these companies will join Ms. Todd for a discussion panel at the Apparel Textile Sourcing Conference on Tuesday November 17, 2pm ET.

A number of fashion tech startups also participated in the research: Plenari, Fit:Match, 3DLook, NetVirta, and meepl|Fision AG, recently acquired by Zalando (OTCMKTS: ZLNDY).

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About Balodana LLC

Balodana is the only multi-brand custom clothing marketplace that inspires and perfectly fits women who want to master the art of the first impression. In an era in which consumers expect personalized experiences, tailor-made clothing is not only personal but the most sustainable way to buy new garments today. We curate designs and designers worldwide who specialize in women’s made to measure clothing. Customers use their centralized measurement profile to shop hundreds of custom style patterns in all price ranges and categories. The company was launched in 2019 serving US markets, with expansion plans to Canada and Europe in 2021. Balodana is based in Chicago.