Tech garb

Manufacturers are merging technology with apparel to create new products for the market. Wrinkle-free or "no-iron" shirts came out decades ago, but they still required occasional ironing. In the early 1990s, wrinkle-free shirts were improved by adding a wrinkle-resistant coating. The newest generation of wrinkle-free shirts is patented by TAL Corp. of Hong Kong. The process involves baking a special coating onto the fabric as well as an innovative use of adhesives along the seams to prevent pockets, cuffs and plackets from puckering. Modifications to the coating formula allow designers to use broadcloth (a soft flat weave) rather than the heavier cotton-shirting fabrics used in wrinkle-free dress shirts previously. Retailers that carry the TAL wrinkle-free shirts include Nordstrom, Men's Wearhouse, Brooks Brothers and Jos. A. Bank Clothiers. Other fabrics, usually made with Teflon, resist stains as well. Technology fashion accessories are also becoming increasingly popular. These accessories range from stylish carrying cases for laptops to fashionable cell phone covers. In the future, cell phones, personal digital assistants and miniature computers may be integrated into wearable devices. Manufacturers are using more technology in the production of clothing as well. It allows the retailer to offer a unique product to each customer. According to Michael Hong, (see profile in the Design and Product Development chapter) Director of Product Development of Outwear at Kenneth Cole, "I'm always looking for something new. Technology is always moving. I want to infuse technology into life. So I choose clothes as the medium because we all wear it."

Private label

Private label clothing, footwear and accessories are products that are designed for a particular retailer. The advantages of private label for retailers are many: flexibility in pricing, control over product, cost and advertising, exclusivity, in-house design and, most importantly, a bigger share of the profit margin. (Of course, one disadvantage is that retailers must eat the costs of any unpopular products.) It is common for retailers, department stores and mail order catalogs to launch their own private label. In the mid-1990s, Federated (the parent of Macy's and other department stores) increased its overall private brands program and established a strong market for exclusive private label products such as I??N??C/International Concepts, Alfani, Charter Club and Tools of the Trade. Although there are no official numbers on retailer-owned brand market share, best estimates are that 15 to 25 percent of the goods in major stores are private label.

Advantages to the retailer:

• Reduce manufacturer dominance in the store
• Create more dependence on the retailer by the consumer
• Become closer to the customer
• Retail buyers understand products better
• Build brand image for the retailer and provide product variety
• More freedom in pricing strategy and increased gross margins

Disadvantages for the retailer:

• Backlash from manufacturers, who may receive smaller orders from the retailer or perceive the private label as direct competitor
• Increased financial responsibilities and lack of financial support from suppliers
• The potential for excessive focus on the private label at the expense of other products
• Dissatisfaction with the private label product may cause consumers to stop shopping for other products at the retail outlets

Plus-size growth

Women's plus-size clothing, in sizes 14 to 28, is a growing niche market. Tired of the dowdy and uncomfortable styles marketed to plus-size consumers in the past, consumers are jumping to purchase new fashionable styles in larger sizes. Total retail sales for plus-size items in the year 2000 reached almost $32 billion, or 30 percent of the women's clothing market. More clothing manufacturers have created attractive, fashion-conscious options for larger women. The plus-size market has proven to be very brand loyal with increasing sales compared to other market segments.

Personalization

Tailored clothing used to be a pricey luxury reserved for the wealthy. Today, retailers such as Lands' End use body scanning to help customers order custom-fitted jeans and activewear for under $100. Even more traditional retailers like Brooks Brothers are betting that the technology will help more customers buy custom-fitted suits. It's a pretty simple and short experience for the customer. The customer steps into a measuring booth and a body scanning software program scans the person's body for about 12 seconds with a strobe light. A three-dimensional map is created from the scan that captures over 200,000 data points -- everything from the circumference of wrists and biceps, to the chest, neck and shoulders. Customers can then purchase a custom fit suit, tuxedo, sport coat, blazer, trousers, or shirt.

Nike has launched an online personalized service allowing shoppers to pick the colors they want on their running shoes or cross trainers. The service, named NikeID, also allows customers to choose a name or nickname, up to eight letters, stitched on the shoe. The initiative is a step toward broader customization of athletic shoes at Nike.