June 11, 2025 • 7 mins
Explore the dynamic world of custom apparel with insights into technological advancements, sustainability, and consumer trends. Mo and Mark delve into how innovation is reshaping the industry, from eco-friendly practices to AI-driven design.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
There's just something about having yourown personal touch on what you
(00:03):
wear, you know?
I mean, I used to think, "Who needs acustom tee when the mall's packed with
options?"
But now?
The demand for personalized clothing isthrough the roof.
It's, like, everywhere.
Yeah, and it's not just a trend anymore.
It's more of a cultural shift.
People want their clothing to reflecttheir personality,
maybe their beliefs, or even just alittle inside joke that only they
(00:26):
and their friends get.
Exactly!
It's that creativity piece-people wannafeel seen.
And, honestly, as someone who balances asales career and a little eCommerce
brand on the side-by "little," I meantotal chaos half the time-I I've
seen this firsthand.
The moment you add a "customize" option,
(00:48):
it's like *poof*, sales double.
Oh,
I believe that.
And you've got digital printing andautomation kicking this into high
gear.
Back when I started with DTG printing,
it was slow, temperamental,and let's be real,
expensive.
But now?
These systems can knock out a hundredshirts in no time,
(01:09):
with razor-sharp designs.
And forget the sky-high minimum orders,
right?
I remember when I started, I'd stay upnights agonizing over inventory-like,
"Do I really need fifty of this onedesign?" But now,
it's like, you want one piece?
Great, done.
Here's your shirt.
Exactly,and that's making custom apparel way more
(01:33):
accessible for entrepreneurs,even folks just starting out.
You can experiment with designs withouteating up your cash flow.
Plus, those automated tools take some ofthe heavy lifting off your back.
Right-tools
like that are lifesavers, especially whenyou've got zero time to breathe.
I remember this one time...
I had like three client pitches duringthe week,
(01:56):
and orders were backing up on my site.
It was insane.
But somehow, keeping things streamlinedsaved me from losing my mind.
That's
the beauty of it.
And the consumer side?
It's evolving too.
They're not just looking for a t-shirt,
they're looking for something that feelspersonal,
unique.
It's...
conversation on fabric, really.
Conversation on fabric-now I love that.
(02:20):
Perfect slogan for your shop, Mark.
You know,
I might just use that.
You know,
thinking about how people want apparel tofeel personal and meaningful,
it's kind of ironic how, for years,
the industry was just runningwild-pumping out products with no thought
to the environmental toll.
(02:40):
But now?
Now it feels like there's a whole newvibe,
huh?
Definitely.
Sustainability's not just a buzzwordanymore.
It's become a priority for a lot ofcompanies.
I mean, using recycled fabrics,
water-based inks, even cutting down onshipping waste-it's all starting
to come together.
Totally.
(03:01):
And the big "ah-ha" moment for me wasrealizing how much waste traditional
manufacturing actually creates.
Like, have you seen those landfills wherethey just toss clothing nobody
bought?
It's kinda horrifying.
Yeah, and that's what's pushing on-demandmanufacturing
to the forefront.
You only produce what you're actuallygonna sell.
(03:22):
No extra inventory, no more guessingwhether that neon green hoodie is
a hit or a disaster.
Right?
It's like, "Goodbye,gut-wrenching inventory gambles.
Hello, sanity."And,
financially speaking, it's a game-changer.
It cuts down on overhead so much.
Plus,when you're not stuck with unsold stock,
(03:42):
you've got more flexibility to test outnew designs.
It's like running lean but still stayingcreative.
And consumers are getting
smarter, too.
They're actually asking the questions-"Isthis sustainable?
Who made it?
Am I just adding more junk to my closet?"It's like they're,
I dunno, making us all step up.
For sure.
(04:05):
In fact, I got to check out thiscollaboration recently.
A customer launched a shirt line that'smade of old recycled shirts.
The best thing is, the company they sentthe garments from have a separate
company that customers can use to recyclethe shirts again when they're
done with them.
Wait, infinite recycling?
(04:27):
That's wild.
Yeah, it's crazy, right?
This ensures your garments never end upin the landfill,
and let's be honest, that's where mostclothing donations end up.
Speaking
of innovation,let's pivot to tech for a second.
Augmented reality-you know,virtual try-ons.
Have you seen what brands are doing withthis now?
(04:48):
It's like, you don't even have to leaveyour couch to find out if that
jacket makes you look fierce or just...
I dunno, sad and boxy.
Oh yeah,
it's brilliant.
I mean, ten years ago that kind ofexperience felt like sci-fi.
Now, it's becoming reality.
Customers get to see exactly how a piecefits before they even buy it.
(05:09):
It's cutting down returns and makingonline shopping way easier.
Which
is kind of a game-changer for anythingcustom,
right?
Like, you design your own piece,
you see it on a mannequin-or even better,
yourself-before it's made.
Suddenly, people feel way more confidentclicking "buy."Definitely.
(05:29):
It's taken the guesswork out of theequation.
And, for brands, it's, like,a goldmine of data-what people are trying
on, what they're customizing.
It all feeds into AI tools that,
honestly, know what you're gonna likebetter than you do.
Oh,
those AI tools.
They're like the psychic assistants weall needed but were definitely
(05:50):
creeped out by at first.
I mean, personalizing designs based onsomeone's past choices?
It's brilliant.
And freaky.
But mostly brilliant.
Haha, yeah,
it's a little bit of both.
But it's giving small brands,like yours or even my shops,
a chance to play in the big leagues.
You can create these super unique,
tailored experiences that wouldn't havebeen possible even five years
(06:13):
ago.
And let's not forget social media and thewhole user-generated content
thing.
It's like free advertising when someonetags you in a post.
Plus, trends are moving so fast that ifyou're not paying attention to,
like, TikTok or Instagram?
You're basically running blind.
Absolutely.
And it's not just about visibility; it'ssetting trends too.
(06:35):
A single viral video or post can senddemand through the roof.
Remember when that pink hoodie went virallast year?
Every print shop in town was scramblingto keep up with orders for pink
anything.
Oh, I remember.
I got so many requests, I was like,
"Should I just open a pink-only store?"But yeah,
that's the power of social media-it'swhere trends are born.
(06:58):
The challenge is keeping up withoutfeeling like you're chasing your
tail.
Right.
And that's where everything kinda tiestogether-using the right tech
and tools to stay flexible for yourcustomer.
Because whether it's AR, AI,or the next social media craze,
if you're not adaptable, you're toast.
Yup,
adapt or die.
Speaking of which-if you need top-notchcustom apparel to ride the next
(07:23):
wave of trends,head over to contract-dtg.
com.
Don't wait for pink hoodies to show up inyour DMs unannounced.
On that
note, that's a wrap for today's episode.
Thanks to everyone listening-don't
forget to hit subscribe and let us knowyour favorite custom trend right
now.
Until next time, keep those threads fresh!
There's just something about having yourown personal touch on what you
(00:03):
wear, you know?
I mean, I used to think, "Who needs acustom tee when the mall's packed with
options?"
But now?
The demand for personalized clothing isthrough the roof.
It's, like, everywhere.
Yeah, and it's not just a trend anymore.
It's more of a cultural shift.
People want their clothing to reflecttheir personality,
maybe their beliefs, or even just alittle inside joke that only they
(00:26):
and their friends get.
Exactly!
It's that creativity piece-people wannafeel seen.
And, honestly, as someone who balances asales career and a little eCommerce
brand on the side-by "little," I meantotal chaos half the time-I I've
seen this firsthand.
The moment you add a "customize" option,
(00:48):
it's like *poof*, sales double.
Oh,
I believe that.
And you've got digital printing andautomation kicking this into high
gear.
Back when I started with DTG printing,
it was slow, temperamental,and let's be real,
expensive.
But now?
These systems can knock out a hundredshirts in no time,
(01:09):
with razor-sharp designs.
And forget the sky-high minimum orders,
right?
I remember when I started, I'd stay upnights agonizing over inventory-like,
"Do I really need fifty of this onedesign?" But now,
it's like, you want one piece?
Great, done.
Here's your shirt.
Exactly,and that's making custom apparel way more
(01:33):
accessible for entrepreneurs,even folks just starting out.
You can experiment with designs withouteating up your cash flow.
Plus, those automated tools take some ofthe heavy lifting off your back.
Right-tools
like that are lifesavers, especially whenyou've got zero time to breathe.
I remember this one time...
I had like three client pitches duringthe week,
(01:56):
and orders were backing up on my site.
It was insane.
But somehow, keeping things streamlinedsaved me from losing my mind.
That's
the beauty of it.
And the consumer side?
It's evolving too.
They're not just looking for a t-shirt,
they're looking for something that feelspersonal,
unique.
It's...
conversation on fabric, really.
Conversation on fabric-now I love that.
(02:20):
Perfect slogan for your shop, Mark.
You know,
I might just use that.
You know,
thinking about how people want apparel tofeel personal and meaningful,
it's kind of ironic how, for years,
the industry was just runningwild-pumping out products with no thought
to the environmental toll.
(02:40):
But now?
Now it feels like there's a whole newvibe,
huh?
Definitely.
Sustainability's not just a buzzwordanymore.
It's become a priority for a lot ofcompanies.
I mean, using recycled fabrics,
water-based inks, even cutting down onshipping waste-it's all starting
to come together.
Totally.
(03:01):
And the big "ah-ha" moment for me wasrealizing how much waste traditional
manufacturing actually creates.
Like, have you seen those landfills wherethey just toss clothing nobody
bought?
It's kinda horrifying.
Yeah, and that's what's pushing on-demandmanufacturing
to the forefront.
You only produce what you're actuallygonna sell.
(03:22):
No extra inventory, no more guessingwhether that neon green hoodie is
a hit or a disaster.
Right?
It's like, "Goodbye,gut-wrenching inventory gambles.
Hello, sanity."And,
financially speaking, it's a game-changer.
It cuts down on overhead so much.
Plus,when you're not stuck with unsold stock,
(03:42):
you've got more flexibility to test outnew designs.
It's like running lean but still stayingcreative.
And consumers are getting
smarter, too.
They're actually asking the questions-"Isthis sustainable?
Who made it?
Am I just adding more junk to my closet?"It's like they're,
I dunno, making us all step up.
For sure.
(04:05):
In fact, I got to check out thiscollaboration recently.
A customer launched a shirt line that'smade of old recycled shirts.
The best thing is, the company they sentthe garments from have a separate
company that customers can use to recyclethe shirts again when they're
done with them.
Wait, infinite recycling?
(04:27):
That's wild.
Yeah, it's crazy, right?
This ensures your garments never end upin the landfill,
and let's be honest, that's where mostclothing donations end up.
Speaking
of innovation,let's pivot to tech for a second.
Augmented reality-you know,virtual try-ons.
Have you seen what brands are doing withthis now?
(04:48):
It's like, you don't even have to leaveyour couch to find out if that
jacket makes you look fierce or just...
I dunno, sad and boxy.
Oh yeah,
it's brilliant.
I mean, ten years ago that kind ofexperience felt like sci-fi.
Now, it's becoming reality.
Customers get to see exactly how a piecefits before they even buy it.
(05:09):
It's cutting down returns and makingonline shopping way easier.
Which
is kind of a game-changer for anythingcustom,
right?
Like, you design your own piece,
you see it on a mannequin-or even better,
yourself-before it's made.
Suddenly, people feel way more confidentclicking "buy."Definitely.
(05:29):
It's taken the guesswork out of theequation.
And, for brands, it's, like,a goldmine of data-what people are trying
on, what they're customizing.
It all feeds into AI tools that,
honestly, know what you're gonna likebetter than you do.
Oh,
those AI tools.
They're like the psychic assistants weall needed but were definitely
(05:50):
creeped out by at first.
I mean, personalizing designs based onsomeone's past choices?
It's brilliant.
And freaky.
But mostly brilliant.
Haha, yeah,
it's a little bit of both.
But it's giving small brands,like yours or even my shops,
a chance to play in the big leagues.
You can create these super unique,
tailored experiences that wouldn't havebeen possible even five years
(06:13):
ago.
And let's not forget social media and thewhole user-generated content
thing.
It's like free advertising when someonetags you in a post.
Plus, trends are moving so fast that ifyou're not paying attention to,
like, TikTok or Instagram?
You're basically running blind.
Absolutely.
And it's not just about visibility; it'ssetting trends too.
(06:35):
A single viral video or post can senddemand through the roof.
Remember when that pink hoodie went virallast year?
Every print shop in town was scramblingto keep up with orders for pink
anything.
Oh, I remember.
I got so many requests, I was like,
"Should I just open a pink-only store?"But yeah,
that's the power of social media-it'swhere trends are born.
(06:58):
The challenge is keeping up withoutfeeling like you're chasing your
tail.
Right.
And that's where everything kinda tiestogether-using the right tech
and tools to stay flexible for yourcustomer.
Because whether it's AR, AI,or the next social media craze,
if you're not adaptable, you're toast.
Yup,
adapt or die.
Speaking of which-if you need top-notchcustom apparel to ride the next
(07:23):
wave of trends,head over to contract-dtg.
com.
Don't wait for pink hoodies to show up inyour DMs unannounced.
On that
note, that's a wrap for today's episode.
Thanks to everyone listening-don't
forget to hit subscribe and let us knowyour favorite custom trend right
now.
Until next time, keep those threads fresh!
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