The concept of clothing has been known to humans for over 100,000 years. Throughout history, people used clothing as a non-verbal way of communicating their social status, culture, and overall personality. In official situations, a person’s clothes indicate their position and rank in the pecking order.
This type of attachment and behavior when wearing specific clothing is known as enclothed cognition. This psychological concept examines the power clothes hold over us and why we feel and act more competently and confidently when wearing certain clothes. In the study on enclothed cognition, the effect was complete when two factors occurred: the symbolic meaning of the clothes and the physical experience of wearing them.
Considering that information, we can grasp the main idea behind the effect of custom made clothing and why people wear it. But the aesthetic impact is not the only factor. For example, with the rise of minimalism among Millenials, quality overrules quantity. There is a certain demand for unique, well-crafted pieces that last long.
Related: DIY clothing hacks
Why Custom Made Clothing is Better
The way people dress has always been a form of self-expression. It’s not just about looking good, but also feeling good. Clothing can enhance our mood and make us feel confident. The right clothes can make us feel like we can take on the world.
People want to make an impression on every person they meet, even for a split second. If we think about it, our clothing style becomes our signature, which is very important when making an excellent first impression.
With that in mind, let us explore the reasons why so many people choose custom made clothing.
It Creates a Unique Personal Style
Let's start with the most apparent reason. Having something in your closet made especially for you makes you feel special. To stand out from the crowd, many people like to include items that defy the norm in their wardrobes, which is one of the main reasons unique clothing is trending nowadays.
In addition to that, custom made clothing can have sentimental value. Pictures of significant others, children, parents, or pets are examples of prints that people can put on their clothes. The act of wearing such clothing can bring emotional comfort to the wearer and make them feel good.
Related: How to tie-dye shirts with food coloring
It’s Better for the Environment
Recent environmental statistics have shown some concerning numbers regarding the damage done by the fashion industry. After clothing factory incidents, pollution statistics, and worker protests, people have become more aware of fast fashion's impact on the planet.
Fast fashion is defined as cheap, throwaway apparel mass-produced in large quantities. Countless new styles are released each year, making us feel out of fashion and encouraging us to replace our old clothes.
The new generation of consumers has started to advocate for more fashion sustainability, like creating their own clothes and upcycling old ones. Opting for high-quality personalized pieces has also become a preference instead of compulsively buying clothes that have the risk of never being worn.
It Supports Small Businesses
One of the many benefits of technological improvement is the availability of machines like printing presses. Along with sewing machines, this has encouraged many people to open their own clothing businesses. Shopping from small businesses supports workers' rights and supports aspiring fashion designers.
The benefits of shopping small are endless, and small shop owners strive to keep up with their customers' expectations. One of their advantages over big box stores is their ability to provide more personalized, hands-on, and memorable customer care. Many customers who buy items from small businesses take pride in their purchases and share photos, videos, and reviews on social media platforms, giving them higher visibility.
In addition to the previous points, people that shopped from small businesses also say that it gave them a sense of community. Since there are over 31.7 million small businesses in the US, you might have the chance to find some interesting local shops right around the corner!
Artist Merch
An artist's wares can become a unique addition to a fan's closet. Numerous underground artists on social media platforms have decided to transform their drawings and paintings into clothing prints. They do this by partnering with various customized clothing companies to achieve this goal.
Customized artist merch is not limited to only visual artists. Many content creators also turn funny quotes, catchphrases, and symbols into wearable advertisements. YouTube educational channels also provided their fans with clothing merch and pins.
People show their support by purchasing creator merchandise, which gets more people interested in the content they provide. It’s not just bands that can sell T-shirts and other clothes; just about any online public figure can do this.
Better Quality
Contrary to popular belief, aesthetics are not everything. Customized clothing businesses understand that and create beautiful designs using high-quality materials which last longer than mass-produced pieces. A customized t-shirt design is guaranteed to keep its print vivid and intact even after several washes. If there is a slight degradation of the print, the high-quality seaming ensures the survival of your garment for many years. As a bonus, remember that customized clothing designs do not mean only printing but also embroidery, which is also guaranteed to last.
The fact that personalized clothing businesses have a lower return rate than large stores means that customized pieces satisfy a client's needs better than commercial retailers. The precision and quality of the garment material are very important to custom manufacturers. Furthermore, they pay closer attention to customer measurements, and they do a better job checking for irregularities during sewing and printing.
Conclusion
It is safe to say that the new generation of consumers is slowly shaping how the fashion industry works. By encouraging people to shop more carefully and more sustainably, they help raise awareness of the damage fast fashion does to the environment. This is also helping small businesses and artists to become more visible in the public eye.
Besides the economic and environmental advantages, custom made clothing also encourages people to customize their style according to their personalities, lifestyles, and preferences.
Leave a Reply