3 ways of using 3D product customization to become more sustainable

Nowadays, around 90% [1] of Gen Z consumers are more inclined to purchase products that benefit society.

In an increasingly socially and environmentally aware world, consumption habits change in favor of sustainable options.

Consumers nowadays wish to consume in a way that reflects their values as much as possible. Therefore, consumers are more driven toward responsible consumption.

If you are wondering how to make your brand more sustainable through technology, then this article is made for you. We will be addressing some sustainability challenges faced by brands and how 3D product customization can help better their strategy toward a more responsible production system.

Using 3D product customization to better allocate your resources

One of the principles of luxury is consumer experience and satisfaction as it rubs off on one’s brand image. Today around 35% of eCommerce purchases are returned to the issuing brands. Returns bear the meaning of product defects or unsatisfied customers.

In the luxury industry, in-store returns represent around 5 to 10% of purchases. However, online purchases are returned around 25% [2] of the time.

In a world where the customer experience is key, how can you ensure that your returns reduce?

Through 3D product customization, the product fits the consumer like a glove. 3D product customization reduces your chances of returns for two reasons:

The 3D visual is represented exactly as it looks in reality: down to the smallest details, the consumer can visualize their product in live action.
The product is partly made by the consumer for the consumer: the consumer chooses the appearance of their product.

Reducing returns enables your brand to reallocate the financial resources necessary for the production of the returned items into investments toward more sustainable practices. A way to diminish returns would be to adopt the made-to-order approach to production or create products from fabric scraps, for example.

Using 3D customization to embrace made-to-order

Nonetheless, diminished returns are not the only benefits 3D product customization has to offer consumers.

According to McKinsey, the luxury fashion industry represents 2 billion dollars of greenhouse gas emissions per year [3] worldwide. In comparison, the luxury sector releases the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as countries such as France or Germany [4].

In the fashion industry, approximately 92 billion tons [5] of textile waste are generated each year. This set of data is expected to increase by 60% from 2015 to 2030. Furthermore, 3D product customization helps you reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and waste through the made-to-order production method.

Mass production stands incompatible with customization. Consequently, the most suitable and exclusive production method to embrace would be the made-to-order production approach.

Customization through 3D visuals enables the visualization of a product that does not exist yet. The complete photorealistic 360° view of the customized product will increase trust in the product and the brand. Consequently, knowing they will receive the exact product they visualized thanks to the 3D visuals of their customization; consumers will be more inclined to purchase it.

Once consumers place their orders for personalized products, the number of pieces produced matches the number of demands for that specific product. This approach not only ensures efficiency but also contributes to sustainability:

It reduces the company’s possible surplus, thus reducing waste
It reduces greenhouse gas emissions for the surplus.

As a result, the customizable product will attract more Gen Z consumers as they are increasingly interested in responsible consumption.

Exploring customization through 3D visuals with SmartPixels

Embracing 3D product customization allows your brand to redefine its practices and achieve a sustainable production method. By seamlessly integrating 3D product customization into your brand, you can effectively curtail environmental impacts. This entails a significant reduction in textile waste and greenhouse gas emissions, the two most important consequences of the fashion industry.

With SmartPixels’ expertise in photorealistic 3D product configurators, product customization has never been easier. We make sure that the photorealistic 3D visuals perfectly represent your product. We send the manufacturing file to the manufacturer avoiding any possible mistakes during the production phase.

Discover how we can help you through the 3D product customization experience of Camille Fournet.

Sources:

[1] https://blog.crobox.com/article/unboxed/luxury-sustainability

[2] https://zigzag.global/the-luxury-retail-sector-trends-in-ecommerce-and-returns/

[3] and [4] https://hashtagpaid.com/banknotes/how-and-why-luxury-fashion-brands-are-focusing-on-sustainable-alternatives#:~:text=Luxury%20fashion%20has%20a%20problem,%2C%20Germany%2C%20and%20the%20UK.

[5] https://goodonyou.eco/waste-luxury-fashion/

3 ways of using 3D product customization to become more sustainable

Table of Contents

Nowadays, around 90% [1] of Gen Z consumers are more inclined to purchase products that benefit society.

In an increasingly socially and environmentally aware world, consumption habits change in favor of sustainable options.

Consumers nowadays wish to consume in a way that reflects their values as much as possible. Therefore, consumers are more driven toward responsible consumption.

If you are wondering how to make your brand more sustainable through technology, then this article is made for you. We will be addressing some sustainability challenges faced by brands and how 3D product customization can help better their strategy toward a more responsible production system.

Using 3D product customization to better allocate your resources

One of the principles of luxury is consumer experience and satisfaction as it rubs off on one’s brand image. Today around 35% of eCommerce purchases are returned to the issuing brands. Returns bear the meaning of product defects or unsatisfied customers.

In the luxury industry, in-store returns represent around 5 to 10% of purchases. However, online purchases are returned around 25% [2] of the time.

In a world where the customer experience is key, how can you ensure that your returns reduce?

Through 3D product customization, the product fits the consumer like a glove. 3D product customization reduces your chances of returns for two reasons:

Using 3D customization to embrace made-to-order

Nonetheless, diminished returns are not the only benefits 3D product customization has to offer consumers.

According to McKinsey, the luxury fashion industry represents 2 billion dollars of greenhouse gas emissions per year [3] worldwide. In comparison, the luxury sector releases the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as countries such as France or Germany [4].

Mass production stands incompatible with customization. Consequently, the most suitable and exclusive production method to embrace would be the made-to-order production approach.

Once consumers place their orders for personalized products, the number of pieces produced matches the number of demands for that specific product. This approach not only ensures efficiency but also contributes to sustainability:

As a result, the customizable product will attract more Gen Z consumers as they are increasingly interested in responsible consumption.

Exploring customization through 3D visuals with SmartPixels

Discover how we can help you through the 3D product customization experience of Camille Fournet.

Sources:

[1] https://blog.crobox.com/article/unboxed/luxury-sustainability

[2] https://zigzag.global/the-luxury-retail-sector-trends-in-ecommerce-and-returns/

[3] and [4] https://hashtagpaid.com/banknotes/how-and-why-luxury-fashion-brands-are-focusing-on-sustainable-alternatives#:~:text=Luxury%20fashion%20has%20a%20problem,%2C%20Germany%2C%20and%20the%20UK.

[5] https://goodonyou.eco/waste-luxury-fashion/