The Cure for Sizing Issues: Body Measuring in the Post-Covid World

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed our lives in countless ways. In the apparel sector, both businesses and customers had to embrace new approaches and discover the power of innovative technology along the way. As parts of the world begin to recover from the crisis thanks to vast vaccination campaigns, it’s becoming clear that some of the new tricks we’ve learned are here to stay. The following three examples demonstrate the importance of body measuring technology in today’s — and tomorrow’s — apparel and workwear arenas.

Accelerated digital transformations

Online shopping has been trending and growing steadily for years, but the pandemic accelerated digital procedures across the board. It encouraged (and perhaps even forced) those who were reluctant to shop online to give it a go. By April 2020, the number of first-time online shoppers grew by 14%, and almost 60% of shoppers stated that they had increased their online spending. When asked about their future plans, 75% of customers said they plan to either maintain or increase their online shopping.

The message to eCommerce businesses is clear. Investing in online shopping technology, which very much includes remote fitting, is a must. Companies that will embrace innovation in the field will do a far better job at catering to the massive number of online shoppers and will be able to significantly boost their business.

Trending remote employment

Another major change that took place during the pandemic is the transition to remote work. Social distancing has distanced people from the office and companies learned that this new arrangement can improve productivity and reduce costs.

More than 20% of the workforce realized that at least partial remote work is possible and McKinsey researchers estimate that the number of employees working from home could triple after the pandemic, reaching more than a billion remote employees by 2035. This may become a must for companies in need of sought-after talent, as 98% of remote employees wish to continue working from home.

While employees who wear uniforms typically can’t work from home, operations management is one department that could definitely enjoy this type of freedom and flexibility. But in order to do so, managers need to rely on technology. Remote body measuring can help companies manage their workwear operations from afar and minimize location dependency. More than anything, being able to handle this critical task will increase companies’ confidence in their ability to work remotely, supporting the needs of employees of all types.

Shifting supply chains

One thing the apparel industry has learned during the pandemic is that a flexible supply chain offers essential agility that keeps business going despite global changes. Manufacturers had to adapt their supply chain due to Covid-19 and 30% announced plans to increase localization efforts as a result. The key to a flexible supply chain is reducing location dependency on all fronts, including garment fitting. Companies need a solution that is easy to implement wherever employees may be, offering extreme accuracy that keeps the appearance of employees everywhere consistent and sharp.

Remote fitting technology provides flexibility on the one hand and reliability on the other. In a changing world, where customers, employees and factories may shift location at a moment’s notice, having the right tech tools makes all the difference.