Mass customization is new trend for textile industries

An unstable economic climate, changing consumer needs, and emerging technology have challenged the existing manufacturing paradigm of mass production. Companies can no longer continue to do business without considering the impact of the turbulence in the marketplace. The driving force in this new marketplace is the consumer. The driving factor is technology. This paper discusses research to identify consumer wants, needs and interests in an emerging business opportunity in combining a mass production strategy with manufacturing and information technology to meet consumer desires with customized textile and apparel products.