REPORT: Amazon On-Demand Apparel Service Growth Continues

NEW YORK-Merch by Amazon, the on-demand apparel decoration service by the e-commerce titan, shows signs of continued growth in its third year. That’s the latest from a report by Reuters detailing how the service is targeting a wide swath of niches.

Since its start roughly three years ago, Merch by Amazon has expanded its printing services for licensed merch to companies like the Walt Disney Co. and Dr. Seuss, as well as more specialized outlets like YouTube content creators and pay TV channels seeking short-run custom apparel. According to Reuters, Amazon has also filed nearly 2,000 patents since 2010, including ones for a manufacturing process that features textile printing, cut-and-sew, and shipping/receiving, all operated by a single computer-controlled setup.

Amazon tells the news outlet that its Merch by Amazon service offers 21 colors and 15 sizes for custom designs and eliminates the need for the seller to house or amass inventory. Going forward, the company says it is interested in everything from major entertainment companies to musicians and consumer products, Reuters notes. The overall setup of Merch by Amazon differs significantly from the traditional apparel decoration model, which often sees apparel manufacturers, apparel distributors, and decorators all operating in tandem with each other. Aside from impacting all these channels, Reuters points out that the service eliminates the delay caused by dealing with international manufacturers.

“Bringing apparel manufacture back to the United States and Europe would eliminate the long production times and commitment to big orders inherent for Western apparel brands sourcing from countries like China, Vietnam, and Indonesia,” says the news outlet.

While the company is still a far cry from overtaking traditional manufacturing channels, there are other signs of expansion. The company was recently greenlighted for expansion in Texas and Pennsylvania and now operates a Merch by Amazon facility in Poland.

To read the full report, visit http://printwear.ly/merchaz.