Amazon patents on-demand apparel factory

By

Matthieu Guinebault

Susan Spies

Published
Apr 26, 2017

The U.S. e-commerce giant has been granted a patent for an apparel factory that only starts makes clothing once an order has been placed by an internet user. The concept is right in step with "industry 4.0," the current buzzword about introducing automation into manufacturing technologies.

First reported by the technology website Recode, Amazon's proposed factory would house textile printers, cutters and assembly machines, all controlled at each step by a network of cameras to improve processes in real time. The production would be carried out in batches, and synced with factors such as the final delivery address so as to optimize production cycles and delivery times. The inventors also specified in the patent filing that the concept has applications for footwear, bedding, curtains and towels, as well as for a wide variety of materials.

But there is still a big gap to breach between this high-tech, bells-and-whistle concept and its actual roll out. Amazon's R & D teams have filed many similar patents, such as last year when they won approval for a flying warehouse concept  aimed at speeding up deliveries.

Still, fashion is definitely one of Amazon's main growth drivers. The automated factory patent is another clear sign that one of the world's largest retailers intends to be a major player in the apparel industry going forward. Although group does not separately report its apparel sales, many observers believe Amazon Fashion is on its way to becoming the primary fashion retailer in the United States.

Meanwhile, Amazon is currently working  on its own clothing lines , in addition to the third-party brands offered on the marketplace. The e-commerce giant already boasts eight private label lines that include lingerie, kidswear as well as everyday staples in men's and women's wear. A job posting the company ran in late 2016 created a stir in the industry when Amazon said it was looking for someone to “build authentic activewear private label brands.” To be continued, no doubt.