Consumers of today are looking for more creative ways of expressing their characters and personalities through the merchandise they purchase on a day to day basis. Companies who offer printed merchandise have capitalized on this particular trend, thanks to the development of printing technology enabling one-offs to be printed at a lower cost than volume runs. There is an expected year on year growth of 30% in the US market and a similar prediction within the UK for the same period.
The increase in the marketplace for personalised printed products is driven mostly by getting consumers to think of conventional products in new manners, which will be supported not only by the ability to personalise merchandise but also by the access to these designs and new methods to create and purchase the products. Personalised printed retailers are a great choice for photo goods sellers for instance looking to expand their reach, as these products are less exposed to seasonality problems and are usually printed on the exact same machinery allowing for greater manufacturing efficiency.
And of course the trend doesn’t stop at printed material either. Just about anything can be personalised and if you consider the baby gifts market, there you can see it in action. Many people look for something unique when a baby is born and want to mark this special occasion by placing the baby’s name on the gift. A blanket or quilt embroidered with baby’s name, a personalised book or name print, a keepsake box – the list of possibilities is endless. And of course they also make beautiful bespoke gifts for christenings too. Especially if you are a Godparent and looking for something unique. If you buy from the right company, you could also personalised your card and wrapping too for maximum effect!
The availability of 3d printers could radically change the landscape of what smaller businesses can offer customers. In fact it appears there is nothing too challenging for this kind of machinery. Products reportedly already made by 3d printers include:
Body parts (yes you read that correctly!)
Ears, kidneys, blood vessels, skin and bones have all been successfully 3D printed by scientists. Instead of the typical plastic normally associated with 3D printing, these 3D medical printers use a special gel-type material made from cells. Within just a few years, patients will be able to have new body parts printed to order.
Chocolate
Replace a normal plastic cartridge in a 3D printer’s case with melted chocolate and the possibilities for futuristic desserts are mind-blowing. You can print any writing or drawing that can be processed by a computer, and it’ll be edible. Yum, yum.
Clothing
Although 3D printed clothing has not yet hit the fashions stores of Paris, New York and London, it has hit the runways. Model Dita Von Teese wore the first 3D printed gown, made especially to fit her. With nearly 3,000 joints, the dress flowed according to her curves and look very futuristic.
As we stand at the edge of this exciting new piece of technology it is exciting to wonder where it will go next? What do you think? Will we all be printing our meals and clothes within the next 10 years? If so we had better remember not to mix up the ink cartridges!