While most of the market is chasing price, IZ Direct Enterprises Ltd. chose to take a different direction.

 

The Hong Kong-based company decided to focus on creativity and quality, with the goal of capturing what they saw as an emerging market for better and more unique fashion.

 

“We’ve grown a lot, even in bad times,” said Jake Wong, Business Development.  “We focus on value, not price.  About 30 percent of our resources are invested in design and graphic creation.”

 

IZ-Direct’s customers include Desigual, Kaporal, Isaratti , as well as many other international brands.

 

“Imagination is the key – it’s how we survive in this turbulent international garment business,” said Mr. Wong.

 

IZ-Direct uses digital printing when producing what Mr. Wong refers to as their “extreme value add” products. 

 

“Before, it would take us seven days to make screen and it would be 10 days before our customer would see the results.  Today, customers want results right away.  With digital printing they can see something within 10-15 minutes,” he said.

 

Speed is Key

With digital printing, IZ-Direct can make more accurate prototypes of printed garments.  They also have the flexibility to produce shorter runs and get them to the customer faster.

 

Pushing Creativity to the Extreme

“We use the Kornit Avalanche DC Pro for our extreme value, high end garments.  For these garments the key is creativity, customization, and smaller orders.  By using the Kornit digital printer we can offer this service,” said Mr. Wong.

 

“When we have been astonished with the results.  We are doing only about 1,500 pieces per month of these high end garments however the profits are very good – much higher than with other brands, even though the order size is small.”

 

According to Mr. Wong, profits on these ‘extreme value’ digitally printed garments can be as much as 10 times greater than on big volume orders of screen printed garments.

 

Man + Machine

Right now, the demand for these garments is greater than IZ Direct’s output. 

 

“Customers want the look and the hand feel in garments.  By using Kornit’s Avalanche DC Pro, which can do discharge printing, even the printed area of the shirt remains soft,” said Mr. Wong.

 

Kornit is the only digital printing solution that offers discharge printing capabilities.

 

It’s the combination of IZ-Direct’s design creativity and the capabilities of the Kornit Avalanche DC Pro that has enabled the company to produce these bestselling garments.

 

“We can provide a full solution – from design development to finished garment.  That our strength and competitive advantage,” said Mr. Wong.

 

Future Forward         

“I see a continued shift towards niche brands.  Order sizes for all customers continue to shrink while there is an increasing demand for customization.  Creativity will drive the business,” said Mr. Wong.

 

Digital printing remains one of the keys to being able to deliver on the demand for more creativity and smaller orders.

 

“Niche brands have an advantage, however they must be vigilant about maintaining their focus.  It’s their creativity that adds the value – and that value is what the consumer will pay for,” he said.