A Technology Solution that is Upending the Fashion Industry, with Omer Kulka, CMO of Kornit Digital

Kornit Digital has always marketed itself as a developer of technology, which, in today’s world is pretty much what everyone says. In 2021, it seems like every company is either a tech company or a media company. So what is it that makes Kornit different from all the rest? Well, it starts with the fact that Kornit is creating technology that is more than just an app or a gadget: it’s developing tech to enable sustainable fashion production, which could have quite an effect on a $3 trillion industry. To achieve this end, though, means that brands have to start thinking and acting differently. Instead of supply and demand, it’s going to be all about demand then supply. 

Currently, 30% of fashion inventory is going unused and unsold. That negatively affects not just a company’s bottom line, the resources wasted in producing and then eliminating those items has a massive negative impact on the environment. On this episode of Up Next in Commerce, Omer Kulka, the CMO of Kornit, explained to me all the ways the company is working to bring new technology, a new business model, and a whole new way of thinking to the industry to start turning those negatives into something better.  And the change is coming sooner than you think, so if you want to be prepared, you’ll definitely want to pay close attention to this convo. Enjoy!

Main Takeaways:

• Monetizing Trends: Everywhere you look, something or someone is going viral. For too long, it’s been next to impossible to monetize those trends, but that’s changing. By shifting to a demand and supply model, brands can create a system that allows them to meet the moment and deliver goods to customer that they want in the moment and then still be ready to deliver again when the next trend comes along.
• Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast: These days, if you’re not innovating and disrupting yourself, you’ll be out of business in the blink of an eye. The best companies in the world are always shifting gears and changing their skin to meet new demands. This takes a lot of strategy and preparation, but more importantly, it take great people and a culture where your employees are not afraid of change, they lean into it.
• The mash-up between physical and virtual worlds: Virtual fashion is fashion that doesn’t exist in real life — think video and computer games or even in the future on Instagram— and it is an exciting new opportunity for on-demand, sustainable fashion.

For an in-depth look at this episode, check out the full transcript below. Quotes have been edited for clarity and length.

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For a full transcript of this interview, click here.