2023.07.26

KONNEKT INTERNATIONAL, Developer of the on-Demand Production System "KONNEKTED," Which Combines Fashion with IP & Technology

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Expanding into the influencer DtoC brand business with "IP (Intellectual Property) × Fashion" and also venturing into on-demand manufacturing services with "Technology × Fashion," KONNEKT INTERNATIONAL INC. has created new business opportunities by integrating IP and technology into fashion.

In the realm of "Technology × Fashion," the company has launched the on-demand production system "KONNEKTED" as a solution to maximize revenue for apparel brands and merchandise EC sites. This system addresses previously problematic issues such as missed sales opportunities, inventory risks, and operational challenges in production and shipping.

This time, we interviewed Hiroaki Yu, the CEO of the company, about the development of "KONNEKTED," the goals they aim to achieve by combining IP and technology with fashion, and their future plans.

What is the On-demand Production System "KONNEKTED"?

Founded in 2013, the company initially operated as the sole distributor in Japan for the French eyewear brand "nunettes." Thanks to the brand's unique ability to incorporate IP into their sunglass designs, they have collaborated with various IPs, from J-League teams to "ONE PIECE," creating unprecedented fashion items.

While the company continues to expand its licensing business, in recent years, it has also launched brands for Mackenyu Arata and Misako Uno (from AAA), positioning DtoC brand businesses as a key pillar in their IP ventures.

The other key pillar is using technology to enable customization and on-demand production of real fashion items.

"We are a company focused on manufacturing, so rather than staying solely in the digital realm like Web3 or NFTs, we are working on integrating both digital and physical aspects.

"While working with overseas IPs, we noticed that on-demand services were already being used in EC. We realized that the era of on-demand services would soon come to Japan as well, so we decided to pursue this service."

Around the same time, major printer manufacturers made significant improvements to garment printers capable of full-color printing on various materials, such as clothing and other fashion items. This technological innovation has made on-demand production for EC merchandise more feasible.

Thus, the company developed "KONNEKTED" to help solve EC challenges. Specifically, when a customer places an order for a design selected or created by them, KONNEKT INTERNATIONAL manufactures the product at their in-house factory and ships it to the seller (EC site). The seller then delivers the product to the customer.

EC sites can easily integrate the system via API, resolving inventory risks like excess stock through on-demand production. Furthermore, processes such as product planning, design, product registration, material procurement, production, packaging, and shipping are optimized through technology, leading to more efficient operations.

New Value Created by Leveraging "KONNEKTED"

This initiative is forging new frontiers in product development. For example, in character IP, the issue of inventory risk previously limited product development to only the most popular characters.