Makip sizing solution signs first UK client with Batch LDN link-up

Japanese sizing tech specialist Makip has revealed its first UK customer with premium casual suit brand Batch LDN signing up. The website is now using Makip’s Unisize try-on tech that claims customers can “purchase the most suitable and perfectly fitting suits with confidence on their first attempt”.

It uses artificial intelligence and works by asking shoppers basic questions such as age, weight and height to understand the measurements of their body, allowing the technology to accurately map the individual’s body size to the clothing item and display how the garments will fit the shopper’s unique physique. It claims a reduction in clothing return rates of 20% and increased purchase rates of 2.5 times.

Indie label Batch LDN is only two years old. It was founded in 2022 by fashion entrepreneurs Sam Matanle and Julian Osborne to create made-to-order suits for men and women at “affordable” prices (a suit costs just under £400).

It’s also sustainability-focused and its founders want to “tackle fast fashion and promote sustainable garment production”.

The company currently has a relatively low return rate of 0.3% but over the next year, the business is aiming to boost its online sales so return rates could jump.

Matanle said: “As we expand the business and increase our online customer base, Unisize will be a key tool in ensuring we keep returns and waste to an absolute minimum”.

And for a business focused on sustainability, using such tech makes sense. UK consumers spend around £54 billion annually on fashion with the worldwide industry causing up to 8% of global carbon emissions. Any tech that helps minimise its footprint and cut down on the huge rate of returns will be key to companies’ eco ambitions.

Founded in 2015, Tokyo-based Makip’s tech is currently used by over 300 e-tail sites and fashion brands in Japan including Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Lacoste. It’s also now available in both the UK and the US and recently launched its Unisize for Kids service in both countries.