Rapha launches new custom service with Unmade

British cycling lifestyle brand Rapha is partnering with Unmade to offer a new personalised design service to its customers, where they can design and manufacture digitally printed apparel.

Using Unmade software, which offers an end-to-end digital custom solution for on-demand production at scale, Rapha’s customers can create a complete team kit of cycling clothing with limitless options and hundreds of colours and layouts.

Rapha Custom offers easy to use templates as a starting point, as well as enabling users to upload their own logos to a full range of team kit, and the software evens captures riders’ imagination by showing previews of their designs, on a model and on location. At the end of the design process, a shareable URL is created and a team portal can be shared between teammates.

“When launching Rapha Custom we looked to address some of the biggest constraints for groups of cyclists creating custom kit. The market was crying out for a design led and fully digital customer experience that was seamless in manufacturing and delivery,” said Ed Clifford, head of Rapha Custom in a statement. “Unmade’s software provides us with a best in class system that is fully automated and integrated throughout the entire process.”

Unmade technology and Rapha launch industry disrupting custom options

Custom team kits have traditionally required high manual involvement in the design and production process, with a poor user experience and long lead times, explains Rapha, as the manual art working and setting up print files for production is costly and not scalable for large volumes. Unmade’s new print solution offers fashion, lifestyle and sportswear brands the opportunity to create unique customer user experiences with omnichannel integration and a complete production process that it claims is "automated, accurate and efficient”.

Hal Watts, co-founder and chief executive of Unmade, added: “At Unmade it is extremely important for us to work in partnership with forward-thinking brands who share our vision for creating real change within the fashion and sportswear industries, through bespoke experiences and collections that are both innovative and efficiently manufactured.

“Working in collaboration with the world leading cycle brand Rapha has allowed us to expand our capabilities from a knitwear focus into print.”

Image: courtesy of Unmade/Rapha Custom