Interview with Sandro Sartore, Administrator of Sartore srl
A conversation with those who have tried the Proke service: Sandro Sartore, Administrator of Sartore srl
Good morning, Sandro, could you introduce your company?
Our company, Sartore srl, has been in business for 40 years and was founded by my father, Gino.
We specialize in custom-made garments and small-scale production of ready-to-wear clothing.
Over the years, we have developed a very high level of expertise in producing high-quality garments. We sell in many countries through retailers who are our clients.
What are the challenges and problems you face?
The market has become very complex.
Over the years, the distribution chain has lengthened, and margins have tightened. Therefore, the fundamental issue for us is how to produce a quality garment while ensuring profits that allow us to maintain our business and jobs.
One more problem: COVID has forced changes upon us because it has also altered our way of dressing in formal attire. The good news is that as Italian producers, we are highly valued: Made in Italy maintains its charm and value driven by years of experience, tradition and good taste. Not surprisingly, Italy is one of the richest countries in history.
Why is taking measurements so important?
Taking measurements is complicated because human body shapes are complex! We are used to thinking in terms of sizes, right?
For example, I wear a size 52 and have proportionate shoulders. But there are individuals with size 52 and very narrow shoulders. In this case, we have to modify the jacket significantly, otherwise, the effect will be of a disproportionate garment, and the wearer cannot move comfortably.
It’s still a size 52, but the jacket will be completely different.
So, taking measurements is something for professionals…
Yes, because you have to position the tape measure at the correct points with great tailoring precision. So far, we use a method to adapt garments to various body shapes: we use test garments that are worn by the customer in the store; on this test garment, differences between the customer’s body shape and the standard fit of the garment are noted. Based on these differences, we make the necessary modifications to the CAD model. However, this method requires the intervention of a knowledgeable salesperson, which is not always easy to find.
In this sense, how can Proke be useful?
Proke is the technological successor to the test garment because it allows us to detect the particular body shape of that customer using the suit as a test garment and the app instead of manual work.
The measurements are precise and correspond to the customer’s actual body shape. It’s more cost-effective and objective. The measurements are very precise and automatically integrated into the production system without manual errors.
Therefore, this system allows us to export Made in Italy to far countries without the costs of air travel for measurements (as is currently done), while respecting and protecting the environment and increasing productivity in Italy.
What are the tangible results so far?
We have produced various garments for different body shapes, and the results have been excellent.
For a traditional company like ours, embracing technology is certainly a challenge, but there is no progress without change. And we have known this for 40 years…