Shaping Success
Innovation at Gibor-Sabrina
Body shapers were, until recently, seen as conservative clothing, mainly intended for older and fuller women who wished to appear more shapely and slimmer, especially when desiring to wear a dress with a flattering cut to a festive event.
In 2006, the demand for shapewear began to increase globally. Transforming from a non-sexy item reserved for special occasions, shapers became a must-have item for any age and weight.
Gibor-Sabrina, a company producing body shapers and underwear details for fashion brands and retail chains worldwide, identified this trend early on and decided to develop a new series of shapers adapted to current customer needs.
The seamless technology used by Gibor-Sabrina is ideal for body shapers. It allows for combining different textures, reinforced support areas, and various types of threads without cutting and sewing lines, thus providing a perfect fit and maximum comfort.
During Systematic Innovation workshops delivered by us, ZOOZ consulting, and with the help of a government subsidy from the “Spark” program, Gibor-Sabrina updated its line of shapers. Starting in 2007, Gibor-Sabrina offered shapers in a variety of feminine, young, and fashionable models—both in terms of cuts and in terms of colors and designs. The new shapers retained the functionality of the product while adding a contemporary look more suitable for everyday use.
Gibor-Sabrina's customers (retailers) worldwide recognized the market demands, showed interest in the new developments, and subsequently purchased collections of fashionable shapers. The business results were swift. Body shaper sales grew from 2.5% of Gibor-Sabrina’s sales in 2007 to 24% of sales in 2009.
The income from shapers was equally impressive. Being high technology and raw material products, their average price is relatively high compared to other underwear products. Accordingly, the income from shapers also grew at a high rate, from 7% of Gibor-Sabrina's turnover in 2007 to 33% of turnover in 2009.
Gibor-Sabrina underwent additional innovation processes with ZOOZ, including product innovation in the fields of tights and active sportswear, and technological innovation in production and operation processes. However, the shapers category is Gibor-Sabrina’s most notable success story, which helped increase sales among old customers and garner orders from new customers worldwide. Precisely in conservative fields (such as shapers, honey, suits, and levels), there is room to dare, surprise, and innovate successfully.
