The world is going digital and transforming our lives. Every day, some new developments and innovations are changing the way we live. And fashion, which forms a big part of our lifestyle, is keeping pace with the changing world and adopting new technologies.
With conversations on sustainability gaining momentum, the fashion industry, which has often been at the cutting edge of innovation and driven change, is embracing technology to achieve sustainability goals.
And not a day too soon! Responsible for around 10% of the world’s total carbon emissions, the environmental cost of the fashion industry is now well known, and addressing it has become a priority for organisations, businesses, governments, and individuals. Responding to the challenges of making the industry more sustainable and less wasteful, the global fashion industry is slowly but surely using technology to turn things around.
Let’s take a look at some of these innovative planet-positive developments, and what they could mean for the fashionista in you!
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces
- Virtual Fashion Events
- Virtual/ Digital Sampling
- Digital Fashion
Gaining popularity in the metaverse and online space, digital outfits are virtual simulations of designer clothing, that are bought for digital purposes and often sold as NFTs. In simple terms, this concept allows you to ‘own’ designer clothing without buying the physical products.
Take the example of Tribute, a contactless cyber fashion brand, that aims to be truly sustainable by offering zero-waste digital clothes and reducing the need for the production and consumption of physical clothes. The brand created an Instagram look for stylist Nicola Formichetti that looked hyper-realistic, except that the entire look was a digital recreation (see image)! DRESSX, with its tagline “Don’t Shop Less, Shop Digital Fashion” is another popular brand making waves in the world of digital fashion.
Here’s how it works
- You buy these ‘digital’ outfits online at a comparatively lower price than the actual piece of clothing.
- Next, you upload a clear picture of yourself and the outfit is custom-fitted to your body frame.
- The result is a hyper-realistic Instagram-worthy picture of yourself in the designer outfit, which can be used on your social media platforms, online calls, gaming avatars, and more!
This has many uses – fashion influencers and celebrities can use these outfits to talk about brands without having to order the physical product that will take up closet space; luxury fashion enthusiasts who like to be seen in the latest haute couture collections and don’t like to repeat their outfits can flaunt designer digital styles without having to own or order the actual outfits. Digital fashion offers all the perks of being fashion-forward without the guilt of overconsumption!
While this may seem sound far-fetched to some, digital fashion is the next frontier of sustainable fashion. A large part of our fashion consumption is driven by desire and indulgence than just need. Digital fashion brands offer the gratification that fashion provides without consuming precious resources like water and energy, or generating fabric, clothing, and accessories waste. And when you think of the family events, meetings, webinars, fashion events, product launches and so much more of our lives going digital, this starts making sense!
- 3D/ Virtual Fitting Rooms
- Smart Factories
While this must seem like an obvious no-brainer, the e-commerce revolution was one of the first major advancements in the fashion industry’s journey towards sustainability. Though this did not address the ills of fast fashion, over-production, and waste, the advent of digital-only stores did help in reducing the pressure on infrastructural resources.
Today, catalyzed by the lockdown in the pandemic when D2C became the buzzword, several small and medium-scale fashion brands operate entirely online and have no physical stores. This has also made global brands more accessible as clothes can be shipped around the world without the need for a new store in every city.
Another advantage of online shopping is that now several brands only create made-to-order pieces based on the customers’ specifications. This has a two-fold advantage – it reduces the need to over-produce and stock up on inventory that may go to waste if unsold and also reduces the chances of returns and exchanges.
However, there is a flip side to this, as shipping also comes with a high carbon footprint. According to the data provided by the U.N International Maritime Organisation, international shipping accounts for 2.2% of all greenhouse gas emissions. So, shopping online but from locally slow-produced fashion brands makes for a more sustainable choice.
There are several such homegrown, sustainable brands in India that operate online and create planet-positive collections. Check out conscious digital-first brands like Rengé, Dwij, Something Sustainable, and Clime Scene that are committed to reducing waste. Know more about how you can identify ethical fashion brands here.
It’s not just the fashion enthusiasts who look forward to Fashion Weeks! Held across the globe in places like Milan, New York. Paris, London, and even Mumbai, Fashion Week events bring the industry’s leading designers and buyers together. However, for all their glitz and glamour, they have a high carbon footprint. One study has estimated that just the travel associated with these events is responsible for a whopping 240,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. To put this in perspective, this is the equivalent of, as per their modeling, lighting up the Eiffel Tower for 3060 years!
Enter virtual fashion shows. Though the concept was necessitated by the lockdown, virtual fashion events are slated to be the next gamechanger in the fashion industry. Virtual fashion shows drastically reduce on-ground waste. Since the event is held online, it eliminates the need for travel, hotel stay, transportation, and event logistics. This also means no food and decor waste that comes from hosting a large-scale event. A study has shown that the per visitor carbon footprint of the Helsinki Fashion Week 2020 reduced from 137kg to 0.66kg CO2e, after switching to the digital model!
Virtual events also mean lesser production of physical garments. Designers now get the opportunity to present their collections virtually, see what worked, and what failed, and only then go into production! Not only does this save them money and effort, but it also limits waste!
And this is not all. Virtual fashion events are more inclusive too! Since the online space is open for all, these events have democratized high fashion and made it accessible to people from around the world. Besides, a digital event is also easier to carbon-neutralize.
The jury is still out on whether digital events are here to stay or if things will go back to the pre-pandemic extravagant ways. After all, there’s much to be said about the thrill and pleasure that the physical experience of fashion shows offers and the touch-and-feel that is intrinsic to clothing. But with the benefits and cost savings of virtual shows now obvious, a hybrid experience that seeks to combine the best of digital and physical experiences is likely to be the new normal, much like in other sectors. Brands and design houses that are leading the transition to sustainable fashion can play a pivotal role in driving this change.
Since fashion is personal and subjective, designers always stand the risk of their collections failing. Virtual sampling is one solution that aims to help brands curb their post-production waste by designing more targeted collections.
Now, brands can use software like CLO and SDS-ONE APEX that offer 3D design, a simulated environment, visualization of garments, and similar tools that allow designers to mix and match fabrics, colours, and styles to see how their final product may turn out. It helps them visualize the look, fall, and drape of end products, reducing the scope for errors when the final collection goes into production. These sustainability solutions bring down the sampling cost, enable more creative experimentation, and minimize wastage.
Several global brands like Nike, Hugo Boss, and Victoria’s Secret now use this technology in an attempt to be more sustainable.
Source: FlixStock
Source: Instagram
Digital fashion brands offer the gratification that fashion provides without consuming precious resources like water and energy, or generating fabric, clothing, and accessories waste.
Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality (VR) have opened up the fashion industry to a lot of possibilities. Besides the ones we have just discussed, another useful invention is that of 3D trial rooms.
Finding the right fit when shopping for clothing is always a challenge. A virtual trial room allows you to gauge an outfit’s most realistic fit by visualizing it on your actual body measurements!
These 3D fitting rooms encourage you to upload full-length images of yourself, so you can be sure before committing to the style! Similar to the concept of digital sampling, virtual trial rooms allow you to save waste by only ordering what works for you. Likewise, it helps designers and brands create custom fits.
Astrafit and TryNDBuy are some of the fitting technology solutions that work with fashion brands, retailers, and marketplaces. Several well-known brands like Macy’s, Adidas, Hugo Boss, and Thomas Pink have been using this technology to help customers make better choices. In India, the brands Myntra and Biba were among the first to offer virtual trial rooms to Indian customers.
Another key benefit of this technology is that it reduces the chances of a customer returning their purchases due to incorrect measurements or quality concerns. Why is that important, did you say? According to studies, returns in the United States alone, generate 15 million tonnes of CO2e emissions and 5 billion pounds of landfill waste annually! So, anything that cuts down on this helps the cause of sustainable fashion!
A caveat – NFT transactions are done in cryptocurrencies that have a significant digital carbon footprint.
Source: Astrafit
A new-age boon for large-scale clothing manufacturers and brands, smart factories use digital technology to automate production. With the use of analytics, artificial intelligence, and VR, smart factories can digitize the product development and production process, with lesser dependence on human intervention. This ensures efficiency in the consumption of fabric and accessories in production, and accuracy in adhering to the product specs.
This is a sustainable solution as most mass fashion brands that outsource their production have stringent manufacturing guidelines, and even minor errors can lead to the whole collection being rejected. And a rejected collection means more waste headed to the incinerators or landfills!
While these are the key solutions being adopted, the fashion industry is experimenting with many such tech-driven solutions. For example, many brands have now entirely digitized their supply chain through QR codes and online tracking processes. This means there is traceability at every step, with the carbon footprint calculated, through the supply chain. The Australian brand Nobody Denim has integrated this technology to maintain complete transparency with their customers. Larger retail brands like H&M group and Next have also been experimenting with blockchain to achieve this goal.
The downside of these technological innovations is that excessive use can mean a high digital carbon footprint. That said, these solutions when combined judiciously with a shift to sustainable fabrics, renewable energy, responsible production, ethical practices, low wastage, and other earth-friendly measures can make a significant difference as the fashion industry embraces sustainability.
These changes on the supply end of the industry can get a further impetus with conscious consumers making sustainable lifestyle choices – whether by choosing earth-friendly fashion brands or experimenting with new concepts like fashion rentals. Because it will take every effort, big and small, to make the shift!
