A look at the evolution of the fashion industry and where technology is taking it next, from AR/VR dressing rooms to temperature-changing smart fabrics to virtual goods in the metaverse.
Fashion has always been at the forefront of innovation — from the invention of the sewing machine to the rise of e-commerce. Like tech, fashion is forward-looking and cyclical.
The fashion sector is also one of the largest industries in the world, estimated to be worth more than $3T by the end of the decade, according to CB Insights’ Industry Analyst Consensus.
And today, fashion technology is growing at a faster pace than ever.
Robots that sew and cut fabric, AI algorithms that predict style trends, clothes to be worn in virtual reality — an array of innovations show how technology is automating, personalizing, and speeding up the fashion space.
Seizing the opportunity to open more revenue streams and business models, fashion companies are partnering with technology providers, snapping up startups, and even building their own tech.
Meanwhile, as the industry faces a long-overdue reckoning with its environmental and social impact, it is reexamining processes across the value chain in an attempt to reinvent itself.
Download the full report to discover the trends reshaping how our clothes and accessories are designed, manufactured, distributed, and marketed.
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Table of Contents
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- Product design
- AI becomes the design partner
- How AI is influencing brands
- Manufacturing
- What fast fashion means for seasons
- Rapid iteration & production
- Streamlining the fashion supply chain
- 3D printing personalized apparel products
- New robots for the manufacturing floor
- Inventory & distribution
- RFID for verification, automation, & online integration
- Blockchain in the fashion supply chain
- Apparel distribution scales down
- D2C fashion brands shun physical retail
- From ownership to usership: The rise of clothing-as-a-service
- Automated warehouses
- Retail & virtual merchandising
- AR/VR redefines the online and in-store experience
- Digital stylists get personal
- Fintech and fashion join forces
- Reselling marketplaces proliferate
- Omnichannel clienteling as a service
- 3D scanning in the apparel industry
- Product design
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- The push for sustainability in fashion
- Resale platforms as sustainable alternatives
- Demand forecasting to reduce waste
- Recyclable garments & reinvented recycling plants
- Back to the drawing board: New earth-friendly textiles
- Rethinking fashion from end to end to achieve circularity
- The push for sustainability in fashion
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- What’s next? High-tech fashion trends to watch
- Wearables
- Virtual fashion
- Digital twins
- 3D scanning in the apparel industry
- Novel fabrics
- Synthetic media
- Cryptocurrencies
- Livestream shopping
- Closing thoughts
- What’s next? High-tech fashion trends to watch