Consumer and Industrial
Fashion Technology for Apparel
Adding authenticity, identity, and security to garments and accessories.
For fashion and apparel brands, this season’s look is far from certain. As fast fashion vies with circularity for shopper loyalties and wallets, clothing products are changing fast.
The apparel industry has thrived in recent years. With post-pandemic restrictions eased, apparel brands enjoyed surging demand and global sales up 21%. Some brands flourished more than others. Fast fashion continues to prosper but not everyone can keep up and nor do they want to. 66% of consumers want to buy from sustainable brands. But they are also cynical of greenwashing, with 72% believing brands overstate their green claims.
Fast fashion has continued to prosper but not everyone can keep up and nor do they want to – 66% of consumers want to buy from sustainable brands.
Consumers are not alone in calling for action. The European Commission has mandated that textile products carry a Digital Product Passport, covering product origin, material composition, and repair information. The US is imposing conditions on cotton imports. But 85% of textiles still go to landfill and only 15% of producers have complete traceability of raw material sourcing. Initiatives such as Better Cotton are rallying industry players.
Brands are reconciling sustainability demands with the essentials of design appeal.
Green might be the new black, but consumer appeal is about more than just sustainability. Quality trim remains critical, while authentic features deter competitors and counterfeiters, with fakes still rampant. Reconciling these demands is now the norm. Garment accessories and merchandising must convey strong design values and be sustainable, while traceability and transparency rely upon functional components to carry identity data.
