As the digital transformation of consumer expectations continues, fashion and retail are feeling the heat. New technologies are helping brands meet the increasing demand for transparency, personalization, and convenience while reducing costs and waste.
From AI to blockchain and 3D printing, tech is disrupting the fashion industry in the production and consumption sectors. In this blog post, you will learn about new technologies transforming the fashion industry.
Technologies Shaping the Fashion Industry
1. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the fashion industry by helping brands to understand their customers better and optimize product lines. AI-based visual recognition algorithms are increasingly being used for such tasks.
Examples include predicting consumer demand, recommending styling ideas, and detecting inventory issues.
AI-guided image analysis helps retailers optimize their product pages. It suggests alternative images better tailored to individual products, increasing click-through rates.
Another use case is visual search. Because of AI, consumers can search and discover products based on an image of the item they want to buy.
With visual search growing in popularity, many fashion retailers are using AI to optimize their product images and make their inventory easier and more convenient for customers to find.
2. Digital Printing
Digital printing is the process of printing images, designs, and other graphics on fabric using a computer-controlled textile printer. It is one of the most popular technologies used in the fashion industry.
There are three types of digital printing: direct-to-garment printing, screen printing, and heat transfer printing. All of these technologies can print on fabric and can be used to make a variety of items. These include custom t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, sportswear, and even bags.
Digital printing is an off-the-shelf textile printing technology that enables anyone to print on fabric the same way they would print a document on a printer. It has been used in the apparel industry for 15 years and has become very popular recently.
The main problem with DG printing was that the quality wasn’t good enough for garments. But now, in the age of AI, it’s better than ever.
3. Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of connected devices that can send data and instructions back and forth via wireless signals. As a result, the fashion industry has seen an increasing number of wearable devices make their way into the fashion landscape.
Image source: Pixabay.com
Bracelets, watches, and clothing items can now send information such as your heart rate or location back to an app on your smartphone. At the same time, you can also use wearables to send data back to a company’s computer system.
In recent years, the fashion industry has seen the rise of smart fabrics, which make clothing more functional. For example, some fabrics protect you from UV radiation, fabrics that heat up in the cold weather, and fabrics that can detect your health conditions.
4. Mobile Commerce
Mobile commerce has been a critical driver of e-commerce. Consumers are increasingly using smartphones and apps to shop.
With the rise of these mobile services, consumers can now easily shop from their smartphones, track their orders, and get more information on products they are interested in.
Mobile payment solutions are a key part of the mobile commerce experience. Customers can make payments using their smartphones, enabling them to pay for items with a few clicks.
Some fashion brands are using QR codes to enable faster payments with mobile devices. In addition, social media platforms such as Instagram have been vital in the rise of mobile commerce.
With Instagram being used by over one billion people, it has become the perfect space for fashion brands to showcase their products. In addition, many fashion brands now use Instagram to create visual catalogs of products that are available for purchase. This helps users to get more information about a product before buying it.
5. Blockchain
Blockchain is the technology that powers cryptocurrencies, but it’s also a technology with a wide range of applications in the fashion industry.
There is growing interest among fashion brands in exploring the potential of blockchain in boosting supply chain transparency. Enabling autonomous, trustless collaboration between stakeholders is what makes blockchain unique.
Image source: Pixabay.com
For example, blockchain-enabled traceability is helping fashion brands trace and verify the origin of their products by enabling secure, peer-to-peer traceability.
Blockchain has the potential to impact every link in the fashion supply chain, from raw material procurement to delivery and returns.
6. 3D Printing
3D printing enables on-demand production of individual items, reducing waste, and enabling faster response to customer demand. Currently, 3D printing is being used to manufacture fashion items like accessories, footwear, and textile materials.
Luxury fashion label Burberry has expanded its use of 3D printing to include items like its famous trench coat. The brand used its design for the trench coat, which was first created in collaboration with artist Edmond Parmevis.
7. Virtual and Augmented Reality
New technologies like VR and AR are opening up new ways to shop for clothes and try them on before purchasing. Brands are investing in virtual try-on technologies, enabling customers to virtually try on clothes without needing to visit a store.
Image source: Pexels.com
Now, customers can use VR headsets like Google Daydream or Samsung Gear VR, or AR app brands like Shopify’s AR app to view MR images on their smartphones to try on clothes instantly.
8. Chatbots
Millennials, who now account for 37% of the global workforce, are a generation of digital natives who prefer to communicate online rather than meet in person. Brands are increasingly using chatbots to offer quick, automated customer service and provide solutions to customer queries.
Chatbots have been used in the fashion industry to fulfill customer requests such as tracking orders or providing style advice and recommendations.
9. Big Data
With the rise of e-commerce, fashion brands have accumulated large volumes of customer data. This data is currently underutilized and often not shared among brands, which limits its value.
New technology initiatives like the demand-driven value network (DDVN) are promoting greater collaboration between brands to better use their data.
A key driver of this trend is the GDPR which upholds the rights of individuals to control their personal data. This EU law requires companies to report data breaches to protect customer data.
The fashion industry is among the sectors facing compliance challenges due to the complexity of managing data flows. E-commerce platforms are investing in new technologies to help brands comply with the GDPR and better use their customer data.
To Conclude
Today, fashion brands face challenges in a new environment of rising expectations and increased competition. New technologies are helping brands meet these challenges. But the focus must be on how these technologies are used to meet customers’ expectations.
In a rapidly-changing industry, innovation and technology adoption have become necessary for businesses to survive. This means that fashion brands need to keep their ear on the ground, looking for new technologies to help them grow.
Feature image: Roberto Nickson
