In the face of the coronovirus pandemic, the world has changed in many ways. Life as we once knew it seems to be a distant memory. Businesses have been forced to find a new way to adjust to this foreign environment and fashion is a part of that. The fashion industry and the consumer will likely look completely different than they do today. So what will that mean for the industry?
Embracing Sustainability in Fashion
While 2019 was named “The Year of Sustainability”, the unforeseen circumstances that the world has been met with in 2020 may be the push that guides the fashion industry to rethink its ways and begin down the path of sustainability: –
Fabrics will change to meet a standard of zero waste. Manufacturing systems will find ways to recycle water or use renewable energies. Products will likely change as well.
Stay at home orders have encouraged people to spend time in nature as it is an escape from the four walls they look at all day, everyday. This will cause a rise in outdoor apparel but also encourage both consumers and manufacturers to think about the environment around them in a way they never have before.
Knowing What Sustainable Production Looks Like
The fashion industry is no stranger to scrutiny of its processes. For years, people have highlighted the condition of manufacturers’ factories and their employees. This drove many campaigns, like #whomademyclothes, into existence. In the wake of the pandemic brands and designers will want to know exactly how and where their clothes are made. Some manufacturers, such as the 100+ Italian factories MakersValley partners with, share photos and videos throughout the process of manufacturing that allow designers to see their product and get to know the people behind it. Processes like this will only increase in popularity as time goes on.
Innovation in Apparel Design
New styles and production will be encouraged by the ideas of today. In a time where people are sequestered to their homes or limited on where they can go and what they can do it is important to consider how life and business can go on if something similar were to happen. Investment into new technologies and open innovation will be essential to success in the future. Open innovation encourages designers and manufacturers to think beyond their own brand and collaborate as a whole to better the industry.
Rise of a Virtual Fashion Community
The rise of virtual nature is a given. Every industry and walk of life has been forced to take almost all aspects of life and find a way to make them virtually compatible. The fashion industry will be pushed in a direction toward self-sustaining processes and digital communication. In the modern age, technology has made such advances that makes this large feat possible but the COVID-19 pandemic will only push innovation forward.
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