Sustainable fashion is not simply about recycling and reusing, but about using technology to increase manufacturing efficiency and reduce manufacturing waste.
Sustainable fashion is threatened. The accelerating adoption of fast fashion and the rise of fast trade continue to add to the pollution of the fashion industry. More than $500 billion of value is lost each year due to underuse of clothing and lack of recycling. the industry part of the carbon the budget is estimated to increase to 26% by 2050 if you do not embrace sustainability in its true form, according to to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a UK-based foundation that works with businesses to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
To change the status quo, the fashion industry needs to look beyond recycle, reuse and recycle practices and find more ways to make sustainable fashion feasible. Industry stakeholders require more Scalable solutions and interventions to maximize efficiency and reduce waste.
Like many other industries, technology could be a real game changer for the fashion industry as well. Fashion brands can be more mindful of maximizing manufacturing efficiency and minimizing waste by leveraging rapidly evolving technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
Fashion brands can implement AI and ML to make sustainable fashion scalable and feasible with informed decision making when investing in relevant fashion trends. For example, data collected from social media platforms and consumer feedback can be used to determine buyer choices and design garments in multiple styles that meet different consumer choices.
Brands can use data collected from online and offline sales channels to learn more about consumers’ previous purchase journeys and create more functional products with multipurpose use. Accurate trend forecasting can help the fashion industry significantly reduce waste by manufacturing products that will generate high market sales.
In addition to driving design efficiencies, fashion brands can leverage technology on the manufacturing floor to reduce waste and make the supply chain less complex and more efficient.
Fashion brands harnessing the power of AI and ML
Identify new fashion trends: Fashion brands can use AI to sift through a wealth of consumer data to map their product and design preferences.
Increasingly, jewelry brands introduce new designs and patterns by following consumer conversations on different social media platforms. AI helps organizations capture trending conversations and keywords across the internet, giving brands clues about the types of jewelry and designs that are popular with shoppers.
Deep and advanced understanding of shopper preferences speeds up the entire product design process and helps fashion brands shorten the product-to-market cycle. This saves them time and money when launching new products.
Some fashion and luxury brands have taken the initiative in using AI-powered tools to decipher data (pattern design) from social media images and reading details on clothing. This rich set of data plays a critical role in determining design sensitivities, helping designers anticipate product trends driven by consumer preferences.
Reduce waste and maximize sales opportunities: Whether it is a clothing brand or a shoe brand, in-depth knowledge of consumer choices, including design and color preferences, helps them design and manufacture a limited and selected range of products. AI and ML-based insights into preferred product shapes and best-selling price points help fashion brands reduce waste of human resources, raw materials, warehousing, and sales and marketing efforts by offering to consumers a selected portfolio of products.
Efficient inventory management: Leveraging AI and ML technologies, fashion brands are in a stronger position to extrapolate data to make accurate and effective decisions. Better forecasting of product demand driven by technology helps fashion brands avoid overstocking and maintain optimal inventory levels, thereby saving on warehousing and logistics costs.
Accelerated Technology Adoption
The growing need to deliver sustainable, personalized experiences to consumers will see more brands harness technology at scale. AI’s share of the global fashion market is expected to reach US$1.26 billion by 2024, according to Markets and Markets, a global market research and competitive intelligence platform.
WWith the enormous benefits offered by new age technologies, the fashion industry is expected to implement AI and ML on a large scale to promote sustainable and feasible fashion and drive a positive impact of the brand on sales and the bottom line.
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed above are those of the author.
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