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How to Conduct Fashion Market Research Like a Pro

Fashion market research provides business owners and entrepreneurs with valuable insights so they can make confident, informed decisions to guide the development or evolution of their fashion business. 

Valued at an impressive 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars in 2020 , the global fashion/apparel industry is a behemoth industry covering a wide variety of garments and accessories.

While this sector has traditionally experienced consistent growth, the past year has been turbulent and challenging. Whether you are considering a new fashion venture or are looking for innovative ways to recover from an unprecedented year, market research is an effective way to guide your efforts.

This article covers how to conduct a combination of primary and secondary research o to power your fashion market research campaign. 

Fashion Market Research Overview 

Fashion market research is the process of gathering and analyzing information to  gain insights into the fashion industry, which includes its top players, your competitors and mainly, your target market. Whether you own an existing apparel business or are considering an entry into the world of fashion, market research can ensure effective use of your marketing expenditure and increase the likelihood of business success.

Fashion market research is used to achieve the following:

• Understand how customers relate to your brand or a competitor’s brand.
• Identify areas for growth, new markets, and customer segments.
• Understand how existing customers would like to see your brand evolve.
• Gain insight into consumer spending when it comes to fashion needs and wants.
• Collect information about consumer opinions and interactions with various fashion segments (e.g. fast fashion vs. luxury brands).
• Understand how fashion marketing campaigns influence consumers’ opinions and behavior.

Undertaking a market research campaign project can provide you with the confidence you need to succeed in a highly competitive industry. The end-goal of fashion market research is to gain sufficient information to make informed decisions about your business so that it can thrive. 

The Makeup of Fashion Market Research

Fashion market research is made up of two sources of information, referred to as primary and secondary research. By using both primary and secondary sources of information, you can determine several key factors about your target market and its various segments. These include:

• Annual spend on fashion in your niche
• A comparison of shopping experience frequencies, in-store vs. online
• Wardrobe share of certain brands and/or apparel categories
• Where and how your target market discovers your brand
• Shopping triggers
• Spending forecasts
• Marketing channels
• Product diversity 
• How in-demand your products or brand are

To reap the most insights, you should plan to incorporate both primary and secondary sources to drive your fashion market research towards success.

Primary Research for the Fashion Industry

Primary market research refers to the unique data that is gathered from first-hand sources. While it is more labor-intensive to gather primary information, you are rewarded with data that is particularly relevant to your particular business and customer base. It also puts you in control in terms of the data you collect and then leverage. 

The most valuable sources of primary information for fashion market research are:

• Online survey tools about existing or prospective customers, i.e., those in your target market that have not yet bought from you.
• Phone, in-person, and mall intercept interviews
•  In contrast to one-on-one interviews, a focus group allows for moderated discussion among participants. This provides the opportunity for the group to share ideas and discuss a topic or trend, which is particularly useful when conducting fashion market 
• This gives marketers an opportunity to observe and understand how customers behave in a natural setting. When it comes to fashion market research, field research provides valuable information about how customers browse and shop, both in-store (through natural observation) and online (via session replay tools). 
•  Often used to test out new design concepts, user testing gauges customer interest and reception. It is also used to test out in-store shopping experiences and changes to fashion websites. 
• Consumer research panels

Secondary Research for the Fashion Industry 

Secondary research is performed by sourcing data from existing, published sources, i.e., data that you don’t need to amass yourself, as it has already been conducted. You should then parse through and organize the secondary data to prepare it for analysis.  A strong analysis involves comparing the secondary resources against each other, along with their primary source counterparts.

Good sources of secondary information for the fashion industry include:

• Market and industry research reports and white papers
• Fashion industry websites 
• SEO, keyword, and trends research
• Governments statistics
• Your competitors’ websites and other digital properties such as apps, mobile sites, ads, etc.

Secondary Research Sources for Fashion Market Research

To give your fashion market research a jumpstart, we have gathered some of the most relevant sources of secondary information for the fashion industry. 

• Marketresearch.com Market Research Reports & Industry Analysis : A veritable font of information about the fashion and apparel industry, this site lets you search and filter to find general industry reports and more specific reports that pertain to your niche or sub-sector. 
• McKinsey’s State of Fashion Annual Report : A trusted global consulting group, McKinsey publishes a free annual report on the fashion industry that contains insights on the global economy, consumer spending and behavior and the fashion industry as a whole. The recently published report on fashion in 2021 pays special attention to the impact that COVID-19 has had and will continue to have on the industry in the coming year.
• Statista.com Global Apparel Market – Statistics and Facts : Statista offers a wealth of information and statistics on the fashion market. You can access a variety of charts and reports for free, or purchase more comprehensive reports, such as Apparel Market Worldwide dossier . 
• NPD Fashion Trend Tracker : The global consulting group NPD has created a subscription-based trend tracker that provides the latest information on changing fashion trends. Use this to track change and identify areas of growth in your vertical. 
• NPD website : In addition to paid sources of information, the NPD Group is also an excellent source of free information about the fashion and apparel industry, published as articles and blog posts on their website. 
• The Business of Fashion : This online magazine collates insights gathered by journalists in over 125 countries. Subscription-based memberships are available for those who want to gain insights from a leading source of fashion industry news and information. 
• KPMG Sustainable Fashion report : Published by KPMG, this free report focuses on consumer perception of sustainable fashion. The group interviewed over 1,000 individuals in the world’s largest cities to understand how consumers relate to sustainable fashion and responsible buying behavior. 
• CommonObjective.co : For anyone with an eye on sustainability as it pertains to fashion, Common Objective is a valuable source of both free and paid information about trends, sourcing, marketing, consumer behavior, and more.

Confront New Challenges with Market Research 

Fashion businesses have more challenges to consider than ever before. If your business is struggling to recover from the global pandemic, market research can help you identify new areas of growth. With a tightened budget, market research is vital to ensure your marketing and advertising spend is used wisely.

Or perhaps you are looking to evolve your business in response to the concerns of “woke” consumers , who demand a higher level of environment and social responsibility from fashion brands. Market research can help you meet these demands and shape your targeted messaging. 

Even without new challenges, every fashion business fights the constant battle to remain relevant and stylish in an ever-changing landscape. Consumers on the hunt for something unique and new will continue to push fashion brands to evolve their style to satisfy their customers’ demands. 

Fortunately, this demand comes with more direct access to your customers via social media. You can benefit from an engaged audience by regularly deploying online surveys to gather insights about their needs and desires, no matter how often they change.

Regardless of your motivations, fashion market research can provide you with valuable insights to help you make confident decisions in the months and years to come. 

Frequently asked questions

What is fashion market research.

Fashion market research involves collecting and analyzing data in order to gain a better understanding of how an apparel business is positioned in the competitive landscape.

Who can benefit from fashion market research?

Fashion market research is beneficial for a wide variety of businesses that operate within the fashion industry. This includes established brands, fashion startups, brick-and-mortar stores, apparel chains, and artisan fashion producers.

What are some of the reasons for conducting fashion market research?

Fashion market research can help a business identify new target markets, understand how existing customers feel about their brand, gain insights into fashion spending, and explore how marketing campaigns can affect buying behavior.

How is fashion market research conducted?

After identifying the goals of the fashion market research project, the team will conduct primary and secondary research to gather information from the appropriate sources. Then, this information will be compiled into a report that contains findings and recommendations.

What types of primary research are most appropriate for fashion market research?

The most useful types of primary research for the fashion industry include surveys, interviews, focus groups, field research, mall intercepts, and user testing.

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Fashion Market Research: Specifics, Challenges, and Tips

• by Alice Ananian
• May 2, 2024

In the fashion industry, being on top of trends and consumer preferences is the key between launching a hit product and facing an inventory full of unsold merch. Market research is the compass that guides fashion entrepreneurs, retail analysts, and marketing professionals in the right direction, helping them to stay ahead of the game.

Understanding the specifics of fashion market research, overcoming industry-specific challenges, and utilizing the right tools and resources are essential for any player in the fashion industry who wants to thrive. This comprehensive guide equips you with the knowledge and techniques necessary to excel in fashion market research.

Market Research for the Fashion Industry

Market research within the fashion industry is not merely about spotting trends; it’s about understanding the complex web of factors that influence buying decisions. From cultural shifts to economic indicators, a multitude of elements influence what we wear and why. Brands that translate this data into innovative products and marketing strategies are the ones that capture market share.

The fashion industry, notorious for its rapid shifts and turnovers, demands a heightened emphasis on timeliness and accuracy in market research. What was “in” last season might be long-forgotten by the time the next collection hits the shelves. Therefore, the methodology and tools must be as dynamic and trend-responsive as the industry itself.

Fashion market research typically encompasses four key components:

Consumer Behavior and Trends

Studying consumer behavior involves collecting data on shopping habits, brand loyalty, and demographics. To predict upcoming trends, fashion researchers need to be one step ahead, analyzing emerging micro-trends that reflect a changing social landscape.

Competitive Analysis

Understanding your competitors is crucial in the saturated fashion market. This includes identifying key players, benchmarking performance, and keeping an eye on their moves in terms of products, pricing, and promotions.

Product Research and Development

Researching products involves exploring concepts, materials, and designs that resonate with consumers. Feedback loops from surveys, focus groups, and prototype testing can be invaluable in refining products prior to launch.

Marketing and Branding

Effective marketing and branding research involves evaluating the impact of advertisements, the effectiveness of branding statements, and the resonance of the brand’s image with the intended audience.

How to do Fashion Market Research [Step-by-Step Guide]

Fashion is a dynamic industry fueled by trends and consumer preferences. Conducting thorough market research is crucial for any fashion business, from established brands to aspiring designers. Here’s a step-by-step guide to navigate the process:

Step 1: Define Your Objectives

What do you want to learn? Are you trying to validate a new product idea, understand your target audience better, or analyze competitor strategies?

Clearly defined goals will guide your research methods and ensure you gather relevant information.

Example:   A handbag designer wants to launch a line of eco-friendly totes. Their research objective might be to understand consumer preferences for sustainable materials in handbags and their willingness to pay a premium.

Step 2: Find the Right Sources and Tools

There are two main types of research sources: primary and secondary.

Primary Research: Data you collect directly from your target audience. This can involve:

Surveys: Online questionnaires to gather a large pool of data on demographics, preferences, and buying habits. (e.g., Google Forms , SurveyMonkey )

Focus Groups: In-depth discussions with a smaller group to gain qualitative insights into attitudes and motivations.

Interviews: One-on-one conversations for detailed feedback from potential customers.

Pre-launching: This is a goldmine for market research in the fashion industry. By creating a landing page with your concept and gauging customer response, you gain real-time insights into demand, iterate on your design based on feedback, and avoid investing heavily in an idea that might flop. This direct interaction with potential customers makes pre-launching a powerful primary research tool.

Secondary Research: Existing data collected by others. Look for:

Industry Reports: Market research firms publish reports on fashion trends, consumer spending, and market size. 

Here’s where to look:

• Euromonitor International : Provides comprehensive reports on various fashion segments like apparel, footwear, and accessories, with a global perspective. 
• LWD (Leather Working Group) : Focuses on the leather industry, offering reports on sustainability practices, sourcing trends, and market analysis. 
• Nielsen : Offers reports on consumer spending habits and demographics, including insights relevant to the fashion industry. 

Fashion Publications: Trade publications and online fashion magazines often feature trend forecasts and consumer analysis. 

• The Business of Fashion (BoF) : Publishes insightful reports on various fashion industry topics, including market analysis, trend forecasts, and business strategies. 
• Vogue Business : Offers in-depth reports on luxury fashion trends, consumer preferences, and the business landscape within the high-end segment. 
• WWD (Women’s Wear Daily) : Provides regular reports on fashion trends, retail analysis, and industry news, often with a focus on the US market. 

Step 3: Analyze Your Insights

Once you have collected data, it’s time to make sense of it. Analyze survey responses and identify trends in demographics, preferences, and buying habits.

Look for common themes emerging from focus groups and interviews. Summarize key takeaways from industry reports and publications.

Step 4: Develop Buyer Personas

Use your research findings to create detailed profiles of your ideal customers. These buyer personas should include:

• Demographics (age, gender, income)
• Lifestyle and interests
• Fashion preferences and needs
• Shopping habits and preferred channels

Example: Based on your research, you discover a significant demand for eco-friendly totes among millennial women who prioritize sustainability and ethical manufacturing. This informs your buyer persona.

Pro tip: Make sure to leverage the power of online communities like those on Reddit . Use platforms like this to examine your target audiences threads and not what topics they discuss. 

Step 5:  Understand Your Competitors

Start by identifying your main competitors in the market and conduct a thorough analysis of their products, pricing strategies, marketing channels, and brand image. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of their offerings and how they position themselves in the industry.

Next, scrutinize the market to identify any gaps or unmet needs that your competitors are overlooking. This is your opportunity to carve out a niche for your brand. Think about what unique value proposition your brand can offer to fill these gaps and differentiate itself from the competition. Consider how your products or services can solve problems or meet needs that are currently being neglected.

By focusing on these areas, you can develop a strategic approach that leverages your brand’s unique strengths, setting you apart in a crowded marketplace and positioning you for success

Pro tip: To circumvent all the hassle of a detailed competitor analysis use tools such as the AI Market Research Assistant by Prelaunch.com. This tool allows you to analyze thousands of reviews and feedback to discover top customer praises and complaints simply by entering your competitor’s links.

Step 6:  Summarize Your Findings and Take Action

Create a clear and concise report summarizing your research findings.

Use this information to make informed decisions about product development, marketing strategies, and pricing.

Step 7:  Keep Checking In

Fashion trends and consumer preferences are constantly evolving.  Monitor industry publications, conduct surveys periodically, and stay updated on competitor strategies.

Here’s a list of major fashion industry publications:

• Harper’s Bazaar
• WWD (Women’s Wear Daily)
• The Business of Fashion (BoF)
• Another Man (menswear)
• GQ (Gentlemen’s Quarterly) (menswear)
• Numéro (considered more avant-garde than mainstream publications)

By following these steps and continuously refining your research, you can gain valuable insights that will give your fashion business a competitive edge.

Tools and Resources for Fashion Market Research

Fashion market research equips you with valuable customer insights to design successful clothing lines, marketing campaigns, and pricing strategies. Here’s a breakdown of tools and resources categorized by primary and secondary research methods:

Primary Research

SurveyMonkey and Google Forms : Create online surveys to gather a large pool of data on demographics, preferences, and buying habits from your target audience. These tools offer user-friendly interfaces for designing questionnaires, distributing them electronically, and analyzing the collected data.

UserTesting : Conduct remote usability testing to see how potential customers interact with your clothing line prototypes or website. This online platform allows you to recruit participants, moderate testing sessions, and gain valuable insights into user experience.

Focus Group Discussion Platforms: Platforms like Lookback and User Interviews enable you to conduct online focus groups where you can moderate discussions with a smaller group to gain qualitative insights into attitudes and motivations.

Pro tip: Instead of scattering around to compile a combination of different primary research sources, get all your data in one place with Prelaunch.com . The idea validation platform lets you quickly create a landing page and share it with your friends and wider community to start generating first-hand feedback on your latest apparel concept.

Secondary Research

Industry Reports: Market research firms like Euromonitor International , LWD (Leather Working Group) , and Nielsen publish comprehensive reports on fashion trends, consumer spending, and market size. These reports provide valuable data-driven insights into the industry landscape. Fashion Publications: Stay updated on current trends and consumer analysis through trade publications like Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) and online fashion magazines like The Business of Fashion (BoF) and Vogue Business .

Social Media Listening Tools: Brandwatch and Sprout Social are social media listening tools that allow you to track brand mentions, analyze online conversations, and understand consumer sentiment about fashion trends and brands.

E-commerce Trend Reports: Platforms like Etsy and Trendalytics offer trend reports based on their sales data, giving you insights into what’s popular with online shoppers.

Additional Resources:

Fashion Trend Forecasting Services: WGSN and NellyRodi are fashion trend forecasting services that offer insights into upcoming trends, color palettes, and materials. Subscription fees apply, but these services can be invaluable for staying ahead of the curve.

By leveraging this comprehensive toolkit, you can conduct thorough market research that empowers you to make informed decisions and achieve success in the ever-evolving fashion industry.

Case Study [Start-up brand]: Reformation – Sustainable Style Takes Root

Brand: Reformation

Challenge: Reformation, a sustainable fashion brand launched in 2009, aimed to disrupt the industry with eco-friendly clothing but needed to validate their concept and target market.

Market Research Strategy: Reformation utilized a combination of online and offline methods:

• Social Media Engagement: Reformation actively engaged with their target audience on social media platforms like Instagram, conducting polls and surveys to understand their preferences for sustainable clothing.
• Trend Analysis: The company closely monitored fashion trend reports and social media conversations to identify styles and silhouettes in high demand.
• Customer Reviews: Reformation analyzed customer reviews of their existing products to understand what resonated with their audience and identify areas for improvement.

Key Insights:   The research revealed a strong consumer interest in sustainable fashion, particularly among millennials and Gen Z.  They identified a demand for trendy yet timeless pieces made with eco-friendly materials.

Action Taken:

• Focused on using recycled and sustainable materials like organic cotton and Tencel.
• Developed a core collection of versatile pieces that aligned with current trends but offered longevity.
• Utilized social media to showcase their commitment to sustainability and connect with environmentally conscious consumers.

Results:   Reformation’s market research ensured their products catered directly to their target audience’s desires.  Their focus on sustainability and trendy styles propelled their growth, establishing them as a leader in the sustainable fashion movement.

These case studies illustrate how established and start-up brands can leverage market research to gain valuable customer insights, adapt their offerings, and achieve success in the dynamic fashion industry.

Overcoming Challenges in Fashion Industry

The fast-paced and ever-evolving nature of the fashion industry presents unique challenges for market researchers. Here are some common roadblocks and how to navigate them:

Fickle Consumer Tastes: Trends shift quickly, making it difficult to predict what will be popular next season.

Social Media Influence:   Viral trends and influencer marketing can significantly impact buying decisions, adding a layer of complexity.

Data Saturation & Inaccuracy:   Consumers may not accurately report their preferences or be swayed by marketing messages in surveys.

Reaching Target Audiences:   Identifying and engaging with specific demographics across diverse online and offline channels can be tricky.

Fast Response Times:   Fashion cycles are short, requiring research to be agile and deliver insights quickly.

Embrace Trend Forecasting: Utilize trend forecasting services and analyze historical data to identify emerging trends with long-term potential.

Monitor Social Media Conversations: Track social media buzz, analyze influencer endorsements, and engage with online communities to understand real-time trends.

Employ Qualitative Research Methods: Conduct focus groups or in-depth interviews to gain deeper insights into consumer motivations and purchase decisions.

This is easier said than done. So a more realistic alternative is to set up a landing page on using the Prelaunch concept validaiton tool to start gaining real insights into purchase intent, as well as what could be improved. 

(e.g. You might offer a garment in certain colors and not others. Based on feedback that is conveniently complied into a single Dashboard you’ll be able to learn what iteration is most popular with your target audience, who they are both demographically/psychographically and and even the optimal price point to set.)

Utilize Diverse Research Methods: Combine quantitative surveys with qualitative methods like focus groups to get a more holistic picture of consumer preferences.

Partner with Social Listening Platforms: Track brand mentions, sentiment analysis, and competitor activity to gain real-time market intelligence.

Rapid Prototyping & A/B Testing:   Create low-fidelity prototypes of designs or marketing campaigns and conduct A/B testing to gather quick feedback and iterate quickly.

Market research is the backbone of success in the fashion industry. By meticulously studying consumer behavior, keeping a finger on the pulse of trends, and analyzing the strategies of competitors, fashion professionals can craft a robust business model. Utilizing the right tools, case studies, and overcoming challenges, your path to informed decision-making is set.

In a realm where yesterday’s fad is tomorrow’s old news, thorough market research ensures you’re always on the cusp of what’s next in fashion. It’s the secret to crafting not just great products, but legacies.

What is fashion market research?

Fashion market research is the systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of data that pertains to the market’s preferences, economic indicators, and various other factors that contribute to the behavior of fashion consumers. This research helps brands and retailers understand what products to create, how to promote them, and at what price point.

Who should be conducting fashion market research?

Anyone involved in the lifecycle of a fashion product should be involved in market research to some degree. This includes designers, manufacturers, retailers, marketers, and any other professionals with a vested interest in the success of a product in the market.

What types of market research are most appropriate for the fashion industry?

A mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods are most appropriate for the fashion industry. This includes surveys, focus groups, trend analysis, and consumer panel studies, among others. These methods help capture both broad market trends and individual consumer preferences.

Alice Ananian

Alice has over 8 years experience as a strong communicator and creative thinker. She enjoys helping companies refine their branding, deepen their values, and reach their intended audiences through language.

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How to conduct effective market research for fashion

Defining fashion market research, 4 reasons why market research in the fashion industry is important, secondary and primary sources for fashion market research, how to conduct fashion market research like a pro, get fashion market insights and data with attest, fashion industry market research faqs.

Are people buying more long-lasting, durable and luxury items in the name of sustainability? How big is the opportunity in second-hand clothes—and how does this affect spending in regular retail stores? Is Gen Z really not buying skinny jeans anymore—and have they scared millennials out of doing that too?

Questions like these keep everyone in the fashion industry up at night, in every part of the supply chain. Designers are frantically scrambling hints on social media to find out whether or not florals for spring are groundbreaking again, marketers are trying to find the next influencer that their target group will love, and commercial leaders are contemplating whether or not the latest fashion trend is a money spinner.

The fashion market is less unpredictable than it seems—and we’re not talking about low rise jeans from the 90s coming back to haunt us two decades later. If fashion professionals dive into research and get to know their target market as if they were their best friends, it’s very possible to create a proactive strategy for your fashion brand, as opposed to a reactive one. 

But where do you start looking? What sources should you combine, what questions need to be asked, and how can you effectively use all that data?

In this article, we’ll dive into the art of performing market research in the fashion business. This knowledge will be useful for not only brand managers, marketers and insights professionals, but anyone who wants to get ahead of the game by getting in the head of their customers. The right fashion market research tools can help you to:

• Identify golden opportunities in the market
• Spot emerging trends before your competitors
• Understand what your target market is looking for- sometimes before they’re looking for it
• Inform your overall fashion marketing plans, even in the face of fast-moving trends.

Fashion market research is all about understanding what your target group wants, and will want in the future. From their spending patterns to the effectiveness of campaigns, fashion market research and market trend analysis covers everything that helps you uncover business opportunities for the next season—and many more after. 

The goals of fashion market research vary. A brand that’s getting ready for their first collection to drop might want to look into how big the potential is for their future market share, to decide whether it’s worth it or not to go live. 

But even big players, from Inditex to Chanel , are constantly keeping an eye on their target market. Reasons for them to perform market research are to gain insights into how different customer segments react to trends in the market and certain marketing strategies. They also try to gain insight into how much consumers spend on certain items, to identify areas for growth and new markets. They might even discover a new customer segment to tap into while they’re at it.

Long-term market research in the fashion business is all about collecting data that will help a brand understand how to beat the competition, simply by connecting with their customers better and creating new products they can’t resist buying. 

In the short term, fashion brands can perform research to measure the effectiveness of campaigns and commercials, or to gauge how successful a new line has been. 

Market research is important in any industry where there’s even the tiniest bit of competition—and the fashion industry especially is one that really depends on it. Here are four reasons why market research is vital for brands and businesses who want to thrive.

Reason 1: The market reacts strongly to trends

Philosophy aside: influencers have a huge, well, influence on the fashion market . In all types of market, they are directly impacting buying decisions. And it’s not just fashion bloggers—anyone with a decent following, can alter the way people shop. Just take the show Love Island, where winners get rewarded by having their ‘own’ clothing line on ASOS. And it’s become incredibly easy to shop items that were worn on the show. 

But it’s not just runways and social media trends that impact the fashion industry. Take the pandemic: after years of being on the rise, both online and brick and mortar fashion stores saw a dramatic drop in sales, one they’re still recovering from. The ways people shop have changed, and it’s up to brands to figure this out and react cleverly.

Plus, consumers getting more eco-friendly and more resistant to fast fashion, and a call for more inclusive clothing across genders and sizes, will also inevitably leave its mark on the fashion industry.

Reason 2: Target groups vary a lot

Fashionistas who grew up buying Primark and loving every second of the experience fast fashion affords, might have turned into environmentally conscious shoppers who are only interested in bespoke pieces, or who shop mostly on second-hand apps like Depop or Vinted.  

The moral of the story? Your current customers could shop elsewhere tomorrow. The fashion industry serves dozens, if not hundreds of customer groups in which consumers fall. It’s crucial to get to know them as well as you can, to keep them interested for long enough.

Reason 3: The market is highly competitive. 

There are too many brands and stores to count, but together they make up for a value of $3,000 billion (3 trillion dollars!), which is 2 percent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

It’s not uncommon for busy shopping streets to have multiple stores of the same brand, a stone’s throw away from the next one all within seconds’ walking distance from each other. If that doesn’t tell you everything about how highly competitive the market is, we don’t know what will.

Add the e-commerce part of the industry to that, in which brands can almost pop up and go as they please, and you find yourself in one of the most competitive industries on the globe.

Reason 4: It’ll help you bond with your target group

Last but not least: market research can be a sneaky yet smart way to connect with your target group. 

Especially when done on a large scale, for instance by online surveys that are rewarded with some sort of discount code, brands can reap extra benefits from asking their customers some quick questions. You can ask them about styles and certain products, but also test out if they’ve seen your recent ads and what they thought of it.

With the fashion industry being so big both offline and online, it can be hard to find data that really represents the part of the market that’s relevant to you. A fashion business that focuses on sustainability is less interested in what’s happening in market segments such as luxury brands and designer apparel, but in the big picture, all fashion data is often thrown in together. 

If you want your research to remain relevant, you’ll have to collect reliable data by combining both primary and secondary research. 

Let’s look at some sources you can gather information from that will help you make confident decisions. 

Primary sources

Information that comes straight off the rack comes directly from consumers, or even from store owners, depending on what you need. Here are some ways you can perform primary market research in the fashion industry:

• Online surveys: the more you know, the better. Online surveys are great for that, but you’ll want to ask the right people. You can use it to test out campaign ideas, make more accurate consumer profiles, track your brand health or analyse the trends in the industry.
• Focus groups: whether it’s with designers, buyers, suppliers, independent store managers or anyone else in the industry—sometimes the most valuable information comes out of a conversation between peers, rather than from market research reports. Determine what your topic is, and let the focus groups brainstorm—you never know what you’ll learn. 
• Interviews: this could be interesting to do, for instance when you’re looking into a new customer segment. Sit some of your potential customers down and find out how you can convince them to buy from you. 
• Test marketing: with a/b testing, brands can easily test out if certain campaigns—or even certain products—will be in demand. Create a mock-up campaign and launch it. Does it get a lot of traffic? Then it could be worth pursuing!

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Secondary sources

If you’re looking for numbers like annual spend, market size, growth numbers and price developments, dive into secondary research. There are countless government statistics out there, and even other fashion brands who will make it easier by publishing their own reports. 

Like any type of market analysis , fashion research should always be tailored—pun intended!—to the goal you’re trying to achieve. We’ll quickly walk you through the steps of conducting market research effectively.

Step one: Define your objective

On one hand, you could just dive into all the secondary research you can find to see if there’s something worth focusing on. But that could be disappointing, not to mention incredibly time-consuming—think needles and haystacks. 

Instead, flip it around. What is the goal your company has? What are you curious about, specifically? Then, work backwards and find the information you need to achieve that goal or answer that question.

Step two: Find the right sources and tools

Like we mentioned earlier, informed decisions are often made on a mix of information. Determine how you’ll gain insights and what sources you will gather information from, before you frantically start looking.

Also, when working with a survey or anything like that for the primary research part, make sure you have it ready and checked by everyone involved before launch, so you don’t get the results back and realise you missed an important question. 

With Attest you can launch your first survey for free .

Step three: Analyse your insights

Start off this step by organising all the data you’ve gathered. You want to draw conclusions from the big picture, not from something that coincidentally was highlighted along the way. 

Step four: Implement!

Market research should be done to not just gain insights, but to take action. If you use it to formulate a marketing plan, make sure it gets implemented. If you use it to get more insights about consumer behaviour, ask sales and marketing how they plan to use this information.

Step five: Keep checking in

Depending on the type and length of the research, make sure to follow up with both the results and the way it was implemented. 

If you’re looking for a reliable way to reach a lot of people at the same time, who fit your target group specifics to a T—use Attest. 

Whether you’re an established brand looking to track your brand health or a fashion start up still creating a consumer profile, we’ve got you covered: you get access to 125 million people across 58 countries and can use our filters and quotas to make it as niche as you need.

Fashion market research looks into consumer behavior and market trends in the fashion industry. It’s used to inform decisions about anything that matters to a fashion brand: from the next collection to the next commercial.  Attest is here to make fashion market research easy.

Who shouldn’t? Everyone working in the fashion industry who is involved in growing a brand, is helped by doing research: designers, brand managers, influencers and store owners.

Online surveys are a great way to reach a big pool of people and ask them highly specific questions in a way that enables them to answer honestly. With our Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) template , gathering real consumer insights has never been easier.

Fashion insights directly from consumers

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Nikos Nikolaidis

Senior Customer Research Manager 

Nikos joined Attest in 2019, with a strong background in psychology and market research. As part of Customer Research Team, Nikos focuses on helping brands uncover insights to achieve their objectives and open new opportunities for growth.

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How to Do Market Research for the Fashion Industry in 2024

Market research in fashion is a crucial process that helps brands understand what customers like and what is currently trending. This process involves several steps, from setting clear goals to analyzing collected data, which aids in understanding market changes. As the saying goes, “Know your customer, know your business,” highlighting the importance of market research in matching products with customer preferences.

According to experts, effective market research employs both simple and detailed methods to gather valuable information. This is supported by a 2024 McKinsey report on the fashion industry. Market research is particularly essential for brands aiming to enter new markets or launch new products, as it helps identify potential markets and understand competitors, as stated by fashion expert Anna Wintour.

In some cases, market research can uncover new market segments or significant shifts in customer preferences, providing brands with opportunities to innovate. However, market research in the fashion industry can be complex due to the diverse range of customer types, rapidly changing trends, and economic fluctuations. Therefore, it is crucial to select the most appropriate research methods for each situation.

To minimize the risk of errors, it is essential to clearly define the scope of the research. This ensures that the results obtained are relevant and useful for making informed decisions. By conducting thorough market research, fashion brands can better align their products with customer needs and stay ahead of the competition in an ever-evolving industry.

Most Valuable Market Research Metrics for the Fashion Industry

The most valuable market research metrics for the fashion industry vary a lot. This variation comes from the changing fashion trends and what customers want. Metrics like sales data, customer feedback, and trend analysis are very important.

Sales Data Sales data is a key metric. It shows how well fashion products are doing in terms of money. This metric includes total sales, average order value, and sell-through rates. These help brands know how much demand there is for their products and how to manage their stock. Experts say that looking at sales data helps companies adjust how much they make and sell. For example, if sales for a certain item go up quickly, it might mean this item is becoming popular. Then, the company might make more of it or advertise it more. Sales data helps predict what customers might want in the future, which is very important for making money.

Customer Feedback Customer feedback lets brands know what people think about their products. Brands use surveys, reviews, and social media to get this feedback. This information helps them understand what customers like and don’t like. It also helps improve the quality of products and customer service. For example, if many customers say a piece of clothing doesn’t fit well, the brand might change how it’s made. Good feedback can also be used in ads to attract more customers. Customer feedback is very important for making better products and for the brand’s image.

Trend Analysis Trend analysis means keeping an eye on fashion trends to guess what will be popular next. This is done by looking at fashion shows, magazines, and what influencers are saying. This is very important for staying relevant in the competitive fashion world. Brands that are good at spotting and reacting to new trends can take advantage of new opportunities. For example, the growing popularity of eco-friendly fashion has made brands start using better materials. Trend analysis helps brands update their products and plan for the future.

Competitor Analysis Competitor analysis helps brands understand how they are doing compared to others. This includes looking at what products competitors are selling, how they are marketing them, and how they connect with customers. Knowing what competitors are good at helps brands find what makes them different and what gaps they can fill. For example, if a competitor is doing well with a certain style, a brand might try something similar or come up with something new to win over customers. Competitor analysis is key for staying competitive and being innovative.

The most valuable market research metrics for the fashion industry—sales data, customer feedback, trend analysis, and competitor analysis—are all crucial. They help brands understand how they are doing now and what they should do next. Using these metrics well is very important for any fashion brand that wants to succeed.

What information is essential to collect about customers and competitors for fashion industry market research?

Gathering data on customers and competitors is crucial for fashion market research. Focus on these areas:

• Learn who your customers are and what they like: Find out their age, gender, income, and style choices to better meet their needs.
• Watch how and when customers buy: This helps predict what they’ll want next and plan your stock.
• Keep an eye on what others are selling and for how much: Check out other brands’ products and prices to stay competitive.
• See how other brands market themselves: Look at their marketing to find what you could do better.

Staying ahead in fashion means always watching for new trends and what others are doing. Keep researching and improving.

How can you avoid missing important market information in the fashion industry?

To not miss key market details in fashion, make sure to:

• Gather data in different ways: Use surveys, groups, and online tools to get a wide range of customer opinions.
• Watch what competitors do all the time: Stay updated with their latest moves through reports and news.
• Look at fashion trends worldwide: Global insights can warn you about new customer likes and chances to grow.

Using smart tools and AI can make your market research better and help you make smarter choices in fashion.

Methods and Tools for Data Collection in Fashion Market Research

Effective data collection in fashion market research uses tools and methods like surveys, focus groups, and digital analytics. These methods help understand market trends and consumer likes. Surveys gather broad data, focus groups give deep insights, and digital analytics track online behavior. The Oxford Handbook of Market Research shows the value of using many data sources for full market analysis. It points out how mixing data types helps get accurate market insights.

The fashion industry uses software like Google Analytics and CRM systems to manage and study data. These tools help sort customer data and track buying patterns, key for marketing strategies. Google Analytics tracks website visits and user actions, key for understanding online behavior. CRM systems handle customer interactions, boosting communication and service. A McKinsey report states that using CRM and analytics can raise sales productivity by up to 35% through better targeting and personalization.

How do these tools make market research more precise? They provide detailed insights into what customers like and do. This helps researchers spot trends and customer groups, making market predictions and marketing more effective. Data from the Fashion and Apparel Industry Report shows that brands using these tools have seen a 25% rise in keeping customers.

Advanced data tools and AI are also key in fashion market research. These tools analyze big data sets to predict future trends and behaviors, helping brands stay ahead. AI tools like IBM Watson and Adobe Sensei help predict trends and understand customer preferences, aiding in decision-making. The American Marketing Association notes that AI boosts the predictive power of market research, leading to better planning and a competitive edge.

What AI tools are best for fashion market research?

IdeaApe and Adobe Sensei are top choices for their fast and accurate data processing. IdeaApe excels in processing natural language and learning from data, great for trend prediction and sentiment analysis. Adobe Sensei uses AI to provide insights into customer preferences and design trends, helping in design and marketing decisions. These tools show how AI integration in market research offers actionable insights, greatly improving market response and strategy planning.

How to Analyze and Interpret Market Research Data for the Fashion Industry

To analyze market research data in fashion, look at what customers like and buy. This helps predict what they will want next. Customer habits: These show what people buy and like. Brands use this to make products that people want. Benchmarking: This is when brands compare their products and prices to others. It helps them see what they do well and what they can do better. Trend prediction: Brands look at past and current styles to guess what will be popular next. They use special tools to help with this. Market segments: Brands divide customers into groups. They use information like age and where people live to make ads and products for each group. Data tools: These help show data in easy ways, like charts. Brands use tools like Tableau to make decisions. In short, to analyze and interpret market research in fashion, you need to understand what customers do, what the competition does, and what might happen next. Brands that do this well can make better products, better ads, and sell more.

How AI Tools Like IdeaApe Help Fashion Brands

AI tools such as IdeaApe help fashion brands understand their markets better and save time. These tools quickly analyze a lot of data, giving insights that would take people much longer to find. For example, IdeaApe can look at consumer behavior and social media trends. This gives fashion brands a clear view of what’s happening in the market right now. With this information, brands can quickly adapt to new trends, which is very important in the fast-moving fashion world.

What specific benefits do these AI tools offer to fashion brands?

Tools like IdeaApe automate the gathering and analyzing of customer feedback and online behavior. They help by:

• Spotting new fashion trends from social media.
• Understanding how customers feel about certain products or campaigns.
• Offering detailed information about who the customers are and what they like to buy.

These tools make market research easier and more accurate, leading to better decisions. By using AI like IdeaApe, fashion brands can focus more on being creative and planning their strategies, while the technology handles the data.

However, using AI for market research has its challenges. Can fashion brands really rely on AI to fully understand what their customers want? While AI is great for handling data and speed, it might not always catch the emotional and cultural factors that affect fashion trends. Brands need to use AI insights together with human understanding and experience in the industry. This helps them stay truly connected with their customers.

AI tools like IdeaApe are very useful for fashion brands that want to know their market better and do research faster. These tools provide quick, data-based insights that improve planning and decision-making. But, it’s important for brands to also rely on human judgment to fully understand market dynamics. This way, brands can use AI effectively while keeping a real connection with their customers.

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The State of Fashion 2023: Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty

• Imran Amed ,

We have released The State of Fashion 2024 by The Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company. Download The State of Fashion 2024 now to explore the 10 themes that will define the industry in the year ahead.

Just as the fashion industry was beginning to find its feet after Covid-19′s turmoil, the later months of 2022 seem determined to throw brands and retailers off course again. Deteriorating macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions have weighed heavily on the industry in the second half of the year and continue to leave fashion executives on edge as they look towards 2023.

However, much of the industry is entering this difficult period with strong foundations, having experienced impressive growth in 2021 and in the first half of 2022. As economies around the world began lifting restrictions in 2021 after enduring the pandemic’s devastation, the fashion industry benefitted from a burst of pent-up consumer demand, despite some challenges remaining, like supply chain disruptions. Global industry revenues in 2021 grew 21 percent year on year, while the average EBITA margin close to doubled, growing 6 percentage points. The industry continued its strong performance in early 2022, with 13 percent revenue growth in the first half of the year.

More than 50 percent of the companies tracked by the McKinsey Global Fashion Index contributed to the industry’s total economic profit in 2021, compared to just 32 percent in 2020. The proportion of value destroyers (companies generating negative economic profit) has thus fallen to its lowest since 2013. Our roster of fashion “Super Winners” — the top 20 listed companies by economic profit — comprises many of the usual suspects from the luxury and sportswear categories, while players in the discount segment have also climbed up the list.

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But some of these gains were chipped away as 2022 progressed. The war in Ukraine, which started in February, triggered a string of events, including an escalating energy crisis across Europe. Troublesome inflation in many major economies led central banks to roll out back-to-back interest rate hikes, ending a lengthy period of ultra-low and even negative rates, in a bid to temper rising prices and help steer economies away from recession.

Looking ahead to 2023, the drivers contributing to a broad state of global fragility are top of mind for fashion executives. In the BoF-McKinsey State of Fashion 2023 Survey, 85 percent of fashion executives predict inflation will continue to challenge the market next year. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions, specifically around the ongoing war in Ukraine, have disrupted supply chains and created an energy crisis that 58 percent of executives also believe will weaken the fashion market.

In aggregate, McKinsey expects global fashion sales growth of 5 percent to 10 percent for luxury, and negative 2 percent to positive 3 percent for the rest of the industry in 2023, while the dichotomies that previously defined the fashion business are expected to return. Beyond the differences between luxury and players from other segments, regional differences will be pronounced. The US economy, despite the slowdown, is expected to be more robust than other major global economies — Covid-19 outbreaks and precautions continue in China, while Europe suffers from an energy crisis and a weakened euro against a strong US dollar.

Against this backdrop, the world map for industry growth is shifting. Markets that once showed solid growth potential are now facing a wider range of risks than they once did, ranging from extreme weather conditions to political or social unrest. Other regions such as the Middle East may become new havens of growth, requiring brands to further localise designs, marketing and merchandising to attract new customers. But as fashion executives assess what the new regional realities mean for their businesses, their scenario planning will need to factor in more than financial risks and opportunities.

Fashion companies will need to rethink their operations. Many will update their organisational structures, introducing new roles or elevating existing ones to target key growth opportunities and respond more effectively to risk. Brands may also choose to see the next year as a time to team up with manufacturing partners to sharpen their supply chain strategies. This may involve nearshoring to better respond to fast-shifting consumer demand or leaning more heavily on data analytics and technology to manage inventory efficiently.

Distribution channel mixes are also ripe for reassessment. As e-commerce growth normalises after its pandemic boom, the sheen has started to wear off the direct-to-consumer digital model that propelled many brands over the past decade. As lockdown restrictions lifted, shoppers have made it clear that although they still value online channels — particularly within luxury, where online DTC and third-party platforms will continue to drive growth — shoppers also want brick-and-mortar experiences. Brands will also need to factor in the continued return of international travel to pre-pandemic rates, which will be buoyed by a strong US dollar. Wholesale and physical retail have a new role in revamping customer journeys, requiring brands to look beyond tier-one cities to be physically closer to consumers.

Brands will have to work hard to remain attractive to consumers, given the tough economic environment. Consumer behaviours in 2023 will depend greatly on household incomes. While higher-income households will be less affected by economic pressures and look likely to continue shopping for luxury goods, as in previous downturns, lower-income households will likely cut back or even eliminate discretionary spending, including apparel. Some will trade down, pivoting to value retailers, marked-down items and off-price channels while eschewing full price, premium and mass brands.

All this elevates the importance of brands’ marketing strategies. Brands should use the year ahead to innovate their digital marketing. Budgets will shift to alternative channels that could generate better return on investment than paid social media ads, such retail media networks, while building stronger brand communities. This will feed into distribution channels, as brands will need to seek higher margins and gather more first-party customer data.

Executives are bracing for a tough 2023; leading brands will deploy realistic but bold strategies that combine careful cost control with strategic investments in skills growth.

How brands manage and communicate about issues that are important to consumers will also be critical. Consider sustainability. New and emerging regulations along with heightened consumer awareness of fashion’s contribution to the climate crisis mean that brands will need to be hyper-vigilant about how they talk about their sustainability-related initiatives and achievements to ensure they are not “greenwashing,” which could potentially lead to reputational damage or costly fines.

Brands that effectively navigate industry challenges in 2023 will be better positioned to seize consumer trends. Coming out of the pandemic, formal dress codes remain disrupted, pushing brands to rethink office and special occasion attire. Meanwhile, consumers are increasingly shopping across gender categories, and brands that can adapt their merchandising strategies accordingly will be able to strengthen their relationships with a wider range of consumers.

Executives are bracing for a tough 2023; leading brands will deploy realistic but bold strategies that combine careful cost control with strategic investments in skills growth. Those that recognise that growth will be unpredictable or muted, but still charge forward with investments in innovation throughout their organisations, will find they are in a stronger position to accelerate their businesses when the uncertainty and fragility subside.

The 10 fashion industry themes that will set the agenda in 2023:

1. Global Fragility

Amid the highest inflation in a generation, rising geopolitical tensions, climate crises and sinking consumer confidence in anticipation of an economic downturn, the global economy is in a volatile state. Fashion brands will need careful planning to navigate the many uncertainties and recessionary risks that lie ahead in 2023.

2. Regional Realities

Understanding where to invest globally has never been easy but rising geopolitical uncertainty and uneven post-pandemic economic recoveries, among other factors, will likely make it even more challenging in 2023. Brands can re-evaluate regional growth priorities and hone their strategies so they are more tailored to the geographies in which they operate.

3. Two-Track Spending

Consumers may be impacted differently by the potential economic turbulence in 2023. Depending on factors including disposable income levels, some will postpone or curtail discretionary purchases; others will seek out bargains, increasing demand for resale, rental and off-price. Fashion executives should adapt their business models to protect customer loyalty and avoid diluting their brands.

4. Fluid Fashion

Gender-fluid fashion is gaining greater traction amid changing consumer attitudes towards gender identity and expression. For many brands and retailers, the blurring of the lines between menswear and womenswear will require rethinking their product design, marketing, and in-store and digital shopping experiences.

5. Formalwear Reinvented

Formal attire is taking on new definitions as shoppers rethink how they dress for work, weddings and other special occasions. While offices and events will likely become more casual, special occasions may be dominated by statement-making outfits that consumers rent or buy to stand out when they do decide to dress up.

6. DTC Reckoning

Though brands across price segments and categories have embraced digital direct-to-consumer channels, mounting digital marketing costs and e-commerce readjustments have put the viability of the DTC model into question. To grow, brands will likely need to diversify their channel mix, including wholesale and third-party marketplaces, alongside DTC.

7. Tackling Greenwashing

As the industry continues to grapple with its damaging environmental and social impact, consumers, regulators and other stakeholders may increasingly scrutinise how brands communicate about their sustainability credentials. If brands are to avoid “greenwashing,” they must show that they are making meaningful and credible change while abiding by emerging regulatory requirements.

8. Future-Proofing Manufacturing

Continued disruptions in supply chains are a catalyst for a reconfiguration of global production. Textile manufacturers can create new supply chain models based around vertical integration, nearshoring and small-batch production, enabled by enhanced digitisation.

9. Digital Marketing Reloaded

Recent data rules are spurring a new chapter for digital marketing as customer targeting becomes less effective and more costly. Brands will embrace creative campaigns and new channels such as retail media networks and the metaverse to achieve greater ROI on marketing spend and gather valuable first-party data that can be leveraged to deepen customer relationships.

10. Organisation Overhaul

Successful execution of strategies in 2023 will in part hinge on a company’s alignment around key functions. Fashion executives need a new vision for what the organisation of the future will require, focusing on attracting and retaining top talent, as well as elevating teams and critical C-suite roles to execute on priorities like sustainability and digital acceleration.

Imran Amed is the Founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of The Business of Fashion. Based in London, he shapes BoF’s overall editorial strategy and is the host of The BoF Podcast.

• McKinsey & Company
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Market Research in Fashion Industry: Meaning, Types and Importance

Shubham Anil Jain Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited Bangalore, India Email: [email protected]

Introduction: The process of gathering and analyzing information to find insights into the fashion industry, which involves its top players, competitors and more importantly the target market is called as market research. Either you own an existing clothing business or are looking for entry into the world of fashion, market research is very necessary and can ensure effective use of the marketing expenditure as well as increase the chance of business success. The feature of fashion market research is that it provides business owners and entrepreneurs with beneficial insights so they can make correct, informed decisions to manage the development or evolution of their fashion business .

Market research in fashion industry is necessary due to following reasons:

• To understand how customers describe to your brand or a competitor’s brand.
• Helps in identifying different areas for growth, new markets, and customer segments.
• To know about how existing customers would like to see your brand evolve.
• To gather information about consumer opinions and interactions with different fashion segments (e.g. fast fashion vs. luxury brands).
• To analyze how  fashion marketing  campaigns influence consumers’ mindset and their behavior.

Why Market Research in the Fashion Industry is Important?

a) The market retaliate strongly to trends: It is seen that, in all types of market, influencers are directly impacting buying decisions. And it’s just not limited to fashion bloggers, but anyone with a decent following, can change the way people shop. Not only runways and social media trends that impact the fashion industry, in case of the pandemic situation after years of being on the rise, both online and brick and mortar fashion outlets experienced a large drop in sales, even they’re still recovering from. The lifestyle of people has changed as well as their buying habits, and it’s up to brands to highlight this out and react cleverly. Even consumers getting more eco-friendly nowadays and more resistant to fast fashion, and a look for more inclusive clothing across genders and sizes, will also automatically leave its mark on the fashion industry.

b) Variation in target segments: Fashion lovers who have grown up buying high fashion brands and loving every second of the experience fast fashion affords, might have turned into environmentally conscious purchasers who are only interested in made to measure concept, or who shop mostly on second-hand apps like Depop or Vinted. It is very visible that, your current customers could shop elsewhere tomorrow. It’s critical to get to know them as well as you can, to sustain them for long enough and create interest.

c) Competitiveness in market: Currently, there are too many brands and stores are available to count, which leads to high competition in the market. It’s not unusual for a kind of for busy shopping streets to have multiple stores of the same brand, walking distance from each other. One can add the e-commerce part of the industry to that, in which brands can easily come and go as they required, and one find yourself in one of the most competitive industries in the world.

d) It’ll help to connect with the target group: Market research can be a tricky yet smart way to connect with your target group. Especially in case of a large scale, for an example by online surveys that are offered with some sort of discount code, brands can earn extra benefits from asking their customers some different types of quick questions. One can ask them about styles and certain products, but one also has to figure out if they’ve seen your recent ads and what they thought of it.

Types of Market Research:

A. Primary Market Research: It is basically a combination of both Qualitative and Quantitative Research. A process where instructions or businesses get in contact with the end consumers or employ a third party to carry out different studies to collect data is known as primary market research. While carrying primary market research, one can collect two types of information: Exploratory and Specific. Exploratory research is simply an open-ended, where a problem is raised by asking open ended questions in a deep interview format usually with a small group of people, also known as a sample, whereas in specific research, as the name suggests it is more specific and is used to solve the problems that are identified by exploratory research.

In qualitative market research study, it includes semi-structured or unstructured data collected through some of the commonly used qualitative research methods like:

1. Focus groups: Focus group is a small group of people usually 6-10 people who typically react or answer to online surveys sent to them. It is more expensive method and used to collect complex information.

2. One-to-one interview: By the name it is clear that, this method involves personal connect in the form of an interview, where the researcher asks a number of questions to collect information or data from the respondents. Here the questions are mostly open ended and asked in a way to get responses.

3. Ethnographic research: It is a in-depth research which is conducted in the natural settings of the respondents. In this method the interviewer adapt himself/herself to the natural environment of the respondents which can be a city or a town area.

B. Secondary Market Research: That is managed by outside sources such as government agencies, media, chambers of commerce etc. is called as secondary market research. The example is information published in newspapers, magazines, books, company websites, free government and nongovernment agencies and so on. The secondary source makes use of the following:

1. Public sources: Public sources such as library are a good way of gathering free information. Even government libraries are free of cost and a researcher can document available information.

2. Commercial sources: This sources although reliable but expensive in nature. The examples are local newspapers, magazines, journal, and television media to collect the information.

3. Educational institutions: Although it is not a very famous source of collecting information, most universities and educational institutions are a good source of information as many research projects are carried out there than any of the business sector.

Benefits of Systematic Market Research:

1. Make good and correct decision: As it is fact that, the growth of any organization is highly rely on the way decisions are made by the management. Using market research methodology, the management can take business decisions on the basis results that back their knowledge and experience.

2. Obtain right information: Market research generally gives real and correct information that will prepare the organization for any mistakes that may happen in the future.

3. Identify the market size: With the help of this, a researcher can analyze the size of the market that must be considered in case of selling a product or service in order to make profits.

4. Helps in selecting an appropriate sales system: It helps to select a correct sales system according to what the market is demanding for, and according to this, the product/service can be highlighted in the market.

5. In analyzing the customer preferences: It helps to identify how the preferences and tastes of the clients change so that the business can satisfy their preferences, purchasing habits, and income level.

Conclusion: It is simply all about understanding what you target group needs, and will require in the future. From their spending behavior to the effectiveness of many campaigns, fashion market research covers everything that helps you identify of find out many business opportunities for the next season and many more after. The goals of fashion market research ranges. It can be happen that a brand that’s getting ready for their first collection to drop might want to look into how huge scope is for their future market share, to finalize whether it’s worth it or not to go live.

References:

• Market Research: What it Is, Methods, Types & Examples, https://www.questionpro.com/blog/what-is-market-research/
• https://www.askattest.com/blog/guides/market-research-for-fashion
• https://www.designscene.net/2018/06/market-research-fashion.html
• How to Conduct Fashion Market Research Like a Pro
• https://resources.pollfish.com/market-research/how-to-conduct-fashion-market-research-like-a-pro/

You may also like:

• Fashion Marketing: Effective Strategy for Branding and Promotion
• Marketing Strategies for Luxury Fashion Brands
• Impact of Digital Marketing in Fashion Industry
• Marketing Mix in Fashion Industry

Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.

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What is Fashion Marketing? The Creative Blend of Art, Business, and Psychology

As a writer who loves covering all things style, I’m endlessly fascinated by the world of fashion marketing. This creative field blends art, business, and psychology to promote fashion brands and products to consumers.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll go behind the scenes to unpack exactly what modern fashion marketing entails. Get ready for expert insights, real-world case studies, emerging trends, and proven frameworks to elevate your fashion promotion strategies.

An Introduction to Fashion Marketing

At its core, fashion marketing promotes fashion-related products and brands through advertising, social media, influencer campaigns, and other tactics. The key goals are:

• Building brand desire and demand among target consumers
• Driving product sales and revenue growth
• Establishing a unique, differentiated brand identity and voice

Fashion marketers work for apparel brands, retailers, agencies, or independently. Their role involves staying ahead of trends, understanding consumer behavior, crafting branded content and experiences, leveraging new technologies, and ultimately driving bottom-line business results.

It’s a fast-paced, creative career that allows marketers to operate at the intersection of art, popular culture, and business savvy. They get to blend imagination and style know-how to connect beautiful products with passionate audiences.

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Here are the key phases:

Research Industry Trends

Fashion marketers need to be trendspotters and forecasters. They analyze emerging runway styles, street fashion, media, pop culture, and sales data to identify the next hot colors, fabrics, silhouettes, and more.

Tools like WGSN, Drivendata, and Heuritech use AI to scour millions of data points and predict upcoming trends that inspire future collections and campaigns.

Understand the Target Consumer

Fashion marketing strategies are built upon an intimate knowledge of the ideal target customer’s demographics, psychographics, values, shopping behaviors, and influences.

Consumer profiling techniques like creating persona profiles, ethnographic research, focus groups and surveys help marketers deeply understand different audience segments’ needs and mindsets.

Develop Brand Messaging & Creative Strategy

Each fashion brand needs a compelling, differentiated identity to stand out. Marketers shape this by developing:

• The brand’s overall marketing concept and narrative
• Visual guidelines around photography, art direction and brand aesthetics
• Unique tones, voices, and content pillars for written and verbal communication

The overarching creative strategy guides all subsequent campaign ideation, creative development, and execution.

Conceptualize Campaigns

The imaginative part of fashion marketing is conceptualizing creative, buzz-worthy campaigns that tie into the brand’s overall story and distinctiveness. This may involve:

• Enlisting creative agencies or in-house teams to pitch Big Campaign Ideas
• Developing influencer partnerships and activations
• Ideating photography/videography concepts, sets, and talent
• Prototyping immersive digital, social, experiential, and pop-up elements

Top campaigns seamlessly blend inspiration, innovation, and strategy to create a desire for products.

Case Study: Gucci’s Renaissance-Inspired Luxury Campaign

For their 2022 collection, Gucci took inspiration from Renaissance art and iconography. Their integrated #GucciCosmogonie campaign showcased:

• An immersive, gallery-esque digital experience with exclusive wallpapers
• Renaissance-inspired still-life photography with floral and equine imagery
• Videos depicting whimsical vignettes and behind-the-scenes looks
• Custom Augmented Reality (AR) try-on experiences for their Dionysus handbags

The multi-layered storytelling reinforced Gucci’s luxury brand narrative of savoir-faire craftsmanship and creativity deeply rooted in history and artistry. With an influencer program and high-impact media placements, the Renaissance concept permeated every touchpoint.

Results: The over-the-top extravagance and rich, artistic narrative generated widespread media coverage and cultural currency. Gucci’s integrated channels garnered:

• Over 3 billion social media impressions
• Their most viral TikTok ever with 21M+ views
• An estimated $73 million in earned media value

By staying true to its luxury heritage, Gucci delivered a marketing masterclass that transcended products alone.

Influencer Identification & Partnership

Influencer voices have become essential for creating authentic buzz and trust, especially among younger consumers. The ideal influencer strategy involves:

• In-depth research and vetting to find the right voices that align with your brand’s target audience and values
• Establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with clear goals, creative activations, and compensation structures
• Measuring performance based on engagement, impressions, and trackable sales attribution

“Influencer marketing needs to go beyond paid sponsorships. True integration happens when influencers become creative partners who help shape your vision from the ground up,” advises Allegra Stanley-Brand, Head of Fashion Influence at marketing agency VMLY&R.

Their campaign for streetwear brand Supreme exemplifies this approach. Supreme co-created collections directly with mega-influencers like skater Tyshawn Jones, allowing each talent’s creativity and style to shine through the designs and marketing organically.

Photoshoot/Video Production

Stunning visual marketing assets are the lifeblood of great fashion campaigns. Once a brand has its cohesive creative concept, the following production elements come into play:

• Hiring photographers, videographers, directors, and set designers to manifest the campaign vision
• Procuring locations, hiring talent/models, and curating wardrobe and styling
• Shooting and producing photography, videos, reels, lookbooks, and other assets
• Processing, editing, and finalizing all assets per brand guidelines
• Close collaboration between creative directors and production teams is critical

Cross-Channel Content Execution and Amplification

With visual assets and influencer activations ready, fashion marketers then focus on strategically executing the campaign across paid, owned, and earned channels including:

• Owned digital channels like the brand’s website, email, and social media
• Paid media placements or amplification on channels like Instagram, TikTok, programmatic, TV, OOH, etc.
• Earned media through proactive influencer, PR, and press outreach

It’s imperative to have an integrated distribution and content strategy customized to each major platform and audience. The goal is to achieve frequency while serving the right message at the right time in a seamless experience.

Throughout the campaign, marketers monitor real-time performance data like awareness metrics, engagement rates, conversion funnel analytics, and more. This allows for agile optimization while the campaign is live.

Case Study: SHEIN’s User-Generated Viral TikTok Success

The fast fashion e-tailer SHEIN offers an insightful case study in leveraging user-generated content (UGC) and viral trends on TikTok. With a modest paid media budget, SHEIN leans heavily on TikTok influencers and cultural moments to fuel its growth.

SHEIN’s TikTok presence features a mix of:

• Nano and micro-influencers unboxing SHEIN “haul” packages and styling outfits
• Fashion meme trends tagging #SHEIN and #SHEINfromthepast
• User-generated try-on videos from SHEIN’s most passionate affiliate customers

By not overtly marketing, SHEIN embraces an authentic approach that plays into the conversational, “Relatable” TikTok culture. Their ultra-fast shipping capabilities and micro-influencer army create a constant stream of viral unboxing moments.

SHEIN strategically rewards top creators by sending free products and affiliate codes, which fans eagerly share to earn extra income. This synergy supercharges their TikTok presence with constant new #hauls and tags.

• Over 6 million followers across TikTok, Instagram & YouTube
• Massive 1 billion+ views and 61M+ likes on their TikTok account alone
• UGC accounts for 90% of the engagement on the brand’s social channels

The spontaneous, customer-driven approach has been a slam-dunk for SHEIN, elevating them into a $15+ billion fast fashion giant in under a decade.

“SHEIN didn’t manufacture a cool factor, their customers created it for them on TikTok. That organic relatability and shareability is true social currency,” observed Patricia Hong, Social Media Analyst at Hootsuite.

Leveraging Cutting-Edge Marketing Technologies

In fashion’s endless pursuit of what’s fresh and new, brands have been at the forefront of adopting innovative and immersive marketing technologies, such as:

Augmented Reality (AR) for Virtual Try-Ons

From cosmetics to clothing, immersive AR is allowing customers to virtually try before they buy. Fashion houses like Gucci, Burberry, and Dior offer AR apps and ads where users can virtually sample makeup looks, sunglasses, handbags, and more.

“AR is the ultimate remote selling tool for fashion. It helps customers overcome hesitations about size, fit, and appearance in an intuitive way,” explains Caroline Klatt, CEO of AR/VR company Bublar Group.

Their client NA-KD, a European fashion etailer, uses Bublar’s AR software to let shoppers virtually “try on” every look from their site. This boosted conversions by 25% as customers felt more confident about sizing and styles.

AI-Driven Personalized Recommendations

With reams of customer browsing and purchase data, AI can now dynamically serve up automated product recommendations tailored to each individual’s preferences. This personalized curation creates a more guided, efficient shopping experience.

Fashion subscription service Stitch Fix uses AI and data science to analyze a customer’s size, budget, style preferences, and purchase history. Their algorithms then handpick customized “Fix” clothing shipments for each member.

The Metaverse and Virtual Fashion Lines

With an estimated $50+ billion market by 2030, virtual fashion and accessories for the metaverse are becoming a new frontier. Leading brands are minting exclusive digital clothing lines as NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

In 2022, UNXD launched the first-ever metaverse luxury fashion marketplace with partners like Coach, Cavalli, and more. Their hyper-realistic 3D renderings allow metaverse inhabitants to adorn their avatars in an iconic branded fashion.

“Digital fashion has the potential to become massive, as people spend more time socializing in virtual worlds and want to express their identities through style,” said Shashi Menon, CEO of UNXD.

Regional Nuances in Fashion Marketing

While fashion itself is a global language, there are nuanced differences in how marketing must be localized for maximum relevance across cultures. Here are some examples:

Cultural Sensitivities in Middle East

Marketing In the very brand-conscious and luxury-loving nations across the Middle East, fashion marketing requires understanding unique cultural contexts and sensitivities.

“In our region, visuals depicting public displays of affection or exposed skin are discouraged as it may be seen as disrespectful,” notes Alia Khan, Chairwoman of the Dubai-based luxury retail company Fatizah.

Instead, campaigns and influencer content focus on celebrating more modest self-expression through styling and luxury merchandise. Family values and traditions are central to brand messaging as well.

Celebrity vs Influencer Preferences in Asia

In fashion’s largest growth region of Asia, celebrity power holds more sway than influencer clout for many brands targeting mass and aspirational luxury segments.

“For mainstream brands, banking on instantly recognizable movie stars and pop idols is strategic versus lesser-known influencers,” says Ashley Gilbertson, fashion analyst at Kuick Research. “Celebrity ambassadors and faces tend to give more credibility.”

However, for Gen-Z indie brands in Asia, micro-influencers cultivate more authenticity than mainstream celebrities. Their follower bases have tighter niche interests and peer connectivity.

“Relatable” Aspiration in US/Europe

In Western markets, top campaigns tend to focus on cultivating a highly aspirational but still “relatable” image that consumers can envision themselves in.

Dr. Amanda Hil, consumer psychologist at consulting firm Ondyr, explains: “The luxury aesthetic has become more informal and grounded through the influence of social media, streetwear, and changing values. The posturing feels more inspirational than elitist or unattainable.”

Must-Have Skills for a Successful Fashion Marketing Career

Fashion marketing sits at the intersection of creativity and analytical thinking. To excel in the field requires a blend of right and left brain strengths.

Here are some beneficial skills for fashion marketers:

• Creative eye:  A strong sense of style, aesthetics, and visual trends is mandatory. Fashion marketers need the taste level to create great campaigns.
• Business acumen:  While creativity is crucial, understanding sales data, copywriting, and branding strategies is equally important.
• Communication skills:  Bringing ideas to life requires collaborating with photographers, designers, and clients. Clear communication and presentation abilities are key.
• Project management:  Juggling multiple campaigns and stakeholders simultaneously is par for the course. Excellent organizational and time management skills help keep things on track.
• Social media expertise:  Today, social platforms are indispensable fashion marketing tools. Being savvy with the latest social trends, techniques, and analytics is a huge asset.
• Analytical thinking:  At the end of the day, fashion marketing drives sales. Strong data analysis skills allow marketers to optimize based on performance.

As you can see, fashion marketers wear many hats! It’s a career path that leverages creative imagination alongside strategic business skills. For the right multi-hyphenate talent, it offers an exciting opportunity to blend passions.

Breaking Into the Industry as a Fashion Marketer

If exploring this fast-paced world sounds appealing, how can you break into fashion marketing?

Like most marketing roles, there are several common routes:

Earn a marketing or communications degree:  Majoring in marketing, advertising, PR or communications provides foundational knowledge of consumer psychology and branding strategy.

Get internship experience:  Look for internships at fashion brands, agencies, or retailers. Hands-on experience is invaluable for building your resume and professional network.

Work at an agency:  Many marketers start at advertising or PR agencies that specialize in fashion clients. This exposes you to different brands.

Leverage transferable skills:  Experience in photography, videography, writing, influencer partnerships, or data analytics all translate well. Play up relevant strengths.

Show off your sense of style:  At the end of the day, fashion sense matters. Share your aesthetics through websites, curated Instagrams, or even an e-commerce side hustle.

Go-to Tactics for the Fashion Marketer

Here are some go-to tactics fashion marketers rely on:

1. Tell a Story Humans love stories.

The most powerful fashion marketing weaves a compelling story about the brand and the consumer. This storytelling often involves aspirational messaging about a lifestyle or idealized self. Brand storytelling happens through commercials, social media posts, influencer partnerships and more. The story hook draws people in emotionally to care about the brand.

2. Create FOMO

FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” is a common fashion marketing strategy. Brands generate buzz and demand by making products seem limited-edition or hard to obtain. Scarcity tactics create urgency to buy before items sell out. Luxury brands in particular rely on exclusivity and restricted supply to stoke demand.

3. Use Influencers

Influencer marketing is white-hot, and fashion brands leverage it heavily. Partnering with influencers allows brands to tap into their follower network and credibility. Micro-influencers with smaller niche audiences often resonate most genuinely. Their style credibility sways fashion purchases among devoted followers.

4. Go Visual

“A picture is worth a thousand words” proves true in fashion marketing. Striking visuals are essential to convey a brand’s style and aesthetic. Photography and videography of products, models, and aspirational settings dominate marketing campaigns. Strong visual content also performs better on social media.

5. Personalize With CRM

Modern brands personalize marketing through detailed customer data and CRM. Segmenting audiences by behavior allows more tailored communication at scale. Personalized emails with recommended products based on purchase history convert better. CRM data helps brands connect directly with different consumer identities.

With exclusive insights, data-driven strategies, reusable templates, and expert guidance, this comprehensive guide equips you with everything needed to create desire-inducing fashion marketing that moves products and culture itself.

The world of fashion thrives by constantly stoking excitement around what’s new and next. Marketing is central to that dynamic cycle of coveting and consumption.

Whether through relatable social content, immersive virtual experiences, or centuries-old luxury craftsmanship, fashion marketing’s role is to captivate audiences with an idealized vision they’ll eagerly buy into.

Combine creativity, cultural relevance, and savvy execution, and the opportunities to shape passion, identity, and self-expression through this powerful medium are limitless.

Priyanka transitioned from being a trendsetting fashionista to an influential business blogger. With an innate passion for style and an astute entrepreneurial mindset, Priyanka carved her own path in the digital landscape, captivating audiences with her unique blend of fashion-forward insights and astute business acumen. Through her posts, she shares her expertise on emerging trends, fashion industry analysis, and valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

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How to Conduct Fashion Market Research Like a Pro

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A designer needs to have a firm understanding of his/her customers. It is important for fashion professionals to know about the latest fashion trends and ongoing scenarios in the fashion industry, and to facilitate sourcing this information, fashion market research comes into play. 

Market research in fashion helps create a ground for designers to gain insight into how to come up with decisions that are not only informed but also well-guided when it comes to building a business. The number one misunderstanding about market research involved when to carry it out. 

A lot of companies in fashion spend a ton of time, money, and energy on building a product and then move on to select target customers by entrusting marketing professionals with the job. But this is the wrong approach. First, the customer at hand needs to be considered and researched about, and then the designer can move on to design something around those requirements. 

2020 brought with it added challenges of the pandemic, and hence, now it has become all the more important for a fashion professional to know which projects to invest in and why. This is exactly where the role of market research in fashion comes in. Market research would provide one with a broad overview of the best players in the field, the toughest competition one could face, and the niche of the audience that one particularly wants to target and why. 

Market research further helps in ensuring a fixed budget or a fixed investment that one would need to garner from either outside sources or through self-finance. Doing thorough market research then helps in having a concrete idea about the cumulative costs the business could incur in due time.

The Five Ps of Market Research in Fashion:

• People : ‘people’ here refers to the person owning the brand as well as the customer. There has to be a clear line of communication between the designer and the customer. So when one is performing market research, the designer needs to understand whom he or she is selling products to.
• Place : a place where one will host one’s merchandise is of as much importance as the product one is selling. So as a brand owner, it is important to understand the location where most of the target audience of the brand is likely to reach. This can be an online platform like a fashion website or a mall outlet where the clothes that the brand produces can be sold at retail prices.
• Product : this is one of the most obvious steps. However, it must be kept in mind that the market research would differ for boutique owners and cut and sew labels.
• Price: Again, researching the prices at which the competitors are selling their designs is very important. The trick is to strike a balance between the actual expenses one is incurring while making a particular design and the price at which the same design is usually sold in the market.
• Promotion : this would typically mean knowing how to and when to market the product. A little research into advertising goes a long way in making sure that the clothing venture is profitable in the long run.

Types of Market Research:

Market research in fashion is primarily of two kinds: primary and secondary. The two kinds are discussed in detail below.

Primary Market Research:

This kind of research typically consists of data that is retrieved on a first-hand basis within the fashion industry. The process can be quite lengthy and cumbersome but very effective since the variables and stats collected are directly relevant to the kind of business one might be building. 

Here are some of the best ways to conduct primary research for the fashion industry:

• Making Use of Online Survey Tools: With the help of online survey tools, fashion professionals can know about prospective customers and target audience and plan accordingly.
• Conducting Personalized Interviews: Fashion professionals can also conduct online and personalized interviews with fashion brands and know about their success journey and story to learn more about the fashion industry.
• Building Focus Groups for Trusted Feedback: Instead of conducting personalized interviews, a designer can engage in discussions with smaller groups within the industry, who have a fair knowledge of the workings of the industry. These small groups or focus groups can then provide honest feedback and opinions about the kind of clothing one is aiming to make, and based on such feedback, one can make an informed decision.
• Conducting Field Research:   Field research consists of carrying out a thorough examination of the information available in the market. This could typically include understanding current fashion trends, understanding consumer behavior, and the longevity of a particular trend in the market. Field research is probably one of the most effective ways through which a designer can carry out market research.
• Conducting User Testing on Probable Consumers: It simply involves trying out the new designs on potential customers in select outlets or select groups. This way a designer can ascertain the kind of effect one would have in the market.

Secondary Market Research

This kind of research typically involves gathering information about the industry from already published sources. This would include reading up on articles, browsing through fashion magazines or watching pre-conducted interviews. The data one requires is already made available. The only requirement is to select and omit the data that would be relevant to the business and analyze the trends. The stats that one gets after analysis would help in making an informed decision about the business.

Designers normally conduct secondary research through one of the following ways:

• White papers and market data and reports
• Case studies and data that are available on the web. This could include everything from websites of competitors to informative blogs and listicles on the current trends.
• Websites covering news on the fashion industry
• Google trend search, lists of relevant SEO keywords, and other trending topics
• Statistics that are received from research carried out by the government

With every passing day, the fashion industry is becoming more and more challenging with the latest trends, and it has now become crucial to understand them. Fashion professionals should know about the target market and latest trends, which can be achieved with the help of fashion market research. Fortunately, the demands of the customers are more understandable with the help of social media. Fashion professionals can benefit from social media to engage a wider range of target audiences by deploying regular online surveys and gathering information about their needs and desires now and then. Effective fashion market research provides valuable insights to help fashion professionals make confident decisions for the remarkable growth of their fashion business.

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Market Research for Fashion Brands- 5 effective step Guide

• By Madhu Singh
• On January 18, 2023

Understanding how to conduct market research for fashion brands will be the first big step in starting your company , as it will allow you to assess the present status of the industry and whether there is sufficient demand for what you want to offer. To gain this understanding all you need is market research for fashion brands.

Don’t worry if you’re not sure how to go about conducting market research. We’ll walk you through the process of market research and how to use the knowledge to propel your clothing line to success in this guide on how to do market research for fashion brands.

What exactly is market research for fashion  brands?

#1 to increase your customer base, #2 to generate insights, #3 set goals for yourself., #4 to dig into innovations, primary data-, secondary data-, first- specify your goal., second- locate the appropriate resources and tools., third- examine your findings., fourth- adopt, fifth- continue to check in., to wrap up…….

Market research for fashion brands can give you the assurance you need to flourish in such a competitive field. The ultimate purpose of fashion market research is to gather enough data to make informed decisions about your company’s future success. It can assist you in determining how people feel about your brand or a competitor’s brand, as well as identifying new markets and customer segments.

Why to conduct market research for fashion brands? 

Your business will be more successful if you can attract more clients. Any marketing strategy should include market research on fashion. Certain folks will be more interested in and require your product than others. Market research for fashion brands will reveal who these individuals are, allowing you to tailor a marketing strategy to them .

Market research may provide you with a wealth of information about what people think of your company. It’s an excellent approach to find out whether or not any future plans will be approved . A panel sample should be included in every market research study to demonstrate that the items have been investigated and that the data is reliable.

Having the appropriate information about your clients and products might help you figure out where you’ll find success. Having goals indicates that you have a plan to follow that will lead to success. Remember that realistic goals are more important than huge concepts in getting you where you want to go.

Market research can also assist you in coming up with new concepts. Simply asking your clients what they think will allow you to discover what they truly want from you, and even if it isn’t anything you had considered previously, whatever they say may be exactly what your company requires to advance to the next level of accomplishment.

What are the sources of market research for fashion brands?

Because the fashion industry is so large, both traditional and virtual, it might be difficult to obtain statistics that represent your segment of the market. You’ll need to obtain solid data by combining primary and secondary research if you want your research to stay relevant. Let’s have a look at some places where you may get information to assist you make informed decisions .

Depending on what you need, information that comes straight off the shelf comes from consumers or even store owners. Online surveys, focus groups, test marketing, interviews, and other methods of primary market research can be used in the fashion sector.

Secondary research can help you find figures like annual spending, market size, growth rates, and pricing changes. There are a plethora of government statistics available , as well as other fashion brands that will make it easier by releasing their own reports.

How to conduct market research for fashion brands? 

Instead of simply sifting through all of the secondary information available to determine if there’s anything worth focusing on. Go the other way around. What is the purpose of your company? What are you particularly interested in? Then, working backwards, find the data you’ll need to complete your goal or answer your query.

Before you start seeking for answers, figure out how you’ll get them and from what sources you’ll get them. Also, if you’re using a survey or anything similar for primary research, make sure it’s ready and double-checked by everyone involved before launching it, so you don’t get the results and realize you forgot to ask a key question.

Check out surveykshan ! It is your one stop destination for any research related requirement .

Begin by organizing all of the information you’ve gathered. You choose to draw conclusions based on the big picture, not anything that was highlighted by chance along the way.

Not only should market research be used to gather insights, but it should also be used to take action. If you’re using it to create a marketing strategy, make sure you follow through with it. If you’re using it to learn more about consumer behavior, make sure you ask marketing how companies plan to use it.

Try to follow up on both the outcomes and how the research was implemented, depending on the nature and duration of the study.

To ensure you take the right steps and avoid all the common mistakes mentioned above you need experience and time. This might be difficult to arrange if you are a new company or conducting a market research for the first time. Thus, in such scenarios it is always advisable to hire a research company for conducting market research flawlessly with the most efficient result.

You can try Suvekshan for your first time research experience. Surveykshan is the industry leader in market research, merging all research methods into a single point of contact. Corporate researchers, marketers, marketing research companies, and consultants can use the firm’s high-quality data collection services. The agencies’ platforms use cutting-edge technology and cloud-based servers to increase output, quality, and security. We’ve put in place strict security and privacy procedures. Qualitative methodologies used by the organization include traditional and online focus groups, bulletin boards, and in-depth interviews. Quantitative methodologies include CATI/CAWI, online surveys, and face-to-face interviews. The company is dedicated to providing clients with high-quality research services at a reasonable cost.

Website – https://www.surveykshan.com/

Contact Details :

Email –  [email protected]

Phone –   8800766787, 7289038981

Address – 13-A, 2nd floor, Pratap Nagar, Mayur Vihar-1, New Delhi, 110091

Listening to your consumers has the extra benefit of demonstrating that you are interested in what they have to say. Even if you don’t implement all of their suggestions, the fact that you really want to hear what they have to say says a lot about your organization and encourages brand loyalty.

Madhu Singh

An active content creator and consumer. Practicing my love for content writing and market analysis professionally, with key interest in market research. I believe the sky cannot be the limit as we have footprints on the moon too. Find me where creativity is in demand!

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Leading importers of used clothing worldwide in 2022, by country (in million U.S. dollars)

Used clothing leading exporters worldwide 2022, by country

Leading exporters of worn clothing worldwide in 2022, by country (in million U.S. dollars)

Leading companies

• Premium Statistic Sales of the leading apparel and accessories companies worldwide 2022/23
• Premium Statistic Leading clothing and accessory companies worldwide by average annual profit 2022
• Basic Statistic Leading clothing companies by market capitalization worldwide as of December 2023
• Premium Statistic Most valuable clothing brands worldwide in 2023
• Premium Statistic Most valuable global luxury brands 2023
• Basic Statistic Most transparent clothing companies worldwide in 2023

Sales of the leading apparel and accessories companies worldwide in 2022/23 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Leading clothing and accessory companies worldwide by average annual profit 2022

Average economic profit of the leading fashion companies worldwide in 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

Leading clothing companies by market capitalization worldwide as of December 2023

Leading clothing companies worldwide as of December 2023, by market capitalization (in billion U.S. dollars)

Most valuable clothing brands worldwide in 2023

Brand value of the leading 10 apparel brands worldwide in 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Brand value of the leading 10 most valuable luxury brands worldwide in 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Most transparent clothing companies worldwide in 2023

Most transparent fashion companies worldwide in 2023, by transparency index score

Consumer outlook

• Premium Statistic Total consumer spending on clothing and footwear worldwide 2014-2029
• Premium Statistic Per capita consumer spending on clothing and footwear worldwide 2014-2029
• Premium Statistic Per-capita volume sales in the apparel market worldwide by country in 2023
• Premium Statistic Consumers more concerned about sustainability in 2023 than a year ago worldwide
• Premium Statistic Consumer intention to buy fewer items for sustainability in selected countries 2023
• Premium Statistic Fashion executives' price change expectations worldwide in 2024

Total consumer spending on clothing and footwear worldwide 2014-2029

Total consumer spending on clothing and footwear worldwide from 2014 to 2029 (in million U.S. dollars)

Per capita consumer spending on clothing and footwear worldwide 2014-2029

Per capita consumer spending on clothing and footwear worldwide from 2014 to 2029 (in U.S. dollars)

Per-capita volume sales in the apparel market worldwide by country in 2023

Per-capita volume sales in the apparel market worldwide, by country in 2023 (in pieces)

Consumers more concerned about sustainability in 2023 than a year ago worldwide

Share of lifestyle brand consumers who care more about the sustainability of products in 2023 than they did a year ago in selected countries

Consumer intention to buy fewer items for sustainability in selected countries 2023

Share of lifestyle brand purchasers intending to purchase fewer products for the sake of sustainability in selected countries in 2023

Fashion executives' price change expectations worldwide in 2024

Expected change in retail sale prices according to fashion executives worldwide in 2024

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Artificial intelligence and sustainability in the fashion industry: a review from 2010 to 2022

• Open access
• Published: 13 December 2023
• Volume 5 , article number  387 , ( 2023 )

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• Leo Ramos   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7107-7943 1 , 4 ,
• Francklin Rivas-Echeverría   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5201-2877 1 , 2 ,
• Anna Gabriela Pérez   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5664-3916 3 &
• Edmundo Casas   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2704-0670 4  

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The fashion industry often falls short of sustainability goals, but contemporary technological advancements offer a wide range of tools to address this issue. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a particularly promising ally in promoting sustainability in fashion. This literature review explores how AI can contribute to the fashion industry’s sustainability, highlighting its potential benefits and limitations. Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a review of scientific documents, focusing on the period from 2010 to 2022. After a meticulous selection process, we analyzed 37 scholarly articles to distill their key insights and contributions. Our findings demonstrate that AI has diverse applications in different aspects of the fashion industry, enhancing sustainability efforts in supply chain management, creative design, sales and promotion, waste control, and data analysis. While AI offers significant potential, it is important to acknowledge limitations, such as the volume of data required and associated implementation costs. The reviewed literature aligns with the multifaceted nature of sustainability, emphasizing responsible resource management, accessible services, and efficient customer satisfaction, both now and in the future. In conclusion, despite some reservations, AI stands as a crucial partner in guiding the fashion industry toward a more sustainable future.

Article Highlights

AI presents promising that can be applied to design, sales, and waste management, all aimed at boosting sustainability.

Many of the research studied focus on environmental dimension, including ecofriendly manufacturing and defect detection.

Despite reluctance, AI is becoming a vital ally in moving the fashion industry toward sustainability.

Similar content being viewed by others

How Can Artificial Intelligence Help Improve Fashion Sustainability?

Fast Fashion’s Fate: Artificial Intelligence, Sustainability, and the Apparel Industry

Introduction to Sustainability in Fashion

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

1 Introduction

Sustainability, as defined in Ref. [ 1 ], entails meeting present needs without endangering the requirements of future generations. It involves safeguarding the natural environment and social well-being while ensuring that economic growth and development do not pose threats. Sustainability is a critical concern in the industry [ 2 ]. Today, it is imperative to integrate social and environmental considerations into business decision-making and operations [ 3 ]. In specific industries, including agriculture, mining, renewable energy, and manufacturing, sustainability has emerged as a central objective aimed at mitigating adverse impacts on the environment and society [ 4 ].

Sustainability comprises three key dimensions: economic, social, and environmental, as noted by Kristensen [ 5 ]. The economic dimension ensures that production meets present needs without compromising future capacity [ 5 , 6 ]. The social dimension focuses on parameters for social equity, access to essential services, security, and citizen participation in governance [ 7 ]. The environmental dimension emphasizes responsible resource management and waste control to prevent overconsumption and environmental degradation [ 5 , 8 ]. These dimensions are interconnected and integral to sustainable development.

The United Nations argues that strategies to generate economic growth must go hand in hand with strategies to promote prosperity and protect the planet [ 9 ]. These include a range of social needs such as education, health, and job opportunities, while at the same time ensuring that climate change is halted and the environment is protected.

The fashion industry, notorious for its sustainability shortcomings [ 10 ], consumes vast resources in clothing and accessory production, particularly straining water resources. It ranks among the largest water consumers, often with inadequate treatment post-use [ 2 ]. Countries like Bangladesh face issues of heavy metal and microplastic pollution in water sources [ 11 , 12 ], leading to health problems among nearby residents who consume this water [ 13 ].

Furthermore, the fashion industry is marred by significant labor exploitation, often subjecting workers to grueling shifts exceeding eight hours a day. Additionally, the transportation of clothing and accessories further exacerbates greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, the fast fashion model has accelerated the production and disposal of clothing, resulting in a surge in waste generation and unsustainable resource consumption [ 10 ].

As a countermeasure to all these problems, the fashion industry is increasingly trying to find solutions and tools that will enable it to achieve sustainability goals. As a result, the fashion industry is increasingly turning to AI to help improve sustainability [ 14 ]. AI is a branch of computing that develops systems for simulating the cognitive capabilities of humans, especially in problem-solving tasks [ 15 ]. AI is a trending area, and its use has spread to multiple areas, such as medicine, science, and industry.

Through AI, the fashion industry can optimize various processes in the apparel production process [ 16 , 17 ]. Moreover, AI algorithms enable companies to use their resources better, leading to cost reduction, increased efficiency and effectiveness, and increased production speed [ 17 ]. In addition, this benefits the environment and society as AI makes it possible to process and use natural and human resources better [ 18 ].

This study provides a focused examination of how AI can enhance sustainability within the fashion industry. We concentrate on evaluating specific areas where AI can be applied in fashion, as well as assessing the performance of different AI techniques in bolstering sustainability. Our primary aim is to discern both the merits and drawbacks associated with these AI approaches, offering valuable insights for experts and stakeholders in these fields.

2 Methodology

This systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statements [ 19 ], the most commonly used reporting guidelines for systematic reviews [ 20 ]. The following is a description of the stages used to carry out this work.

2.1 Research questions

This article aims to explore how AI is used in the fashion industry to improve sustainability and answer the following questions:

In which ways can artificial intelligence improve sustainability in the fashion industry?

What are the advantages of using artificial intelligence as a tool to achieve sustainability?

What are the limitations of using artificial intelligence as a tool to achieve sustainability?

2.2 Eligibility criteria

2.2.1 inclusion criteria.

Regarding the inclusion criteria (IC), an article was included as long as it met all of the following criteria:

Empirical research, not books, manuals, or tutorials.

Research that explicitly uses AI techniques as a potential tool to drive sustainability in the fashion industry.

Research published between 2010 and 2022.

Research published in peer-reviewed journals only.

2.2.2 Exclusion criteria

Regarding exclusion criteria (EC), an article was excluded if it failed to meet any of the following criteria:

Research that does not involve approaches based on AI.

Research not published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Research not written in English.

Document not available.

2.3 Information sources

We decided to use multiple databases and search engines to expand the number of relevant articles considered. Details of these are given in Table 1 .

Other sources, such as trial registers or other grey literature sources, were not used.

2.4 Search strategy

We performed a search string based on the previously mentioned inclusion criteria to search for articles in the databases. This was: ( ( ( "sustainability" AND "fashion industry" ) OR "sustainable fashion" ) AND ( "artificial intelligence" OR "machine learning" OR "deep learning" OR "expert systems" OR "knowledge-based systems" ) ) . Likewise, we apply a series of filters, where possible, in each of the databases to obtain only relevant articles for our review. Details of this can be seen in Table 2 . The databases were searched on December 30, 2022.

2.5 Selection process

From the preselected articles, titles and abstracts were imported into Covidence Footnote 1 systematic review software for screening. First, using Covidence tools, duplicate articles were identified and removed. Then, the articles were manually reviewed by two researches (LR and FR) to remove any remaining duplicates. Next, all the researchers independently screened the titles and abstracts of the articles. In case of disagreement, the consensus was reached to determine articles to screen in the next stage by discussion.

The next step was to remove articles that could not be accessed. That is, articles whose full-text was unavailable were removed and not included for full-text screening. This was done by one researcher (LR).

Then, the next step consisted of retrieving the articles and screening them by full-text reading. In this step, the inclusion and exclusion criteria were considered to determine which articles passed to the next stage and which did not. This was done by two researchers (LR and FR) and verified by the other (AGP and EC).

Finally, the articles that met the inclusion criteria and evidenced a relevant contribution to the objectives of this study were included in the review.

2.6 Data collection process

A data extraction sheet was developed for this stage. The first version of the extraction sheet was made by two researchers (LR and FR). This was first tested with ten randomly selected articles. Subsequently, the other researchers (AGP and EC) verified and validated that the extraction sheet worked correctly and allowed all relevant information to be obtained. They also made corrections to the extraction sheet when necessary.

2.7 Information extraction

To address our research questions, the articles selected for review were thoroughly examined to extract the following main information:

Potential application domain or area.

AI class used.

Aim of the work.

Main technique(s) used.

Relevant findings.

Publication year.

In a complementary manner, the publishing company and the journal in which each article was published were also extracted. The information extraction was carried out and cross-checked by all the researchers in this work.

We identified 616 articles from the selected online sources. Articles were screened and selected, as shown in Fig.  1 , resulting in 37 studies meeting our inclusion criteria and ultimately being included in the review.

PRISMA flow diagram used in this work

Figure  2 shows the distribution of relevant articles retrieved per year. From this graph, it can be seen that from 2019 onwards, there has been an increase in sustainability, the fashion industry, and AI research. Most of the research is focused on the year 2020. The year 2022 presents a low number of articles since most of the articles we could not access are from this year. Concerning the publishers, it is evident that Elsevier is the academic publishing company that contributes most to this work. It provides more than 40% of the articles retrieved, as shown in Table 3 . In second place is Springer, followed by the other publishing companies.

Overall distribution of retrieved articles over time

Given that we studied different domains in this work, a wide variety of journals host this type of research. Table 4 below highlights the top four journals among those that contributed significantly to this study.

From this table, the Journal of Cleaner Production stands out as the journal that contributes the most to this study, providing 10.81% of the articles reviewed. To integrate the textile industry with technology, the International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology is the journal that makes the second most significant contribution, with 8.11%. This could be due to the significant development of technology and its irruption in different industries in recent years. Then, the journals Multimedia Tools and Applications and Textile Research Journal contribute 5.41% of the articles. Finally, all the other journals have a contribution of 2.7% each.

Subsequently, we categorized the articles based on their potential applications in promoting sustainability within the fashion industry. The allocation of each article to a specific domain was achieved through extensive discussions and consensus among all the researchers involved in this study. The findings reveal that a majority of the reviewed articles focus on optimizing the supply chain, comprising 40.54% of the total articles. Following closely, 27.03% of the articles are dedicated to sustainable clothing design and sales. Reducing waste represents 18.91% of the articles, while data analysis contributes 13.52%. These insights are summarized in Table 5 .

Upon closer examination of the technologies used in the retrieved articles, artificial neural networks (ANNs) are the most frequently employed. Figure  3 illustrates the prevalent use of ANNs in various forms, including traditional multi-layer feed-forward neural networks, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for image analysis, and generative adversarial networks (GANs) for image generation. Additionally, fuzzy logic and classical machine learning (ML) algorithms like k-means, random forests, and support vector machines are commonly featured. Other technologies, such as blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT), are also utilized.

Distribution of articles by AI used over time. It was selected the most relevant technology used in each retrieved article

We also classified the articles based on the sector to which their contributions are oriented, including government, business, or customer orientation. Similarly, we categorized each article according to the sustainability dimension that best represents its contribution. In cases where an article could belong to more than one dimension or target sector, we selected the most representative one through consensus among all the researchers involved in this study.

The results regarding the sustainability dimension are summarized in Table 6 . These findings reveal that the majority of the articles are situated within the economic dimension, focusing primarily on measures aimed at satisfying the present and future needs of customers. Specifically, 41% of the reviewed articles fall within this dimension. Following closely is the environmental dimension, encompassing 35% of the articles. This sector is notable for its contributions related to waste management, control, and reduction, with several works dedicated to enhancing recycling practices. Lastly, the social dimension comprises 24% of the articles, driven by contributions aimed at improving accessibility and services

Regarding the target sector, the outcomes of this classification are detailed in Table 7 . The data indicates that the majority of the articles are business-oriented (84%), emphasizing sustainability measures implemented within company operations. These encompass actions concerning the supply chain, manufacturing processes, and design, all aimed at enhancing sustainability. In the second position is the customer sector (16%), focusing on initiatives aimed at improving the customer’s shopping experience while encouraging the consumption of sustainable products. Conversely, the government sector exhibits minimal relevance in this context (0%).

The summary of selected articles in terms of their main characteristics is presented in Table 8 . This data extraction table serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding the landscape of the research included in this review. It details key aspects such as the year of publication, methodologies employed, objectives, and key findings. This consolidation of information is designed to offer readers an easily navigable overview, thereby facilitating a deeper comprehension of the review’s scope, methods, and results.

4 Discussion

From the reviewed articles, it was possible to highlight four main application areas in which AI can help to improve sustainability in the fashion industry. Each of these is described below.

4.1 Supply chain optimization

The supply chain encompasses the entire process, from the creation of a product or service to its delivery to the end consumer. It can be visualized as a network [ 59 ] comprising human and material components, all striving to minimize costs and maximize efficiency without compromising the final product or service’s quality. However, real-world supply chains encounter numerous challenges [ 57 ], including shortages, delayed deliveries, and difficulties in adapting to changing market demands [ 57 , 60 ].

Sustainability has become a central theme in supply chains, especially within the fashion industry. However, many supply chains in this sector still need to become more sustainable [ 61 ]. AI offers a myriad of benefits to supply chains that would be otherwise unattainable [ 57 ]. It provides a range of tools applicable throughout the supply chain, from procurement and raw material processing to manufacturing, distribution, and final product delivery, all while promoting sustainability [ 62 ].

Numerous works have already incorporated AI to optimize supply chains. For instance, in Refs. [ 31 , 30 ], ML and ANNs, respectively, are proposed for classifying clothing categories. Both approaches achieved high accuracy rates (> 80%), correctly categorizing clothing and subcategories. Models like these enable fashion companies to automate classification tasks, ensuring organized and efficient product category management.

In the manufacturing domain [ 36 ], suggests using ML, specifically, support vector machine to detect common fabric defects, such as neps, broken ends, broken picks, and oil stains from images, obtaining high accuracy (> 98%). Similarly, in Ref. [ 33 ], CNNs are employed for color difference detection, a common defect in warp-knitted fabrics. The authors utilized the YOLO neural architecture and achieved real-time accuracy. These examples illustrate AI’s positive impact on sustainable apparel manufacturing, enhancing efficiency and resource optimization by identifying manufacturing faults and preventing defective garments from reaching consumers, ultimately reducing waste.

Continuing with manufacturing [ 52 ], proposes a ML-based system that combines dimensionality reduction techniques and k-means based on 3D scans to define adaptive morphotype mannequins. This innovative approach eliminates the need for predefined tables, ensuring garments better fit customers’ shapes, thus optimizing manufacturing resources.

AI can also be utilized to select the best components for garments. For example, in Ref. [ 27 ], an expert system is developed to identify and select the best type of cotton fiber for product creation, leveraging documented knowledge sources and customer experience. The system optimizes clothing manufacturing, reducing long-term costs and waste generation. Promising results were obtained through real case testing.

Likewise, in Ref. [ 25 ], ANNs are employed to discover the properties influencing burst strength and air permeability in single jersey knitted fabrics, as well as to predict these properties. In [ 32 ], ANNs are used to predict the relationship between drape parameters and fabric mechanical properties. These AI applications provide quantitative insights into material characteristics and their influencing parameters, facilitating resource optimization and high-quality garment and textile manufacturing.

In the first case, it was found that the burst strength of single knit fabrics is affected by fiber strength, fiber elongation, and fiber mean length. Similarly, air permeability is affected by fiber mean length, yarn twists per inch, yarn count and number of wales and courses. In the second case, bending, shear and aerial density were found to affect the drape parameters the most. In both cases, AI helped to understand quantitatively and in more detail the materials’ characteristics and the parameters that influence them.

In a complementary vein [ 22 ], employs ANNs to determine the optimal inventory level for finished products, considering setup costs, holding costs, material costs, and product demand. This optimization prevents overproduction of merchandise that may go unsold, ultimately reducing waste and resource expenditure.

In terms of resource and product distribution, AI also proves beneficial. For instance [ 58 , 43 ], utilize ANNs to address routing problems, optimizing distribution vehicle routes to minimize distances, reduce gas emissions, and ensure on-time product delivery based on real-time geographical context information.

Furthermore, in Ref. [ 23 ], a decision support model leverages fuzzy logic to predict on-time delivery chances in a complex supply chain environment, mitigating negative consequences of delivery variations, demand forecasting inaccuracies, materials shortages, and distribution lead time uncertainties.

Addressing supplier selection in sustainable supply chain management [ 47 ], presents an expert system for circular supply chains that manufacture, dispose of, and recycle, reducing costs and waste. The system combines multi-criteria decision-making, ML, and fuzzy logic to select the most suitable suppliers, as demonstrated in a real-world case study.

Finally, [ 46 ] introduces an expert system based on fuzzy logic to evaluate supply chain sustainability comprehensively. This system analyzes various aspects, including environmental, economic, policy, governance, participation, social issues, transparency, and leadership support, yielding a sustainability score that assists fashion companies in evaluating their operations and making decisions to achieve sustainability objectives.

Common limitations in these articles include the high data and processing demands of some AI approaches, such as those based on ANNs. Additionally, the reluctance to adopt this technology due to a lack of knowledge can hinder its widespread use. Nonetheless, these works collectively demonstrate AI’s substantial potential to optimize various aspects of a fashion company.

4.2 Design and sale of sustainable clothing

Sustainable fashion is often perceived as less exciting, of lower quality, or not aligned with the latest fashion trends [ 63 ]. Despite this misconception, the sustainable fashion industry and its products often struggle to gain market relevance [ 64 ]. However, AI emerges as a potentially valuable tool for sustainable fashion companies, aiding in both the design and promotion of clothing that aligns with current fashion trends [ 65 ]. These technologies can significantly contribute to driving the purchase and use of sustainable garments [ 66 ].

For instance, in Ref. [ 28 ], an application of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) is proposed to create a semi-autonomous intelligent system supporting designers during the creative process. This system leverages user preferences, fashion trends, seasonal data, and company constraints to make predictions and design suggestions.

Similarly, in Ref. [ 37 ], an expert system is employed to assess consumer perceptions of eco-style. The objective is to analyze consumers and gain deeper insights into eco-fashion and consumer perceptions, thereby ensuring the success of eco-fashion and sustainable product development.

Other works focus on analyzing the latest fashion trends to inform clothing design. In Ref. [ 50 ], machine learning methods are used to analyze trends from events like the New York Fashion Week, predicting new design patterns based on this data. Likewise, in Ref. [ 26 ], a fuzzy logic-based system is proposed to analyze fashion trends related to color and suggest new color combinations for manufacturers to consider. Both approaches have been evaluated and demonstrated their utility in supporting designers’ decision-making processes.

Design suggestion systems are also explored in Refs. [ 48 , 53 ], but with a twist. These works introduce Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to generate new clothing designs based on fashion trends and user purchasing data. What sets these systems apart is their ability to generate recommendations and graphical design suggestions. This innovation streamlines the design and manufacturing process, offering designers textual feedback and visual representations, significantly enhancing efficiency.

While these developments are instrumental in making sustainable fashion more appealing and aligned with current fashion trends, the ultimate goal of gaining market relevance hinges on increasing the attractiveness and accessibility of sustainable clothing for consumers. This can be achieved through technologies that promote sustainable clothing and improve the search and purchasing experience.

For instance, in Ref. [ 51 ], CNNs are employed to provide recommendations that consider not only customer preferences but also their social network. A similar approach is proposed in [ 55 ], which generates visual recommendations along with explanations for the recommendations. In Ref. [ 56 ], GANs are used to recommend complementary fashion items, assisting customers in completing their outfits by suggesting items that complement their selections.

Furthermore, in Ref. [ 54 ], a system is introduced to offer size recommendations, utilizing size tables and ANNs to create an intelligent sizing system. This system was tested in an Iranian store, resulting in time savings and increased customer satisfaction by assisting customers in selecting the right clothing size.

Continuing to enhance the shopping experience, a virtual try-on interface based on GANs is presented in Ref. [ 49 ]. This interface allows users to virtually try on clothes from the comfort of their homes, facilitating online shopping and providing a realistic visualization of how the clothes would appear when worn.

In conclusion, AI has the potential to reshape sustainable fashion by aligning it with current trends, enhancing the design process, and improving the shopping experience. This technology bridges the gap between sustainability and market relevance, making eco-friendly fashion more appealing and accessible to consumers.

4.3 Reducing waste

Effective waste management is critical for the fashion industry’s sustainability, especially considering its historical negative environmental impact [ 67 ]. Over recent years, the proliferation of fast fashion and a throwaway culture has led to a significant surge in textile production and consumption [ 68 ]. Unfortunately, the majority of textiles and clothing ultimately find their way into landfills, with only a small fraction being recycled, making textile waste a pressing global concern [ 69 ].

AI offers innovative solutions to address these waste management challenges. In Ref. [ 42 ], an intelligent knowledge-based system is applied to sustainable waste management. This comprehensive approach analyzes various facets of waste collection, transportation, and processing. Moreover, it considers critical dimensions of sustainable development, including well-being, health, clean water, and climate change.

Within the realm of supply chains [ 38 ], introduces an expert system aimed at waste management. This system focuses on the return of products at the end of their life cycle to various supply chain components for reuse and value recovery. Notably, it incorporates blockchain technology, enabling the transparent processing and recording of data across the entire product lifecycle, thus fostering a circular economy.

AI’s predictive capabilities are harnessed in waste prediction models like those seen in Refs. [ 44 , 45 ], both utilizing ANNs. By leveraging historical data, these systems provide more accurate waste generation predictions. Consequently, these insights empower the development of strategies to curtail waste, boost recycling rates, and promote sustainability.

AI-driven waste classification is a rapidly advancing field. For instance [ 40 ], presents a methodology reliant on CNNs for classifying different fiber materials, even when confronted with limited data. Similarly Ref. [ 41 ], demonstrates the effectiveness of CNNs in classifying various materials, including glass, paper, plastic, and organic matter, using images generated from smartphones.

Taking waste sorting to the next level [ 39 ], combines CNNs with robotic technology. Equipped with sensors and mechanical grippers, a robot continuously monitors waste flow and autonomously performs sorting tasks. The practical deployment of this system in a major Spanish waste sorting plant underscores its industry relevance and potential for efficient waste management.

In summary, AI presents a powerful toolkit for addressing the fashion industry’s waste management challenges. These innovative applications not only offer solutions for sustainable waste disposal but also align with broader sustainability goals. By leveraging AI for waste prediction, classification, and intelligent systems, fashion companies can not only reduce their environmental impact but also enhance their operational efficiency. These advancements underscore the transformative role of AI in promoting sustainability within the fashion industry, emphasizing the path towards a more eco-friendly and responsible future.

4.4 Data analysis

Data analysis plays a pivotal role in the fashion industry, offering valuable insights and predictive capabilities that can be harnessed to drive sustainability efforts [ 57 , 70 , 71 ]. Customer segmentation, as demonstrated in studies like [ 21 , 24 ], allows fashion companies to gain a deeper understanding of their customer base. By tailoring strategies to specific market segments, these companies can effectively promote and sell sustainable clothing to a diverse range of consumers.

Moreover, predictive analytics, exemplified in research such as Refs. [ 29 , 34 ], empowers fashion businesses to make informed decisions and anticipate market trends. Sales predictions and style forecasting enable these companies to optimize inventory management, streamline supply chains, and proactively address future challenges, all of which are essential for sustainable fashion practices.

In the context of sustainable fashion, studies like [ 35 ] shed light on consumer behavior and attitudes towards sustainability. By utilizing ML techniques to analyze consumer responses, these studies reveal valuable insights into consumer knowledge and preferences regarding sustainable clothing. The findings underscore the importance of educating consumers about sustainable fashion practices and strategies to encourage their adoption.

In sum, data analysis serves as a powerful tool for fashion companies striving to enhance sustainability. From customer segmentation to predictive analytics, these data-driven approaches empower the fashion industry to make informed decisions and tailor strategies that promote sustainable clothing consumption and production. This underscores the potential of data analysis in driving positive change within the fashion industry.

4.5 Limitations of the study

One notable limitation of this study is its primary reliance on existing literature and readily available sources. This approach may inadvertently omit certain non-academic, ongoing, or unpublished works that could potentially contribute valuable insights to the field of AI in sustainable fashion. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that a comprehensive array of relevant online sources was diligently incorporated, making a concerted effort to ensure that the findings presented in this paper offer a representative and meaningful overview.

Furthermore, this study primarily operates at a high-level examination of the contributions of AI within the sustainable fashion industry. This means that it provides a broad overview and general insights into how AI is being applied to promote sustainability in the fashion sector. However, it may not encompass the intricate details and specific nuances that some readers, particularly those looking for in-depth technical or sector-specific information, may seek.

5 Conclusions

This study aimed to assess the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the fashion industry to promote sustainability. To achieve this goal, we conducted a systematic review of 37 articles sourced from relevant online publications. These articles were subsequently reviewed and analyzed.

The analysis of the selected articles unequivocally demonstrates that AI plays a pivotal role in the fashion industry’s transition towards sustainable development. The findings underscore a multitude of contributions that can be harnessed across various facets of the fashion industry, encompassing supply chain optimization, sustainable clothing design and sales, waste management and control, and data analysis.

Our analysis reveals the pervasive presence of ANNs as the primary technological cornerstone in the integration of AI within the fashion industry. ANNs, with their versatile capabilities, occupy a central role across a diverse array of applications. These encompass but are not limited to waste classification, where ANNs excel in their ability to accurately categorize materials. Furthermore, they play a pivotal role in garment defect detection, swiftly identifying and rectifying manufacturing flaws. In addition, ANNs significantly contribute to the augmentation of sustainable clothing design and production, ensuring that the industry’s environmental footprint is minimized.

Moreover, our investigation uncovered a balanced distribution among sustainability dimensions in the reviewed articles. The majority of contributions are situated within the economic dimension, prioritizing the fulfillment of current and future customer needs. Subsequently, the environmental dimension encompasses a significant portion of articles, primarily focusing on responsible waste management and the promotion of recycling. Finally, the social dimension concentrates on creating accessible environments and providing services that cater to diverse market needs.

The articles predominantly targeted the business and customer sectors. In the business sector, contributions primarily centered on improving garment manufacturing, design, and handling processes. Conversely, the customer sector emphasized equipping users with tools to encourage the purchase of sustainable products while ensuring a delightful and attractive shopping experience. Notably, there were no significant contributions directed towards the government sector.

However, it’s crucial to acknowledge the limitations encountered on this journey towards AI-driven sustainability in fashion. One notable challenge lies in the substantial volume of data required to train neural networks effectively. Acquiring and managing extensive datasets, especially in a domain as dynamic as fashion, can prove daunting. The fashion industry also faces the cost considerations associated with the implementation of AI technologies. These investments encompass not only the acquisition of cutting-edge hardware and software but also the training and upskilling of personnel to harness the full potential of AI systems.

6 Future work

As of 2023, the landscape of AI has undergone a remarkable surge in popularity, marking a global trend like never before. This surge has permeated various industries, including fashion, where AI’s transformative potential is becoming increasingly evident. Therefore, for future research endeavors, it is highly advisable to conduct a dedicated review with a specific focus on the developments and impacts witnessed in this pivotal year.

An exploration centered around the year 2023 can shed light on how this unprecedented surge in AI’s popularity has resonated within the fashion industry. This examination can provide valuable insights into how the fashion sector has harnessed the momentum of AI, whether it be through innovative applications, novel solutions, or heightened integration. Such a study can also help identify emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities unique to this period, offering a comprehensive view of the industry’s trajectory.

Moreover, a complementary study centered around 2023 would not only serve as a testament to the dynamism of AI but also provide an invaluable perspective for researchers, businesses, and stakeholders seeking to navigate the evolving landscape of AI-driven sustainability in fashion. It can illuminate how the fashion industry has adapted and innovated in response to the surge in AI adoption, potentially uncovering novel strategies and best practices for sustainable growth and development.

Data availability

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Ramos, L., Rivas-Echeverría, F., Pérez, A.G. et al. Artificial intelligence and sustainability in the fashion industry: a review from 2010 to 2022. SN Appl. Sci. 5 , 387 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-023-05587-2

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Evaluation and trend of fashion design research: visualization analysis based on CiteSpace

• Yixin Zou   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1880-6382 1 ,
• Sarawuth Pintong 2 ,
• Tao Shen 3 &
• Ding-Bang Luh 1  

Fashion and Textiles volume  9 , Article number:  45 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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Fashion or apparel refers to a topic discussed publicly as an indispensable discipline on a day-to-day basis, which has aroused rising attention from academic sessions over the past two decades. However, since the topic of fashion design covers knowledge in extensive ranges and considerable information, scholars have not fully grasped the research field of fashion design, and the research lacks directional guidance. To gain more insights into the existing research status and fronts in the fashion design field, this study conducts a quantitative literature analysis. The research of this study is conducted by employing CiteSpace technology to visualize and analyze 1388 articles regarding “fashion design” in the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection. To be specific, the visualization and the analysis concentrate on the annual number of articles, author collaboration, institutional collaboration, literature citations, keywords clustering, and research trend evolution of the mentioned articles. As highlighted by this study, the effect of the US and the UK on academic research in fashion design is relatively stronger and extensive. Sustainable fashion refers to the research topic having aroused more attention since 2010, while new research topics over the past few years consist of “wearable fashion”, “transgender fashion” and “medical fashion”. The overall research trend of fashion design is developing as interdisciplinary cross research. This study systematically reviews the relevant literature, classifies the existing research status, research hotspots and frontier trends in the academic field of “fashion design”, and presents the knowledge map and information of literature for researchers in relevant fields.

Introduction

In academic research and writing, researchers should constantly search relevant literature to gain systematic insights into the subject area (e.g., the major research questions in the field, the seminal studies, the landmark studies, the most critical theories, methods and techniques, as well as the most serious current challenges). The process to answer the mentioned questions refers to an abstract process, which requires constant analysis, deduction and generalization. Any literature emerging over time may be critical, any research perspective may cause novel inspiration, and any detail can be the beginning of the subsequent research. However, when literature is being sorted and analyzed, if judgment only complies with personal experience, important literature will be inevitably missed, or the research direction will be lost in the research. For the process of conducting literature analysis, Hoover proposed that the quantitative methods of literature represent elements or features of literary texts numerically, applying effective, accurate and widely accepted mathematical methods to measure, classify and analyze literature quantitatively (Hoover, 2013 ). On this basis, literary data and information are more comprehensively processed. Prof. Chaomei Chen developed CiteSpace to collect, analyze, deliver and visualize literature information by creating images, diagrams or animations, thereby helping develop scientific knowledge maps and data mining of scientific literature. Knowledge visualization primarily aims to detect and monitor the existing state of research and research evolution in a knowledge field. Knowledge visualization has been exploited to explore trends in fields (e.g., medical, management science, biomedicine and biotechnology).

However, the international research situation in fashion design has not been analyzed by scholars thus far. Fashion, a category of discourse, has been arousing scholars’ attention since the late nineteenth century (Kim, 1998 ). In such an era, fashion is recognized by individuals of all classes and cultures, and it is publicly perceived. The field of fashion design is significantly correlated with people's lives (Boodro, 1990 ), and numerous nations and universities have long developed courses regarding fashion design or fashion. Besides, the development of fashion acts as a symbol of the soft power of the country. The discussion on fashion trend, fashion designer, fashion brands, artwork and other topics in the society turns out to be the hotspot discussed on a nearly day-to-day basis, and the discussion in the society even exceeds the academic research. However, the academic research of fashion design refers to a topic that cannot be ignored. The accumulation and achievements of academic research are manifested as precipitation of knowledge for developing the existing fashion field, while significantly guiding future generations. Studying the publishing situation and information in fashion design will help fashion practitioners or researchers classify their knowledge and provide them with novel inspiration or research and literature directions.

This study complies with the method of quantitative literature analysis, and CiteSpace software is adopted to analyze the literature in fashion design. Through searching web of science (WOS) Core Collection, 1388 articles regarding “fashion design” are retained. Co-citation, co-authoring and co-occurrence analysis refer to the major functions of CiteSpace. This study analyzes the articles regarding “fashion design”, and the focus is placed on the annual publication volume, author collaboration, institutional collaboration, national collaboration, literature citations, keyword co-occurrence, keyword clustering, and the research evolution, and visualized the literature and research as figures of these articles. The results here are presented as figures. This study provides the fronts knowledge, the current research status research, the hotspots and trends in fashion design research.

In this study, CiteSpace technology is adopted to analyze all collected literature data. CiteSpace, developed by Professor Chaomei Chen, an internationally renowned expert in information visualization at Drexel University, USA (Wang & Lu, 2020 ), refers to a Java application to visually analyze literature and co-citation networks (Chen, 2004 ). CiteSpace is capable of displaying burst detection, mediated centrality and heterogeneous networks regarding literate information. Visual analysis of the literature by using CiteSpace covers three functions, i.e., to identify the nature of specialized research frontiers, to label and cluster specialized research areas, as well as to identify the research trends and abrupt changes based on the data derived from the analysis. CiteSpace provides a valuable, timely, reproducible and flexible method to track the development of research trends and identify vital evidence (Chen et al., 2012 ).

To analyze the existing status of research and publications on the topic of “fashion design” in academia and different nations, the “Web of Science” (WOS) database is adopted as the data collection source here. Web of Science provides seamless access to existing and multidisciplinary information from approximately 8700 of the most extensively researched, prestigious and high-impact research journals worldwide, covering Science Citation Index (SCI) Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), as well as Arts and Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI) (Wouters 2006 ). Its vital feature is that it covers all article types, e.g., author information, institutional addresses, citations and References (Wouters 2006 ). Research trends and publications in specific industry areas can be effectively analyzed.

To be specific, the “Web of Science Core Collection” database is selected in Web of Science and the indexing range includes SCI, SSCI, A&HCI, CPCI-S, CPCI-SSH, BKCI-S, BKCI-SSH, ESCI databases. This step aims to expand the search scope of journals and search a maximal amount of relevant literature. A “subject search” is adopted, covering the search title, the abstract, the author and the keywords. There have been other areas of research on clothing or textiles (e.g., textile engineering and other scientific research areas). However, in this study, to ensure that the topic of analysis is relevant, the subject search is conducted by entering “fashion design” or “Costume design” clothing design”, or “Apparel design”, and only academic research regarding fashion design is analyzed. To ensure the academic nature of the collected data, the search scope here is the “article” type. The time frame was chosen from 2000 to 2021 to analyze the publications on “fashion design” for past 21 years. After this operation, the results of the search were filtered two times. The search was conducted until September 23, 2021, and 1388 articles were retained on the whole.

All bibliographic information on the pages was exported into text format and subsequently analyzed with CiteSpace software. Retrieved publications were filtered and copies were removed in CiteSpace to ensure that the respective article is unique and unduplicated in the database. 1388 articles filtered down from 2000 to 2021 were analyzed in all time slices of 1 year, and most of the cited or TOP 50 of the respective item were selected from each slice.

Results and Discussion

Publications in the last 21 years.

The publication situation of WOS database with “fashion design” as the theme from 2000 to 2021 shown in Fig.  1 . On the whole, the number of articles published on the theme of “fashion design” is rising from 2000 to 2007, the number of articles published each year is almost identical, and the number of articles published in 2008–2009 is slightly increasing. The second wave of growth is in 2011, with an increase about 60% compared with the number of publications in 2010, and it has been rising year by year. 2017 is the peak year with a high volume of 171 publications. 2018 shows another decline, whereas over 100 publications remain. 2018, 2019 and 2020 show continuous growths again. As of September 2021, the number of publications in 2021 is 77. Although the number of articles declines in 2018, the overall number of articles over the past 2 decades is still rising. The reason for the low number of publications around year of 2000 is that fashion as a category of discourse has aroused the attention of scholars from the late nineteenth century (Kim, 1998 ). The year-on-year increase is explained as research on fashion is arousing rising attention from scholars. The significant increase in research papers regarding “fashion design” in 2016 and 2017 is that around 2016, and the fashion industry has been impacted by technological developments. Moreover, the way in which design and clothing made has incorporated considerable technological tools (e.g., 3D printing and wearable technology).

Total publications and sum of times cited from 2000 to 2021 according to the web of science. Data updated to September 2021

Author co-authorship analysis

The knowledge map of cited authors based on publication references can present information regarding influential research groups and potential collaborators (Liang, Li, Zhao, et al., 2017 ). The function of co-authorship analysis is employed in CiteSpace to detect influential research groups and potential collaborators. Citespace can calculate the most productive authors in related fields. Table 1 shows that the most productive authors, which related with fashion design theme.

The author with the maximal number of publications is Olga Gurova from Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki (Finland). Her research area has focused on consumer nationalism and patriotism, identity politics and fashion, critical approach to sustainability and wearable technology and the future. Sustainable design has been a hotspot over the past decade and continues to be discussed today, and wearable technology has been a research hotpot in recent years. Olga Gurova is in first place, thereby suggesting the attention given to the mentioned topics and studies in society and fashion area. The second ranked author is Marilyn Delong from University of Minnesota (The USA). The research area consists of Aesthetics, Sustainable apparel design, History and Material Culture, Fashion Trends, Cross-cultural Influence on Design, as well as Socio-psychological aspects of Clothing. The author with the identical number of 7 publications is Kirsi Niinimäki from Aalto University (Finland). Her research directions consist of sustainable fashion and textiles, so her focus has been on the connection between design, manufacturing systems, business models and consumption habits.

For Caroline Kipp, her research area includes modern and contemporary textile arts, decorative arts and craft, craftivism, jacquard weaving, French kashmere shawls, as well as color field painting. For Nick Rees-Roberts, his research area includes fashion film, culture and digital media. Veronica Manlow from Brooklyn College in the Koppelman School of Business (USA.) The research field consists of creative process of fashion design, organizational culture and leadership in corporate fashion brands. Kevin Almond has made a contribution to creative Pattern Cutting, Clothing/Fashion Dichotomies, Sculptural Thinking in Fashion, Fashion as Masquerade. Hazel Clark, and his research field covers fashion theory and history, fashion in China, fashion and everyday life, fashion politics and sustainment. As revealed from the organization of the authors' work institutions and nations in the table, most of the nations with the maximal frequency of publications originate from the US, thereby revealing that the US significantly supports fashion design research. In general, the research scope covers fashion design, culture, mass media, craft, marketing, humanities, technology and etc. Based on the statistics of authorship collaboration, this study indicates that scholars from the US and Finland take up the top positions in the authorship publication ranking.

Moreover, Fig.  2 shows the academic collaborations among authors, which are generated by selecting the unit of analysis, setting the appropriate thresholds. The distance between the nodes and the thickness of the links denote the level of cooperation among authors (Chen & Liu, 2020 ). The influential scholars and the most active authors have not yet developed a linear relationship with each other, and collaborative networks have been lacked. It is therefore revealed that the respective researcher forms his or her own establishment in his or her own field, whereas seldom forms collaborative relationships. Thus, this study argues that to improve the breadth and depth of the field of fashion design research, the cooperation and connections between authors should be strengthened (e.g., organizing international collaborative workshops, joint publications and academic conferences) to up-regulate the amount of knowledge output and create more possibilities for fashion research.

Author collaboration network

Institution co-authorship analysis

The number of articles issued by the respective institution and the partnership network are listed in Table 2 .

Figure  3 shows the collaborative relationships among research institutions, while the distance between nodes and the thickness of links represents the level of collaborative institutions. The size of the nodes represents the number of papers published by the institutions, while the distance between the nodes and the thickness of the links indicates the level of cooperation between the institutions.

Co-relationships between nations in “fashion design” research

As indicated from the Table 2 , most of the top ten publishing institutions are from the UK and the US, and two universities in the UK rank first and second with more than 20 publications, and most of the institutions are from the UK, thereby demonstrating that the UK's achievements and effect in the field of fashion are far more than other nations. According to the cooperation network between institutions, there are 5 main cooperation networks. First, London College of Fashion, achieving the most number of articles, and there are 8 institutions cooperating with London College of Fashion, among which the closest cooperation is with Parsons Paris Sch Art & Design in the US, whose more influential areas of articles are consumers behavior, unisex clothing, third gender, communicating sustainability, real installation, Italian fashion system, global market, local culture, knitwear and textile design, international scenario, conventional craft methodologies, innovative potential, as well as 3D software application.

The second network of partnerships concentrates on University Arts London as the central node, with frequent collaborators (e.g., Center St Martins Coll Art & Design, Loughborough University Technology, Hut Grp, Sothebys Inst Art, Project Mobile Ising Sexual Hlth, De Montfort University, University of Southampton, Royal Soc Arts, Royal Coll Art). The more influential areas of publication are: electric corset, future histories, clothing sustainability, south Asian youth culture, textile patterning technique, hybrid functional clothing, UK fashion upcycling businesses, rematerializing crafting understanding, fashion designers apprentice, design ethnography approach, developing apparel design guideline and so on.

The third collaborative network is formed by Aalto University, DongHua University, University Southern Denmark, and other institutions, with more influential publications below: haring clothe; fashion designer; Chinese ethnic minority; design recipe; clothing carbohydrate binge; training design researcher; fashion design; traditional handicraft, etc.

The fourth cooperation network consists of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Ryerson University, Queensland University of Technology, Tsinghua University, York University, Art Comm China Fashion Associate, and other institutions. The influential publications areas are: Zhongshan suit; creative application; clothing design; Chinese male; medical moment; menswear design preference; cross-national study; aesthetic aspect; evaluative criteria; disease prevention.

The fifth network organized by University Minnesota Sch Design, Seoul Natl University, Cornell University, University Calif Davis, University North Carolina Greensboro, Colorado State University and others, with the influential research areas if sustainable apparel design practice, sustainable clothing, female users’ perspective, up-cycling design process; apparel design education; strategic ambiguity effective instructional tool, as well as apparel design.

It is noteworthy that: (1) although the University of Leeds has the maximal number of papers, it has not formed a collaborative network with the University of Leeds in the analysis of collaborative relationships; UK institutions have achieved prominent research results, but in the analysis of the number of author papers, and most of the authors with more papers originate from the US. In brief, British institutions, especially university institutions, generally achieve a high level of research, whereas there are fewer authors with a particularly high number of publications. (2) Asian culture covering South Asian youth culture and Chinese fashion culture appear 3 times in the research network as one of the important research areas that combine fashion and culture. (3) Moreover, the respective sub-network has exchanges and cooperation with universities or institutions from other nations, whereas the distance between the sub-networks is long. It indicates that the self-networks have not yet formed a unified network structure among each other, and are only active within their own groups. The issuing institutions that enter the top ten are nearly universities, which acts as the main power of academic articles punishment, and few other institutions (e.g., companies or social organizations). Accordingly, the cooperation between institutions should be boosted. It is necessary to exploit their strengths and advantages, expand the research field and research scope, and make more contributions to the research on “fashion design” topic.

Country co-authorship analysis

Table 3 lists the studies status on “fashion design” in different nations. The US has the maximal number of publications with 257 articles, followed by the UK with 226 articles.

Figure  4 shows the co-relationships between differently nations. The nodes in the Fig.  4 represent nations, and their sizes indicate the number of articles from different nations. The distance between the nodes and the thickness of the links represents the level of cooperation between nations. The purple rings of the purple nodes indicate high centrality, which means that the mentioned nodes are key points connecting different parts of the network. The thicker the purple ring, the higher the centrality of that node. With the U.S. as the centrality degree, it links France, Lebanon, Scotland, Nigeria, Italy, Ireland, South Korea, Thailand, England, the People’s Republic of China, Sweden, Turkey, Canada, Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Australia, 17 nations in total. With the U.S. as the centrality degree, it links France, Italy, Brazil, Scotland, Denmark, Thailand, South Africa, Turkey, Australia, Sweden, Wales, the People’s Republic of China, North Ireland, Sweden, Canada, Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Egypt, America, a total of 22 nations are linked. Although the previous information on the volume of publications by institutions shows that institutions in the UK nations are dominant. However, the total volume of publications compared, the US is higher than the UK, thereby demonstrating that some other institutions or organizations besides universities also contribute to the volume of publications. Furthermore, as revealed from the degree of crossover of the cooperation network in Fig.  5 , except for the UK and the US, there is but not close cooperation and connection between other nations, the nodes are far away, and the more prominent node centers are the US and the UK. This leads to the conclusion that nations should strengthen the intensity and density of cooperation and enhance their influence in fashion design research.

Linking relationships between nations

Cited references network among the literature

As indicated from the analysis of the previous network of authors, collaborating institutions and collaborating nations, the research results are more superior in the US and the UK. However, given the research statistics issued by WOW Travel in 2019, the top 10 influential nations in the field of fashion consist of the USA, the UK, Italy, France, Japan, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, the People' Republic of China, including Korea. This phenomenon is likely to be attributed to the different language systems of nations other than the UK and the US, and that some of the mentioned nations have their own search databases for articles. For this reason, the publication data are not retrieved. Other nations should actively publish in English or international academic journals to expand their effect on the international research field, not only in fashion trends or arts work creation.

Co-scholar study based on cited references

The literature can be termed a knowledge base, as well as a source of knowledge and ideas. A novel research cannot be outputted without the contribution of knowledge from previous authors, as well as the insights into and mastery of the literature. Co-scholar analysis builds a literature co-citation network by selecting several representative studies as the object of analysis. Vital references in a specific research area can be detected, and a knowledge graph of cited authors by complying with published references can present information regarding influential research field and knowledge. Table 4 shows the most distribution of the references in fashion design theme. Figure  5 is an analysis of the highly cited literature network. Describe and summarize the high-cited literature based on the information in the two charts.

The node density is 0.00313 for cited reference network, thereby illustrating that fewer links and co-citations among the literature. For the citation status of the respective literature, the analysis begins with the work of Fletcher Kate, appearing more frequently in the table, Fletcher Kate’s 2016 book “ Craft of use: post-growth fashion ” pertains to label 0 “fashion system”. The book explores “craft of use”, using ingenious ideas and practices to make garments/fabrics present as an alternative, dynamic, experiential framework for articulating and promoting sustainability in the fashion world (Fletcher, 2016 ). Fletcher, 2012 and Fletcher and Tham, 2014 pertain to the identical cluster 6. Fletcher Kate’s 2012 “ Fashion Sustainability ” counting 12 times, with ranking No.1 in Table 4 . The book’s contents about fashion sustainability in three main parts, i.e., fashion products, fashion system, as well as fashion design practice (Fletcher, 2012 ). According to the graph, Fletcher Kate's book exhibits a high frequency in the citation network and overall citation. The book from Fletcher ( 2008 ) talking about sustainable fashion and clothing, which has the second maximal citation, frequency of 9. The book is primarily concerned with sustainable fashion and sustainable design. Routledge handbook of sustainability and fashion, published in 2014. The major contents focus on sustainability, and fashion recognizes the complexity of aligning fashion with sustainability. It explores fashion and sustainability at the levels of products, processes and paradigms, while employing a truly multi-disciplinary approach to critically question and suggest creative responses to issues, i.e., Fashion in a post-growth society, Fashion, diversity and equity, Fashion, fluidity and balance across natural, social and economic systems, social sciences, arts and humanities interested in sustainability and fashion (Fletcher and Tham, 2014 ). Fletcher Kate made prominent contributions to fashion sustainable design and sustainable development.

The third most frequently cited book is Manzini’s ( 2015 ) book " Design, When Everybody Designs ", with eight citations. It presents Design and social Innovation, Collaborative organizations and encounters, Design ways and Design for novel cultures (Manzini, 2015 ). The ideas of social innovation design and sustainable design are presented.

The journal of “You are what you wear: How plus-size fashion figures in fat identity formation” from Lauren Downing Peters, takes up the third place in terms of frequency of citations. The research regarding fat identities are formed through the intimate practices of self-fashioning and via social channels (e.g., shopping and fashion blogging), thereby bridging the fields of fat studies and fashion studies. It also considers issues of performativity and is reflected as a situated bodily practice. Fashion design is combined with humanistic care (Peters, 2014 ).

The book Fashion and Culture: Cultural Studies, Fashion Studies, from SB Kaiser, 2012 be cited 7 times. The main topic is the integration of fashion, design and culture (Kaiser, 2012 ). Jenss ( 2016 ), Fashion Studies: Research Methods, Sites, and Practices , is cited 6 times. The book explores fashion in wide-ranging contexts by stressing material culture and ethnographic approaches in fashion studies. Ryan ( 2014 ), Garments of Paradise: Wearable Discourse in the Digital Age, research about the wearable fashion based on the new era (Ryan, 2014 ). Fashion design industry impressions of current sustainable practices , 2014, Noël Palomo-Lovinski, the article explores professional fashion designers' understanding and awareness of current sustainable design (Palomo-Lovinski & Hahn, 2014 ).

As revealed from the analysis of the co-cited literature, the literature and research areas arousing more attention in the fashion design area from 2009 to 2016 consist of fashion sustainable design and sustainable development, fashion humanities, fashion design strategies, wearable technology, fashion and culture, and Chinese fashion.

Co-occurrence analysis for the research frontier and trends

Hot research topics.

A research hotspot refers to a research issue or topic explored by a relatively large number of articles that are intrinsically linked within a certain period. The keywords are the authors' high distillation and summary of the core content of the article, reflecting the research value and direction of the article. Keywords achieving high frequency are generally exploited to identify the hot issues in a research field. The noun phrases extracted from the article can also represent the hotspot of research in a particular field to a certain extent. Clustering analysis of keywords is performed by CiteSpace software to generate keyword clustering knowledge graphs (Hu et al., 2019 ). The mentioned clusters reflect the last 21 years of topics in fashion design research (shown in Fig.  6 ).

Co-citation clusters about “fashion design” theme

The silhouette scores of the major cluster that were focused on in the review were sufficiently high. Analyzing the size of clusters by Silhouette and size, and the cluster labels could be defined by log-likelihood ratio (LLR) to explain the term contained in. The top 10 keywords in the respective cluster are summarized in the Table 5 .

As indicated from the analysis of the keywords in the respective cluster, the research content of the respective cluster overlaps with each other. However, international research in the “fashion design” field can be summarized as eight major research fields: “Skill/Tools/Technologies/Material with fashion innovation”, “Wearing class and Art”, “Sustainable fashion”, “fashion design/ fashion designer and arts work”,” Education”, “fashion industry and business”, “fashion with culture”, “Medical fashion”.

(1) Skill/ Technologies/Materials with fashion design innovation. The common label that appears are: Wearable new materialism; technological innovation, wearable technologies, future mode, digital exploration, digital design, technological innovation, smart material systems. Promoted by the rapid development of society and science and technology, interdisciplinary learning and research has also emerged in the fashion industry. Innovative design, fabric innovation or innovative display combined with high-tech, novel materials and virtual or digital industries turns out to be a novel topic of great interest in the fashion industry (Barati, Karana, & Hekkert, 2019 ; Burns, 2022 ; Bower & Sturman, 2015 ; Chuah, Rauschnabel, Krey, et al., 2016 ; Feng, 2020 ; Ferrara, 2019 ; Huang, Tang, Liu, et al., 2018 ; Juhlin, 2015 ; Rocamora, 2017 ; Smelik, 2018 ; Smelik et al., 2016 ; Ünay & Zehir, 2012 ).

(2) Wearing culture and Arts. The common labels consist of dressing strategies, transgender fashion, men fashion, human right, accessorizing bodyscape, popular art, applied art. It focuses on different types of people, human rights and humanistic concerns, including unisex fashion. The collection is designed and worn with a mix of different arts, cultures and trends, as well as regional dress cultures, such as Chinese. The collection is inclusive of fashion and highly integrated with art (Chance, Camilleri, Winstone, et al., 2016 ; Geczy & Karaminas, 2011 ; Hancock, Johnson-Woods, & Karaminas, 2013 ; Martin, 1999 ; Mocenco, Olaru, Popescu, et al., 2016 ; Nelson & Hwang, 2019 ; Sabine Linke, 2013 ; Tullio-Pow, Yaworski, & Kincaid, 2021 ; Vainshtein, 2012 ).

(3) Sustainable fashion. Including the labels of sustainability knowledge, sustainable fashion, sustainable practice, communicating sustainability, sustainability knowledge, sustainable consumption, etc. Sustainable development and sustainability are a hotspot of discussion in academia. Sustainable fashion, i.e., Eco-fashion, refers to part of a growing design philosophy and sustainable design trend aiming to create a sustainable system capable of supporting environmental, socially responsible and sociocultural aspects (Aakko & Koskennurmi-Sivonen, 2013 ; De Brito, Carbone, & Blanquart, 2008 ; Fletcher, 2013 ; Gordon & Hill, 2015 ; Gwilt, 2020 ; Henninger, Alevizou, & Oates, 2016 ; Lundblad & Davies, 2016 ; Mukendi, Davies, Glozer, & McDonagh, 2020 ; Niinimäki, 2013 ; Shen, 2014 ; Wang & Lu, 2020 ).

(4) Fashion design, fashion designer and arts work. As the fundamental topic in fashion design field, the labels consist of design strategies, young fashion designer, costume design, South Korean contemporary fashion design, China fashion design, etc. Is the research about the characteristics of fashion in different historical stages, region, area, culture and style study (Bugg, 2009 ; Chang & Lee, 2021 ; Creigh-Tyte, 2005 ; Kawamura, 2004 ; Kim & Farrell-Beck, 2005 ; Larner & Molloy, 2009 ; Ling et al., 2016 ; Millspaugh & Kent, 2016 ; Park, 1993 ; Sterlacci, 2019 ).

(5) Education. Responsible fashion business education, teaching system, fashion design course, interactive teaching, fashion entrepreneurship education, etc. Educational methods have constantly been a vital topic required to be discussed, and teaching methods and concepts have been reformed and innovated to respond to social and economic development, as well as to the constant innovation of knowledge, skills and cultural heritage (Armstrong & LeHew, 2013 ; Faerm, 2012 ; Fletcher, 2013 ; Lee & Sohn, 2011 ; Stensaker, 2007 ).

(6) Fashion industry and business. In modern commodity society, the concept of fashion is more than a way of life and an inner state of mind. People's pursuit of fashion will change the existing mode of life and behavior, thereby constantly creating new demands. Accordingly, the emergence of new products is promoted, as well as the development of novel industries. Fashion products are not only characterized by commercial products, but also help create a fashion industry chain and huge economic benefits for its high added value, easy dissemination and wide circulation (Guercini & Runfola, 2010 ; Pal & Gander, 2018 ; Pedersen, Gwozdz, & Hvass, 2018 ; Şen, 2008 ; Shamsuzzoha, Kankaanpaa, Carneiro, et al., 2013 ; Todeschini, Cortimiglia, Callegaro-de-Menezes, & Ghezzi, 2017 ).

(7) Fashion with culture. The labels include cultural heritage, traditional craft methodologies, new vision, cultural identity, cultural knowledge, etc. Understanding the effect of culture on the fashion industry and design creation gives insight into the style of fashion people want. For the identical reason, fashion impacts the way we live. Fashion is impacted by changes in culture (e.g., modernization, art, and even innovative technology). It is noteworthy that fashion is created by people living in different cultures and places. If one wants to understand fashion, one should be aware of the cultures of different places (e.g., traditional cultures, cultural heritage, new cultural contexts, and cross-cultural exchanges) (Fillin-Yeh, 2001 ; Jansen, 2014 ; Ko & Lee, 2011 ; Roche, 1996 ; Rocamora, 2017 ; Woodside & Ko, 2013 ; Zou and Joneurairatana, 2020a , b ).

(8) Medical fashion, the labels (e.g., mask making, world view, disease prevention, wearable development and fashioning masks). The medical area fashion is listed as a separate field because of the specificity and timing of this field. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020, the concern for health and disease worldwide has become an essential topic, and almost every research area has a connection with medical care, as impacted by such a general trend and environment, led to developments in the field of “medical care fashion” (e.g., the development of new materials, masks and protective fashion). In addition, due to the development of “human centred design” thinking, the current fashion industry not only pays attention to the creation of artistic works, but also pays more attention to humanistic care. The needs of special groups have also attracted the attention of the fashion industry, such as disabled people, etc. (Kim, et al., 2021 ; Koenig & Carnes, 1999 ; Li & Yim, 2021 ).

Keywords with the strongest citation bursts

Keywords with the strongest citation Bursts can be exploited to reflect the main research content of a research topic over time, and also to reflect the research trends in a certain time period. The tracking and identification of research trends can offer researchers information regarding the changes in research hotspots in the field of specialization, and can provide relevant inspiration and information for researchers in the field. Research frontiers are emerging theoretical trends and new topics that can be synthesized and judged in CiteSpace based on analysis of keywords with the strongest citation bursts (Li & Wang, 2018 ).

After running the CiteSpace software, 13 keywords with maximal citation bursts were obtained (shown in Fig.  7 ).

Top 13 keywords with the strongest citation bursts in “fashion design” area

In this study, the research scope is selected from 2000 to 2021, and the strongest citation bursts are concentrated after 2010. The mentioned consist of identity, culture, fashion trend, popular culture, design process, education, design practice, craft, etc. Moreover, the analysis of the strongest citation bursts complies with the following noteworthy points:

The topic of sustainable fashion has burst on the scene three times over the last decade, i.e., in 2015 for “sustainable design”, in 2015 for “sustainability”, as well as in 2018 for “sustainable fashion”. The evolution of sustainable fashion can be identified in the shift from “sustainable production” to “sustainable fashion” concepts. In the wake of the world's biggest ever garment industry disaster, the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh, having caused death of over 1100 people (Rahman, 2014 ) the fashion movement by complying with the concept of “sustainability” is fading massively, which reveals an increased interest in sustainable fashion and ethical practices in the fashion industry (Westervelt, 2015 ). As sustainability turns out to be a “megatrend” (Mittelstaedt, Shultz, Kilbourne, et al., 2014 ), the fashion field has changed dramatically in accordance with the concept of “sustainable fashion” (e.g., sustainable design, fabrics, production and consumption) (Watson & Yan, 2013 ; Mora et al., 2014 ). Moreover, today sustainable fashion refers to a movement and process facilitating the transformation of fashion products and fashion systems towards greater ecological integrity and social justice. Sustainable fashion is not only concerned with fashion textiles or products, but concerned with the dependent social, cultural, ecological and financial systems correlated with people.

Research rends and frontier on fashion design

The identification and tracking of research frontiers present researchers with the latest developments in the disciplinary research evolution, predicts the trends in the research field, and identifies issues required to be explored more specifically. Research frontier topics are novel topics of interest in the field, indicating the social environment and research context. In brief, it can be referenced for relevant researchers in this field.

After CiteSpace is run, keyword timing profiles are generated by time segment based on Cluster co-occurrence analysis (shown in Fig.  8 ).

Time zone view in fashion design research

From the time zone view, the research in fashion design can fall into four phrases. The first phrase is that the research situation before 2004 did not form a cluster, thereby indicating that the research on fashion design was scattered before 2004. The second phrase is from 2004 to 2010, thereby revealing that the term of “international modernism” appeared twice. It can be explained by the frequent cross-cultural exchange activities between nations. The research emphasis shifts from fashion research in the traditional sense (e.g., apparel characteristics, designer and design styles) to cross-cultural and regionally fashion culture research (e.g., China, Europe, and the US). The third phase is from 2011 to 2017, more clusters appear in this time period, thereby demonstrating a higher volume of articles published. The research topics in fashion design show a diversity of clusters keywords and a wider range of research directions (e.g., culture, regional fashion, traditional apparel, humanities, education, design approaches and techniques). The fourth stage is from 2017 to the present, the keywords of clusters are more obvious, especially the label around 2017: “wearable technologies”. The mentioned keywords include wearable technology, wearable devices, fashion technology, smart wear, and technology socks. This novel technology is “skin electronics” or “fashion electronics”, which are intelligent electronic devices worn near or on the skin surface to detect, analyze and transmit information regarding the body information, body signals, vital signs or environmental data and others; in several cases, the information can be delivered to the wearer (Chuah, Rauschnabel, Krey, et al., 2016 ; Çiçek, 2015 ; Farrington, 2016 ). The second label is “Transgender Fashion”, unisex fashion, embodies the humanistic nature of fashion. Moreover, the label in 2021 is concerned with “Medical Moment”. With the global outbreak of Covid-19, how to against the virus is the daily topic be concerned by global. Protective clothing, mask has become a necessity in people's lives. Based on this context, the fashion industry has also been affected. The fashion industry think more about the care and needs of the human body, “Medical fashion” has become a popular topic of research. As indicated from the academic view, the research direction of fashion design is closer to the society hot trends and interdisciplinary research. Caring for people's physical, physiological and psychological aspects, fashion research tends to be more human centred design.

Conclusions

By analyzing the frontiers and trends of fashion design research, this study reveals that at the beginning of the research period, the topics of academic research were biased towards research in the humanities (e.g., fashion design, designers, culture, humanistic care, locality, as well as arts work). The direction of research over the past few years has been impacted by the overall global dynamics as well as technological and economic development, thereby demonstrating that the trend of interdisciplinary and cross-border cooperation has entered a stage of development in recent years. The data collection and analysis time of this article is at the end of 2021, but with the development of time and science and technology, such as Digital fashion, Virtual fashion, AI design, Inclusive design, etc. have also become hot topics at the moment. The researcher believe it will produce more academic research in fashion design in the future time.

On the whole, research on the topic of fashion design still has a considerable scope for research. Scholars, designers and practitioners in the fashion field still face huge task. Accordingly, the researcher proposed several suggestions for how to strengthen the process and results of academic research. From a horizontal perspective, (1) the international academic community and researchers should enhance the interact, discuss and conduct collaborative research with each other to provide sustainable vitality and motivation for the research; (2) transnational, cross-unit and cross-border academic exchange and cooperation should be enhanced to create more possibilities for academic research; (3) additional, multilingual journal platforms should be offered for fashion or art fields. From vertical perspective: Combining or contrasting history with modernity. For instance, using new technologies to redesign or study historical apparel, etc. By combining traditional culture with modern technology, the scope of the time-line of fashion design research can be extended.

This study uses quantitative literature analysis to convey information from the literature by creating images, diagrams and information description. The existing state of research in fashion design is reviewed, and provide the knowledge base, the existing state of research, as well as research hot-spots and publication trends in fashion design research. This study can provide existing literature, knowledge map, new inspirations, and research directions to fashion practitioners, researchers, and research institutions. Based on this paper, scholars can efficiently familiarize the field knowledge and facilitate strategic adjustments by relevant institutions.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets supporting the research process and conclusions of this article are included within the additional files. For databases and research results, which is available and has no restrictions to its use by academics or non-academics.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Design Science and Art Research Center from Guangdong University of Technology, for providing the research facilities and environment for this study.

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YZ: Postdoctor, School of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510062, China.

SP: Lecturer and Ph.D., Ph.D in Culture-based Design Arts Program, Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn Univeristy, Bangkok 10170, Thailand.

TS: Postdoctor, College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.

D-BL: Professor and Ph.D., School of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510062, China.

This research was received financial support from “Science and Technology Program of Guangdong Province: Overseas Famous Master Project” Guangdong province, China. The Project No. is 2020A1414010314.

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YXZ conceived the ideas, experimental design, data analization, interpretation of the results, and drafted the manuscript of the analysis. SP and ST gave technical guidance and provided continuous support to perform the experiment successfully,and gave the suggestions about the writing. DBL contributed to the interpretation of the results and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Zou, Y., Pintong, S., Shen, T. et al. Evaluation and trend of fashion design research: visualization analysis based on CiteSpace. Fash Text 9 , 45 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00316-6

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• Global Sustainable Fashion Market Analysis

GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE FASHION MARKET SIZE AND SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS AND FORECASTS (2023 - 2030)

Global sustainable fashion market, by product type (apparel, footwear, accessories, jewelry, bags, others), by fabric type (recycled fabrics, organic fabrics, regenerated fabrics, natural fibers, alternate fibers, others), by end-user (men, women, children, unisex, others), by distribution channel (online, offline, brand outlets, multi-brand outlets, independent boutiques, others), by geography (north america, latin america, europe, asia pacific, middle east & africa).

• Published In : Jan 2024
• Code : CMI6492
• Pages : 140
• Formats :   Excel and PDF
• Industry : Consumer Goods

Global Sustainable Fashion Market size was valued at US$ 7.80 Billion in 2023 and is expected to reach US$ 33.05 Billion by 2030 , growing at a compound annual growth rate ( CAGR) of 22.9% from 2023 to 2030.

Sustainable fashion refers to clothing, shoes, accessories, and jewelry created in an ethical and environmentally friendly manner. It promotes fair wages, safe working conditions, and reduced environmental impact through measures like efficient use of resources and waste reduction, and the use of organic or recycled materials. The market is driven by rising consumer awareness about sustainability, government regulations, and incentives promoting eco-friendly products.

The global sustainable fashion market is segmented by product type, fabric type, end user, and sales channel. By product type, the market is segmented into apparel, footwear , accessories, jewelry, bags, and others. The apparel segment accounted for the largest share in 2022. The rising demand for sustainable clothing like t-shirts, dresses, and trousers made from organic cotton, recycled polyester, and regenerated fabrics is driving the growth of the eco-friendly apparel market.

Sustainable Fashion Market Regional Insights:

• North America is expected to be the largest market for the global sustainable fashion market during the forecast period, accounting for over 35.6% of the market share in 2023. The growth of the market in North America is attributed to rising awareness about eco-friendly fashion, regulations promoting sustainability, and high spending power.
• The Europe  market is expected to be the second-largest market for the global sustainable fashion market, accounting for over 25.8% of the market share in 2023. The growth of the market in Europe is attributed to high demand for premium sustainable fashion brands and stringent regulations by the EU on sustainability.
• The Asia Pacific market is expected to be the fastest-growing market for the global sustainable fashion market, with a CAGR of over 16.5% during the forecast period. The growth of the market in Asia Pacific is attributed to increasing consumer awareness and rapid economic growth in the region.

Figure 1. Global Sustainable Fashion Market Share (%), By Region, 2023

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Global Sustainable Fashion Market Drivers:

• Increasing consumer awareness and demand for eco-friendly products: The growing environmental consciousness and rising demand for ethically produced fashion are major drivers for the global sustainable fashion market. Consumers, especially millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly looking for brands that embed sustainability across their value chain and products that have a lower carbon footprint. Social media and technology have enabled greater transparency into production processes and supply chains, empowering consumers to make informed choices. The market has seen rising sales of products made from recycled, organic, and regenerated fibers. Consumers are also opting for environmentally responsible packaging and supporting brands committed to circular fashion.
• Favorable government policies and regulations: Governments across the world are introducing regulations and policies to promote environmental sustainability in the fashion industry. The European Union’s Strategy for Sustainable Textiles aims to boost competitiveness and innovation in the sector through circularity. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides help marketers make credible eco-friendly claims. The guidelines by the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion address sustainability across the entire fashion cycle. Such regulations are encouraging brands to integrate sustainability through eco-design principles, resource efficiency, waste reduction, and disclosure. Mandates around the use of recycled plastic, organic cotton, and other materials are also catalyzing the adoption of sustainable materials. For instance, India's policy think tank, NITI Aayog, released the India Textiles and Apparel Report in 2021, providing a roadmap to transition the industry towards sustainability by 2030. It focuses on areas like increasing use of organic cotton, zero discharge of hazardous chemicals, and 100% recycling rate.
• Technological advances enabling supply chain transparency and circularity: Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics are promoting transparency across fashion supply chains while enabling circularity. Blockchain facilitates traceability, from raw material sourcing to inventory management. Smart manufacturing optimizes use of resources. Digital solutions like virtual sampling and 3D design minimize waste generation. Increased adoption of sustainable materials like bio-based and recycled fibers is being enabled by innovation across polymer chemistry and synthetic biology. Sorting and recycling technologies allow effective end-of-life management of clothing. Such technological advances are critical to the shift towards a closed-loop, transparent, and sustainable fashion sector. For instance, fashion rental platforms have seen surging consumer interest over the past year with reduced environmental footprints. The number of rental transactions globally grew by over 25% between 2020 and 2021, according to a UN report.
• Commitments by leading fashion brands and emergence of new players: Large fashion companies like Nike, Adidas, H&M, and Inditex are increasing their sustainability targets and commitments. They are launching new product lines made from recycled nylon, polyester, and organic cotton, introducing innovations like plant leather and re-commerce, and heavily investing in circular capabilities. New players like Allbirds, Everlane, Reformation, Christy Dawn, etc. are building sustainability into their business models from scratch. The market is also seeing acquisitions like Gap’s acquisition of Janie and Jack to expand into eco-friendly kidswear. The increasing participation from large and small players in embracing sustainable fashion bodes well for market growth.

Global Sustainable Fashion Market Report Coverage

Global Sustainable Fashion Market Opportunities:

• Growth in developing and emerging economies: Developing economies like India, Brazil, China, and ASEAN countries represent a significant opportunity for sustainable fashion brands. Growing populations, rapid urbanization, increasing disposable incomes, and exposure to global fashion trends are resulting in higher spending on apparel and footwear. The expanding base of ethically and environmentally conscious middle and upper middle class consumers provides a promising target demographic for eco-friendly products. Players can address the mass segment through affordable, sustainable clothing lines. Digital platforms also offer opportunities to educate consumers in these markets and influence purchasing decisions. For instance, according to a 2021 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency, India has committed to obtaining 50% of its energy from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. This will create domestic markets for sustainable materials like organic cotton and encourage the industry to transition.
• Increasing online and omni-channel retail penetration: The growth in online retail and direct-to-consumer channels provides strong tailwinds for the sustainable fashion market. E-commerce platforms like Farfetch, Lyst, and Whole Foods Marketplace are launching dedicated sustainable fashion verticals. Social commerce through Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube also enables discovery and sales. Digital platforms provide higher visibility for ethical and eco-friendly brands. Analytics-driven recommendations and customization also help to influence buying behavior. Omni-channel capabilities augment the customer experience. Investments in digital retail and e-commerce infrastructure in emerging markets expand the addressable consumer base. For instance, according to a government of India report, omni-channel retail is estimated to grow by 40% annually in the coming years in India.
• Partnerships and collaboration across value chain: There are significant opportunities for fashion brands to collaborate with suppliers, manufacturers, technology companies, and logistics providers to enhance sustainability across the ecosystem. Partnerships with regenerative agriculture startups allows for the sourcing of eco-friendly raw materials. Tie-ups with green chemistry firms facilitate access to recycled and bio-based materials. Co-creating traceability solutions with blockchain providers enhances transparency. Last mile logistics optimization minimizes emissions. Such mutually beneficial partnerships across the value chain will be critical for large scale adoption of sustainable practices, meeting consumer demand as well as global environmental goals. For instance, as per  the World Bank in 2022, membership in the Sustainable Apparel Coalition has led to a 30% increase in the use of more sustainable cotton and synthetic fibers among participating brands and retailers over the past three years.
• Circular business models and sharing economy: Innovative business models like clothing rental subscriptions, resale, and recommerce provide additional revenue streams while lowering environmental impact through reuse. Rental allows access to a wide assortment of apparel without ownership. Recommerce platforms like ThredUp and Poshmark are reporting rapid growth. Luxury brands are also entering this space. Partnerships with resale platforms aids effective product recovery and recycling. Clothing repair services enhance reuse and divert waste from landfills. Offering customization and made-to-order also minimizes unsold stock. Circular services help build customer loyalty while aligning with sustainability values.

Sustainable Fashion Market Trends:

• Material innovation for eco-friendly fabrics: There is a growing shift towards the use of recycled, organic, and regenerated fibers in the textile industry. Compared to virgin polyester, recycled polyester manufactured from PET bottles uses less energy and water.  Regenerated fibers, like lyocell, are made from wood pulp. Fabric innovations include bio-based leather alternatives, pineapple leaf and apple skin, natural dyes, and wool alternatives from plant sources. Adoption of environmentally responsible materials is being driven by consumer demand as well as collaborative initiatives like Canopy’s Pack4Good. Technology innovations in synthetic biology promotes the development and scalability of Next-Gen green materials. For instance, according to data from the Organic Trade Association's 2021 Organic Industry Survey, the sales of organic cotton apparel and home textiles grew by 8% in North America from 2020 to 2021.
• Supply chain transparency and localization: Consumers increasingly want to know where and how their clothes are made. Fashion brands are leveraging digital traceability solutions to map tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers across spinning, dyeing, and manufacturing. Made in Green by the OEKO-TEX label certifies environmentally responsible supply chains. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags allow inventory tracking. Localized production and near shoring minimize miles traveled. Blockchain facilitates data sharing across supply chain partners. These trends promote transparency while reducing carbon emissions related to global shipping and logistics. For instance, according to a 2021 study by the World Benchmarking Alliance, over 75% of top 50 fashion retailers globally now publish details like supplier lists and audit reports on their websites or in sustainability reports. Greater transparency in raw material sourcing too, like organically grown cotton or recycled polyester, is appealing to the growing base of eco-friendly shoppers.
• Rental, resale, and recommerce gaining traction: Sharing economy models like rental subscriptions and resale platforms are seeing increasing adoption among eco-conscious consumers. Renting allows temporary use without the environmental costs of manufacturing. Recommerce sites like ThredUp, Depop, and TheRealReal have reported surging sales. Retailers like H&M and Patagonia provide repair services to extend the life of garments. Luxury brands like Gucci and Stella McCartney are entering resale, acknowledging its potential to make fashion more circular. Consumers also increasingly prefer environmentally responsible packaging for delivery using recycled and biodegradable materials. For instance, the European Commission reported that in 2021, EU textile waste amounted to more than 5 million tons annually and that extending the lifetime of clothing by just 9 months of active use per item could reduce the environmental footprint of the EU’s fashion consumption by around 5-10%.
• Digital solutions for sustainability: Emerging digital solutions provide critical capabilities for enabling transparency, promoting circularity, and minimizing waste in the fashion value chain. Digital product passports using QR codes allow monitoring of sustainability credentials. Virtual sampling and 3D design software reduce material waste. Blockchain facilitates data sharing with suppliers and customers. Big data analytics aids demand planning and inventory optimization to prevent overproduction. Internet of Things sensors enable tracking goods in transit and optimizing logistics. AR/VR can enrich shopping experience and provide trial options, reducing returns. AI recommendation engines can better match supply with consumer needs.

Sustainable Fashion Market Restraints:

• Higher costs and perceptions of inferior performance: For some product categories, sustainable materials and production processes are costlier, which gets passed on as higher prices to consumers. Despite the willingness to pay a premium for sustainability, higher costs affect mass market adoption. Many consumers also harbor a perception of inferior quality, durability, and aesthetic appeal for eco-fashion products. Addressing these perceptions through technological advancements, process improvements, and effective brand marketing will be crucial. For instance, according to a 2021 study by the World Resources Institute, a global research non-profit, over 60% of American consumers claimed they would purchase more sustainably produced clothing and accessories if the price difference was lower.
• Complex global supply chains: The fashion industry is characterized by fragmented and complex global supply chains, which pose challenges for coordination, traceability, and compliance. Raw materials like cotton may be traded multiple times across continents before reaching production. Lack of standardization, monitoring capabilities, and common frameworks inhibit transparency. Complex subcontracting and layers of middlemen increase risks around labor practices. Streamlining supplier bases and block-chain enabled traceability solutions can enhance control over sustainability. For instance, as per the International Labour Organization, an estimated 60 million people were engaged in forced labor as of 2021, with the textile and apparel industry being one of the most vulnerable sectors.
• Counterbalance- Analyze the production, end-of-life disposal, recycling, and procurement of raw materials in the sustainable fashion supply chain. Talk about introducing fair trade labor methods, cutting down on water waste, and utilizing organic fibers as examples of sustainable practices.
• Lack of common standards and regulations: There is a lack of universally accepted standards, labels, and regulations pertaining to sustainability in fashion. This affects consumer trust and enables greenwashing. Chemical and product safety regulations often vary across markets, creating compliance issues. Progress towards global standards aligned to UN SDGs around eco-design, materials, chemicals, and human rights would accelerate sustainable transformation. Stringent enforcement and auditing of such standards by brands as well as policymakers can help drive change across lagging players.

Analyst View

The sustainable fashion market is poised to grow steadily over the next decade. Major drivers for growth include rising awareness among consumers about the environmental and social impact of fast fashion. More customers, especially millennial and generation Z shoppers, are seeking apparel and accessories from brands that are transparent about their manufacturing processes and use of eco-friendly materials. Another key driver is stricter regulations around textile and clothing production. Many governments are introducing laws to reduce water pollution and curb the use of hazardous chemicals by manufacturers. This will force brands to overhaul their supply chains and shift to more sustainable practices. On the retail side, the convenience of online shopping has made it easier for consumers to research brands and products and make informed, sustainable choices. Key restraints to faster growth include the premium pricing of many eco products due to the higher costs involved. Some mainstream consumers may not be willing to pay more for sustainable items. Also, the lack of standards for what qualifies as "eco-friendly" creates confusion and skepticism among buyers.  Green washing by certain brands is another challenge. The Asia Pacific market, led by China and India, currently dominates sustainable fashion due to its large production bases. However, rapid legislation in the EU is helping propel the Europe market as a major growing region.

Recent Developments:

New product launches:

• In March 2022, Levi Strauss & Co launched its most sustainable jeans line yet, made with organic cotton and Circulose, a wood-based fiber. The new Levi's jeans line reduces the carbon footprint by up to 17% compared to conventional jeans. Levi Strauss & Co. is an American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's brand of denim jeans. It was founded in May 1853 when German-Jewish immigrant Levi Strauss moved from Buttenheim, Bavaria, to San Francisco, California, to open a West Coast branch of his brothers' New York dry goods business.
• In January 2022, Adidas partnered with Allbirds to unveil performance running shoes with the lowest carbon footprint. The shoes are made using renewable and natural materials as part of the sportswear brand's sustainability initiatives. Adidas AG is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second-largest in the world. Allbirds, Inc. is a New Zealand and American company that sells footwear and apparel. The company claims to keep its products as eco-friendly as possible and is a certified B Corporation.
• In November 2021, Kering Luxury Group introduced the first selection of gowns as part of its Chime for Change initiative supporting women empowerment. The collection uses renewable, recycled, organic, and biodegradable fabrics aligned with sustainability goals. Kering is a French-based multinational corporation specializing in luxury goods. The company owns a series of renowned houses in fashion, leather goods, and jewelry, including Gucci, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Yves Saint Laurent, Creed, Alexander McQueen, Brioni, Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin, and Ginori 1735.                                               

Acquisition and partnerships:

• In October 2022, The Gap, Inc. acquired second-hand fashion resale company Janie and Jack to accelerate circular capabilities and children's apparel growth. The acquisition aligns with Gap's Power Plan 2025, focusing on circularity, inclusivity, and climate action. Gap, Inc., commonly known as Gap Inc. or Gap, is an American worldwide clothing and accessories retailer. Gap was founded in 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris F. Fisher and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company operates four primary divisions: Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Athleta. Janie and Jack is a children's clothing brand founded in 2002 in San Francisco, California. Their current product range includes clothing for newborns up to 24 months old, as well as boys and girls up to age 18.
• In June 2022, Ralph Lauren announced a partnership with natural fiber company Earth Colors to introduce a more sustainable cotton dyeing process that uses natural indigo pigment and less water. Ralph Lauren Corporation is an American publicly traded fashion company that was founded in 1967 by American fashion designer Ralph Lauren. Headquartered in New York City, the company produces products ranging from the mid-range to the luxury segments.
• In January 2022, PUMA partnered with First Mile to increase use of recycled plastic in its sportswear. Under this plastic initiative, First Mile will supply recycled polyester to PUMA subsidiaries. Puma SE is a German multinational corporation that designs and manufactures athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and accessories, headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. Puma is the third-largest sportswear manufacturer in the world. The company was founded in 1948 by Mr.Rudolf Dassler. First Mile is a UK environmental and waste management business based in London. It works with businesses to reduce their climate impact through services such as waste, recycling, and renewable energy.

Figure 2. Global Sustainable Fashion Market Share (%), By Product Type, 2023

Top companies in Global Sustainable Fashion Market:

• Inditex (Zara)
• Kering (Gucci)
• Levi Strauss & Co.
• VF Corporation
• Fast Retailing (Uniqlo)
• Hermés
• Ralph Lauren
• Under Armour
• Eileen Fisher
• Stella McCartney

Definition: The Global Sustainable Fashion Market refers to the market for clothing, apparel, footwear, accessories, and jewelry that are manufactured and marketed based on environmentally-friendly and ethical practices. It promotes social and environmental sustainability across the product life cycle from design, sourcing, production to distribution and end-of-life management. The use of organic, recycled or regenerated materials, efficient resource utilization, fair labor practices, and reduction in pollution and waste are key considerations. The market has been driven by rising awareness among consumers about the environmental and social impacts of fashion industry, which is one of the largest polluters globally. Key segments include eco-friendly apparel, footwear, bags, jewelry, made using sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, recycled polyester, alternate bio-based fibers. Leading brands today are integrating sustainability across their value chain through use of renewable energy, sustainable materials, efficient processes, and innovation in business models like clothing resale. The global sustainable fashion market is projected for robust growth in the coming years with increasing demand for environmentally responsible products.

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E-commerce is witnessing the Amazon-ification of Shein, as the fast-fashion behemoth woos skincare and toy brands

E-commerce giant Shein is spreading its arms to envelope more than just the fashion and apparel for which it’s known—and it’s starting to look like another familiar online market platform in the process.

Shein is wooing brands such as household goods conglomerate Colgate-Palmolive , toy maker Hasbro , and skincare brands to sell their products in its marketplace, Reuters reported Tuesday. The company, known for affordable and stylish clothes—albeit made with concerns about labor practices and its environmental impact—is taking steps to create a platform that is everything to everyone.

“Everybody associates Shein with fashion, but we are doing all verticals,” Christina Fontana, Shein’s senior director of brand operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said at a Paris conference on April 17, according to Reuters.

“Our consumers want brands, [so] if that’s what they’re looking for, that’s what we’re going to give them,” she added.

Shein’s outward expansion is a clear tactic to take a bigger piece of the e-commerce pie, Steve Tadelis, economic analysis and policy professor at the University of California at Berkeley, told Fortune . 

Shein has the largest fast-fashion market share in the U.S, and its annual profit doubled to $2 billion in 2023 from the year before. It’s eyeing an IPO and a whopping $90 billion valuation . While the size of its retail empire still pales in comparison to Amazon’s stranglehold on 38% of the U.S. e-commerce market, Tadelis said Shein will want to go after the industry leader. 

“It shouldn’t be surprising that with all of the regulators around the world and talking about the Amazon monopoly that needs to be reined in, well, Shein is now taking a bite out of their apple and will probably take more of those bites,” he said.

Shein’s big wins

Shein, a China-based fast-fashion platform founded by billionaire Sky Xu in 2008, has skyrocketed to success and 45 million monthly users through its massive and efficient production and distribution strategies.

Using AI and electronic monitoring, Shein is able to identify online trends, turn to its suppliers to manufacture small batches of products, then take initial sales data to decide to mass produce a product. The system nearly guarantees the company has its finger on the pulse of trends and can deliver goods fast, though it’s gotten into hot water over allegations of copyright infringement and data scraping, as well as the proliferation of counterfeit product listings .

Even as regulatory bodies, like the European Union’s European Commission, have tried to put checks and balances on the company to stymie its questionable business practices, Shein may have found a way around that. 

John Deighton, professor emeritus at the Harvard Business School, told Fortune that Shein’s strategy of incorporating more brand names onto its platform will only help the company dodge increased attention: The site could soon be flooded with thousands of listings from familiar and trusted products, such as Colgate toothpaste and Play-Doh, essentially telling regulatory bodies there’s nothing to see here.

“They won’t get caught up by the scrutiny,” Deighton said.

Butting heads with Amazon

Shein’s behind-the-scenes methodology makes expanding beyond fashion a natural next step, Tadelis argued. With an efficient infrastructure in place, Shein is able to be more nimble in expanding outward from apparel.

“I really think this is a smart business decision of saying, ‘We have an amazing logistics network, let’s start expanding it into other areas where we could procure cheap products,’” he added.

Rui Ma, tech analyst and COO of market research platform AlphaWatch.AI, told Fortune that Shein’s secure spot in apparel offers another advantage in its race to beat Amazon. Fashion is a notoriously finicky sector, and Amazon, despite dipping its toe into the world of apparel, hasn’t been able to see the same success as Shein, Ma said.

“It’s been very—historically—very difficult to match up demand supply,” she said. “It’s not been a particularly easy category.”

But as Shein takes pages out of Amazon’s playbook, Amazon is simultaneously doing the same to Shein. Amazon announced last December it would slash seller fees from 17% to 5% for apparel under $15, with apparel between $15 to $20 triggering a 10% fee, starting in January.

“We have continued to evolve our fulfillment fee structure to create more discrete fees for specific capabilities. This allows us to more closely align fees for sellers with our underlying costs and also provide sellers with more choices for how they use our services,” Dharmesh Mehta, vice president of Worldwide Selling Partner Services, wrote in a December 2023 Amazon blog post .

The company said on Monday its packages are getting delivered faster than ever : 60% of orders placed in 60 major U.S. cities arrived the same day or day after the order was placed. According to the company, that’s part of its longstanding efforts to stay on top of the e-commerce market and tend to customer needs. Shein customers may have to wait 14 days for their orders to arrive.

Tadelis believes this is par for the course. Just as in most markets, company philosophies start to converge on each other when one finds an effective formula.

“There’s no surprise that these things are looking more alike,” he said. “Because once there’s a good, winning strategy … then you’re going to see imitators.”

For the consumer, there will certainly appear to be copycatting and similarities in promotions and perks across e-commerce platforms. But Ma said, don’t be fooled by Shein’s bid to mime its competitors. The site might start to look a lot like Amazon in its offerings, but behind the scenes, it’s very much sticking with its unique logistics network.

“It might feel the same to us as consumers. It’s going to become more of an everything store,” she told Fortune . “But how it builds that experience, I think the logic is very different from Amazon.”

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