Humans need three important facets of life – food, clothing and shelter. When it comes to clothing, unlike aeons ago, there are so many varieties. With the population boom, ready- made clothes are getting manufactured in mass production as per the size/mould standards. Regarding the blog title, apparel signifies garments that are manufactured making use of labels, buttons, zippers, textile fabrics, accessories as well as other materials. In the next round of paragraphs, we look at the next big trends in the apparel industry.
In the initial stages, let us get it right. Similar to every industry, even the apparel domain is divided into two parts – domestic and export. It is also divided in terms of weather – Summer/Spring and Autumn/Winter. It is based on season, style trends and durability that the apparels are manufactured in large numbers.
The apparel industry consists of:
Menswear (to name a few):
- Coats
- Blazers
- Jeans
- Tracksuits,
- Mufflers
- Socks
- Trousers
- Ties
- Cloaks
When it comes to women, the clothing consists of
- Tops
- Dressing gowns
- Petticoats
- Shirts
- Skirts
- Bathrobes
The apparels for kids consist of
- Sweaters
- Swimwear
- Pyjamas
- Sunsuits
- Jumpsuits
- Frocks
- One-piece sleepers
The kids’ apparels are further divided as per the age:
- Toddlers
- Infants
- Young Children
- Teens
On a global scale, you can notice an impressive growth every year in the kid’s wear segment.
Similar to any industry, even the apparel industry is prone to changes of every type, right from fashion to technology.
The Next Big Trends in Apparel Industry in Every Part of the Globe (2024)
1. Competition in the Apparel Industry
Since the last decade, there has been a sudden hike in the number of first-time business entrepreneurs in the fashion industry. In the olden days, the public used to stay loyal to an apparel brand. But times have changed and these days, the public (mainly consisting of teenagers and middle-aged professionals) does not shy away from trying new products & fashion styles of other companies. Combined with the challenges of inflation, political tensions, and shifts in consumer demand, the brands in the apparel industry are trying hard to retain their loyal customers. To sustain themselves in the industry, their fashion and design team needs to be flexible and more adaptable to the style trends. There is also a need to stand out via their marketing, choice of sales channels and product development.
Also, the fashion trends of one country may differ from another. A new fashion may become a rage in one country and may shift to another style in a few months. In this situation, a brand (catering to local and international customers), needs to cater to the domestic market and also the international audience. Their creative team has to work overtime to ensure customer satisfaction on both fronts.
2. Interest in Saving the Environment
Start-ups and established companies in the apparel industry are using biotechnology to produce textiles that can reduce pollution, water usage and can also be friendly to the human skin. Since the olden days, environmental activists have complained about cloth dyes and tannery industries that produce waste products harmful to the environment. Biotech clothes are manufactured from living organisms and naturally produced dyes.
The global human population is also keenly interest in protecting the environment. In recent times, many don clothes manufactured from sustainable or recycled materials in environmentally friendly processes.
A good deal of apparel start-ups is concentrating on manufacturing textile products that have a less carbon footprint, can be recycled, reusable and can be sourced with minimum labour. In short, there has been a hike in sales of biodegradable clothes. The sudden demand for biodegradable clothes can be considered one of the next big trends in the apparel industry.
3. Change In Business Models
Gone are the days, when apparel brands used to sell their products only using brick-and-mortar stores and franchises. These days, with plenty of options online, they can directly reach customers. Banking on the success of E-Commerce platforms such as Amazon and Walmart, apparel brands have transformed their digital presence into E-commerce platforms with proper security features. With online shopping enthusiasts looking for the best shopping experiences with a personalised touch, apparel brands have moved from traditional marketing channels such as retail stores and are interested in the Direct-to-Consumer marketing path. This shift can be considered one of the major changes in the apparel industry.
Advantages:
Direct interaction with the customers allows the apparel brand to gain valuable data regarding their preferences and style trends.
4. Use of Recent Technologies
Similar to other industries, apparel brands are using technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, automation and machine learning to gain information when it comes to keeping a tab on customer’s buying habits, designing marketing strategies/campaigns and manufacturing products during mass production.
With the help of advanced computer vision technology, it has become easy for quality management professionals to identify defects, holes, misalignments and stains in a product.
With the help of online design tools, it has become easy for fashion designers to create digital clothes with specifications on colour and style trends. These virtual clothes (used in only digital environments) can be designed without material resources. Consumers can check these products with the help of AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) technology. Then, if interested, they can give the order.
Using recent technologies to ensure customer satisfaction and reduce wastage, can be viewed as one of the next big trends in the apparel industry.
5. Smart Fabrics
We have seen multiple daily life products such as smartwatches helping the wearer to keep a tab on his/her physical health. Well, the new clothes can do the same task. Known as smart fabrics, these clothes have sensors/electronic gadgets to offer health protection and safety. Some products can change temperature (thermoregulation) as per the requirement.
6. The Next Big Trends (or Term) in Apparel Industry – Athleisure
A new style trend has emerged. The public is interested in donning clothes that can be used for various tasks, right from cleaning the home to taking part in sports. This new product, popularly known as athleisure, comes in various designs and shapes, ranging from sportswear, hoodies, yoga pants and more.
7. Robotics (Automation)
The role of automation started in the 18th century when the spinning machines were at the height of their popularity. With new technologies, apparel mills are successfully using automation technology and robots to manufacture apparel/garments in large numbers in less time and reduce errors.
8. Professional Clothing
These days, working professionals live by Mark Twain’s statement – Clothes maketh the man. Working professionals, even in Tier II as well as Tier III cities, do not shy away from trying new brands, purchasing clothes with new colours and setting a new fashion trend. With women making an impressive number in the workforce, they are also taking a keen interest in purchasing clothes that can suit their work needs. The millennials, who comprise a major part of the workforce, do not hesitate to spend on premium quality clothes.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned trends, as you can notice, have brought multiple benefits to the apparel sector. However, they have touched only the surface of the changes our team identified during the process when writing about the next big trends in apparel industry. As a parting note, let us prefer, in our lifetime, to wear clothes that are manufactured from zero waste process.
Blog by B Sathya Narayana
Interested to know about events that happened in the apparel industry? Then please check:
Lee launches first Unisex Apparel in Collaboration with Streetwear Brand, ROARINGWILD
Kindthread unveils White Cross CRFT: a new line of healthcare apparel line
Haute-couture Director Christelle Kocher joins Jelenew to Launch New Curated Collection
