The use of technology in fashion – what’s new in 2020? Technology changes the world we live in by leaps and bounds. All industries are transformed by technology, and fashion is no exception to that. Moreover, tech companies have started exploring fashion, as a fertile ground for their projects.

A popular project that comes to mine, quite dated now, is Google’s collaboration with denim company, Levi’s.

Experts predict that if the “infusion of technology in fashion” continues at this rate, by the end of the next decade all garments are going to be sustainable. So, how did we get here and what is the role of technology in fashion?

1. Material Innovation

Fashion brands are already seeking new ways to produce sustainable garments. Yet, more research and innovation is required to save animals from suffering for the sake of fashion, all over the globe.

Twenty or thirty years from now, we envision a whole new world and society with a new set of values, which will enable us to live in harmony with nature. The ‘pro-nature’ approach should exist in all spheres, and especially in fashion as it is now possible to make fur, leather, or silk without animals at all.

Stella McCartney has already implemented such innovative ideas and presented garments made in a laboratory.

Adidas too has made a similar contribution towards a more sustainable fashion industry by cooperating with ‘Parley for the Oceans’ in a limited edition of sneakers made from the plastic collected from the ocean.

Either recycled or from organic matter such as orange peels, mushroom, and algae, soon the world will be wearing sustainable and earth-friendly couture.

2. 3D Printing in Fashion

The rise of 3D printing in the fashion industry and widespread adoption is not a wonder anymore. The main value of 3D printing in fashion is its availability and accessibility to the general public, and thus, openness to the mass market.

3D printing enables professionals to transcend any boundaries of design, as it gives them a chance to turn the most improbable projects into reality. 3D printing makes it possible to combine different materials into one piece of cloth, for instance, waterproof textile with a flexible one, and so on. The choice is unlimited and it depends on the creator’s imagination.

Another important trend to pay attention to is the customisation of garments. 3D printing allows brands to create apparel depending on people’s individual body types, size, height, etc.

3. From CAD To Machine Learning

The advent of personal computers allowed modern designers to take creativity of patterns and styles to a next level. Compared with the use of traditional tools, PC’s have brought massive advancements. The adoption of CAD software alone has allowed designers to draw and imagine new styles.

Then, more recently, additive manufacturing has triggered a revolution in the use of bioengineered materials, such as leather made from microbes. But, if desktops running CAD software looked innovative compared to the tools we have over the last 50 years, wait to see what’s coming.

4. Dressing Your Digital Self?

Technology, in the shape of digitisation, has pushed consumers towards a digital-self. Towards a social image constructed via daily interactions, exchanges, and media consumption on the internet.

Social media has become a tool for showcasing lifestyles, express fashion tastes and promote digital selves. However, the advent of social media, with the aid of Artificial intelligence (AI), has created a field of global data mining pools.

From there, marketers investigate any imaginable subject, on any possible consumer segments. AI is used by fashion brands to examine consumers preferences and deliver customised services.

5. A Salient AI Designer

But, above all, Artificial Intelligence can play a complementary role in fashion design.

With the help of AI, fashion designers can predict upcoming trends, dictated by the current fast-changing environment of fashion, while minimising the environmental impact.

And, eventually, one day, a salient AI will be at the core of new fashion designs.

Conclusion

The use of technology in fashion brings more value than meets the eye. New innovations are launched every night, but fashion start-ups from all over the world.

This article has not been edited by Fibre2Fashion staff and is re-published with permission from thevou.com