Picture this: you're browsing online, and you find that perfect outfit. Imagine the sheer joy and confidence of knowing that it will fit you perfectly, like it was made just for you. Unfortunately, for many of us, this scenario is more dream than reality. It's a personal experience shared by many; about 27% of consumers are reluctant to buy clothes online due to fit uncertainties, and 37% of returns are because the clothes just didn’t fit right.
Isn’t it ironic that one of humanity's earliest inventions - our clothes - cannot be made to fit us individually, even in this technological age? Fashion retailers pack their warehouses with one-size-fits-all garments - take it or leave it.
Fit issues are just part of a plethora of problems plaguing the fashion industry. For instance, 10% of garments are overproduced and never find a home, ending up as waste. The fashion industry accounts for about 10% of the world's annual carbon emissions, surpassing the total emissions from all international flights and maritime shipping, and is expected to surge by more than 50% by 2030. These statistics not only highlight a significant environmental impact but also underscore the necessity of a sustainable approach to fashion design and production.
These are problems that should spur us on to innovations in the clothing industry, but none have been forthcoming or are even on the horizon. I believe this gap in innovation presents an opportunity for creative solutions to address these longstanding issues. Activism and new legislation can only solve a small subset of these problems, but the bulk of the problem will only be solved by businesses that are actively innovating to give customers a better experience, and that are cognitive of the public’s growing awareness of the environmental dilemmas of a wasteful fashion industry.
I plan to analyze and address these issues as a business innovator and I invite you to join me on my journey. Follow my newsletter to get insights from someone who is actively trying to solve the problem, not just talking about it. Paid subscriptions will go a long way in helping me on my journey and will give you full access to the newsletter and publication archives. Non-paying subscribers get access to occasional free posts. Every new post is sent directly to your email inbox.
