The Way You Shop for Clothes has Changed

It’s 2023 and it’s safe to say that the world “as we knew it” even two or three years ago is changing drastically. Everything from the cars we drive to the phones we use to the way we shop for groceries is evolving. Retailers can whip up an online store in minutes, companies are increasingly selling on social sites like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and 79% of consumers now make purchases right through their mobiles. Even tasks like inventory management are getting automated, with the 2023 Future of Retail report showing that 44% of consumers prefer using an automated tool to check product availability instead of talking to a member of staff to ask them if an item is in stock. 

Regardless of your stance on the seemingly impossible to keep up with technological advancements, these changes have undoubtedly touched the fashion industry as well. 

The way consumers -- men and women alike -- are shopping for their clothes has changed right along with the fashion industry as a whole, especially with the growing prominence of sustainable clothing brands. Whether you’re an avid shopper or rarely make new additions to your closet, we think these shopping trends for 2023 might surprise you, even if you’ve unknowingly been buying in (pun intended) to them all along. 

Although we’ve still got a long way to go before “fast fashion” is out and truly sustainable, slow fashion is “in”, according to RetailDive, sustainability has become an important discussion worldwide and the fashion industry isn’t exempt. Companies are doubling down on their manufacturing policies, ensuring they’re lessening their environmental footprint, and tightening up their codes of conduct for things like employee treatment and factory conditions in a bid to become eco-friendly clothing brands. This, believe it or not, is mostly due to pressure from the consumer (that’s you!) and gravitation towards brands who are leading the way towards a more sustainable future. 73% of Gen Z are  already willing to pay more for sustainable items, with even a 10% price premium on the products. Whoever coined the phrase “you vote with your dollar” was onto something.

Long gone are the days of browsing a catalog or even scrolling a store’s website to see what was in style each season. Square reported that nowadays, shoppers are relying on social media platforms, primarily Instagram, Snapchat and search engine platforms like Pinterest, to define their style, see what their friends and style-icons are wearing, and even shop for pieces directly. This trend has made online organic fashion shopping a social experience, but altogether a different one than the way you probably shopped at the mall with your friends in highschool. 

In the same way that social media has taken over our fashion information, technology is at the helm of most shopping experiences. Retailers using automation technology in their workflows and optimize their supply chains, chatbots being embraced for voice shopping and communicating with customers about product queries,  big data analytics tools being used to predict what consumers will want based on past purchases - it all results in better customer experiences. Already, over 7000 stores worldwide use autonomous checkout systems in 2023, up from a meager 350 in 2018. 

Forbes noted that shoppers “shop with their emotions instead of their wallets”, and implied that in addition to shopping through the lens of ethics and sustainability, many consumers choose to shop from smaller organic fashion retail businesses instead of giant corporations because of the “giveback” component. 

Whether we go to a brick and mortar store or opt for online organic shopping, today’s consumer is all about the experience. The aforementioned RetailDive article noted that shoppers today prefer a personalized experience that allows them to feel known by the brand with personalized recommendations, loyalty programs, and a belief that retail is, ultimately, a service industry.

Despite its evolution, the fashion industry is here to stay - but it’s up to us to make it the kind of industry that reflects the future we want to have. Do you think it's time for a change? Check out our collection of sustainable and soft to the touch clothing.