Fashion tech trends: Citizen Wolf co-founder Eric Phu on what to expect in 2023

If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that 2023 will be filled with more uncertainty. Though current global political and economical upheavals will continue to ripple through the next year, we see the undercurrent of three long-term trends getting stronger over the next 12 months.

Firstly, concrete action on environmental issues will become ever more urgent. Like a student that has put off his assignments until the last moment, our years of slow progress on tackling climate change means the effort needed increases exponentially as the IPCC deadline looms ever closer.

The current fast fashion paradigm of mass over-production was never sustainable — in every sense of the word — and next year signals a much-needed shift as the EU releases its Waste Framework Directive in 2023. This comprehensive new legislation will introduce measures to overhaul the atrocious sustainability practices of the current fashion industry.

Covering the entire life-cycle of clothing — from the raw materials used, the manufacturing processes, how waste is managed, how it’s sold (no more greenwashing!) and even the end-of-life product stewardship — it will force a much-needed radical rethink about one of the world’s most polluting industries.

Secondly, while style fads come and go, the lingering impact of the work-from-home will still be felt for some time. Business suits were already on the way out as workplaces become more casual, and covid only accelerated this decline. If anything, it’s proven that we don’t need to be all dressed up to be productive.

As many workplaces are already struggling to entice their teams back to the office full-time, they will also struggle to convince people they need to get back in their stuffy corporate attire. However, as being presentable still matters, comfortable smart casual wear will be the new uniform for meetings in person or via web calls.

Thirdly, the current technology revolution will continue to gather pace and radically change the whole fashion business model itself at a fundamental level.

After all, we’re well into the 21st century, NASA is setting up a moon base, we have voice-activated AI living on our wrists and pockets, and we’ve mapped out the entire human genome and can precisely edit our genes.

So why on earth are 99% of all clothing is still made in Dickensian Industrial Revolution sweatshops and only available in six sizes? Under the esoteric-sounding “Industry 4.0” automation and AI allows us to rethink manufacturing to be personalised and on demand.

Rather than having to predict what styles, colours and sizes are going to sell 12 months in advance, on-demand manufacturing to individual specifications is now a reality.

In fact, it’s what Citizen Wolf already does, resulting in 30% less wasted inventory and significant reductions in carbon emissions and landfill as a result. Not to mention a significantly better experience for customers by eliminating the frustrations of shopping for clothes that fit their body and style preferences.

It’s ultimately better for people and the planet. It’s not just us who believe this — some of the world’s largest brands such as Uniqlo, Ralph Lauren and Amazon have all invested heavily in building up their made-to-order systems.

To quote the famed sci-fi author William Gibson: “The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.“