Consumer Trends

When a fashion retailer surveys its own customers about circularity and finds the results flattering, the question is whether the method was built to inquire or to reassure. Shein's 2025 Global Circularity Study, spanning 21 markets and 15,461 voluntary respondents, arrives at conclusions so convenient they warrant examination on structural, not just factual, grounds.

Everyday clothing exchanges between friends, partners and family members are shaping identity and strengthening relationships, a University of Birmingham study has found. By examining informal garment sharing, researchers highlight its social, emotional and practical roles, while pointing to its potential to extend garment use and support more sustainable fashion practices.

Northwestern University researchers have developed a mathematical model showing that fashion trends follow recurring cycles of roughly 20 years, based on analysis of around 37,000 images of women’s clothing spanning more than a century. The study provided quantitative backing to a long-cited industry observation and indicated that trend patterns have become more fragmented in recent decades.

Free returns have been central to the expansion of digital fashion marketplaces over the past decade. Asos has adjusted that formula by imposing charges on frequent returners and introducing transparency around individual return behaviour. The decision highlights tensions between convenience-driven consumption and sustainability commitments within fast fashion systems.

A simple label could change fashion’s wasteful habits. By revealing the real price of each wear, a cost-per-wear tag can expose fast fashion’s hidden expense, turning durable clothing into the smarter, more sustainable choice and reframing environmental responsibility as financial intelligence for consumers who want their wardrobes to last—and matter—beyond just another season’s trend.

A Cornell University study on human-centred design has shown that algorithm-fuelled generative art heightens consumers’ sense of exclusivity and aesthetic pleasure inside metaverse-based fashion stores. The experiments revealed that AI-driven art installations enhance engagement for both mass-market and luxury brands, with dynamic displays especially effective in stimulating online word-of-mouth responses and retail appeal.

Fashion companies are rethinking how they work internationally by paying much more attention to local differences in consumer behaviour and cultural preferences. New research shows how brands modify their digital platforms and products to suit different cultural contexts around the world. This shift makes local adaptation a key business strategy rather than just an operational task.

A recent Italian study has explored how material choice and garment characteristics affect consumer adoption of sustainable fashion. By comparing biobased and recycled fabrics across jackets and underwear, the research identified contrasting influences of availability, demographics, knowledge, and influencer impact. The findings provide evidence on consumer priorities in sustainable garment adoption and purchasing decisions.

A peer-reviewed study compares Dutch and Italian consumers’ decision-making around sustainable footwear. The findings underscore how attitude, social norms, and a sense of responsibility affect eco-conscious purchases, with significant cultural differences shaping the outcome. The model offers a blueprint for companies aiming to decode sustainability behaviour in diverse fashion markets.

Sun-protective clothing is gaining significant traction in China, according to a new report exploring market trends, consumer profiles and brand strategies. The study points to a growing cultural and commercial shift, as health-conscious consumers increasingly seek UV-blocking apparel. Local brands are responding with product innovations, targeted marketing and multi-platform sales campaigns to seize this expanding opportunity.