This Black Friday, fashion brands aren’t just raking in sales; they’re leading the charge in sustainability. From carbon-neutral T-shirts to eco-friendly hats, the industry is set to surpass $41 billion in online apparel sales. Yet, a persistent challenge threatens this eco-conscious progress: soaring product return rates.
In the US, a staggering one in four online apparel purchases gets returned, overshadowing return rates in other categories. The environmental impact is alarming, generating over 15 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually—equivalent to 3 million cars. As the fashion industry confronts its environmental impact, there’s a critical issue at hand: high return rates can undermine strides made in sustainable fashion.
The culprit? Consumers struggle to accurately assess fit and style when evaluating products online. This challenge intensifies as online shopping continues to surge. But must we accept this as an environmental cost? Absolutely not. The solution lies in a powerful tool: virtual try-ons.
Virtual try-ons, leveraging augmented reality and LiDAR depth cameras on smartphones, seamlessly overlay virtual clothing onto the physical body. Once an experimental marketing tool, this technology is evolving to offer increasingly accurate fit estimations, providing a practical solution.
Studies confirm that virtual try-ons not only boost consumer confidence and satisfaction but also slash return rates by up to 64%, delivering a significant return on investment. Embracing virtual try-ons isn’t just environmentally conscious; it’s a strategic business move.
Despite its promise, virtual try-ons remain underutilized, with only 12% of Americans reporting use. Brands like Warby Parker have embraced augmented reality for product previews, but wider adoption, especially in the apparel sector, is crucial.
To revolutionize the industry, virtual try-ons must become a standard feature for all products. This requires more than an AR mobile app; brands must prioritize digitizing their products. While historically complex and costly, this process is integral to creating a seamless virtual fitting experience.
Fashion brands can invest in their R&D teams to transform physical inventory into «phygital» goods, integrating them into AR apps for a more accurate product fit evaluation. Beyond reducing carbon emissions, this approach cuts millions in return processing costs while enhancing the customer experience.
While some platforms offer pre-rendered models (Google, Nike), the key to an effective and scalable solution lies in making virtual try-on smartphone apps standard in fashion e-commerce. If brands heed this call, envision a future where stockings are stuffed, not with returns, but with sustainable choices, letting Santa breathe easier on his rounds.
