Hemp meat or "green" meat

The phenomenon of "fast fashion" is going away. Seasonal, transient trends and mass production of cheap clothes made of synthetic fabrics are slowly a song of the past. We are increasingly choosing quality over quantity and making eco-friendly purchases, and the fashion industry is trying to act more responsibly for the sake of the planet and future generations. Almost every fashion brand today talks about "sustainability," and many are actually making significant changes.

What are the trends of the future?

Over the past few years, the fashion industry has taken many steps toward sustainability. The global pandemic, rampant wildfires, publicized scandals involving fast fashion companies and growing awareness of the climate crisis have gradually made their mark. The fashion market has realized that there is no turning back for change. The requirement of conscious consumers is fashion that not only looks good, but is also kind to the planet. Short-lived fashion trends are losing relevance, while sustainable fashion trends are gaining popularity.

Of course, when we talk about sustainable fashion trends, we don't mean specific cuts, colors, patterns or new style combinations that were dictated on the catwalks of Fashion Weeks, but rather new production processes and revolutions in the fashion industry. It's about long-term trends that can make the fashion world, our consciousness and our consumption more sustainable in the future.

Sustainable fashion brands use materials made from natural or recycled fabrics that require less or even no chemical treatments, use less water and energy. And linen, hemp, organic cotton and tencel (made from wood) are biodegradable. But sustainability isn't just about materials. It's about changing the ways we think about and practice how we design, produce, communicate, wear and enjoy fashion. More and more smart fashion brands, are introducing sustainability through actions, not just words.

3 trends that are changing the world

1.Recycling
One of the fashion industry's biggest problems is throwing away old clothes. Fast fashion companies' rapidly changing collections and the low quality of their short-lived products have made fashion as disposable as the iconic plastic commercials over the past decades.... What's more, consumption levels have roughly doubled since 2000, and as a result, the fashion industry is now responsible for some 40 million tons of textile waste annually!

So it's natural that recyclable textiles are an important trend in sustainable fashion. Products made of biodegradable materials, developed with recycling in mind, can help reduce the exploitation of raw materials and reduce textile waste. In the long run, recyclable textiles can transform the fashion industry into a circular economy, making it much more sustainable and environmentally friendly! Using recycled materials is invariably a hot trend and good news for the afflicted environment, as clothing has the fourth biggest impact on the condition of the planet (right after housing, transportation and food).

Up until now, recycled materials have not been synonymous with luxury, but it's high time to change that notion. Already several pioneering global brands have succeeded in redefining the concept of what we now consider luxury. Luxury is not an expensive whim, but a conscious choice of what is not only beautiful and high-quality, but above all good for the planet.

Faldan is a luxury eco-bag brand was founded by former UN climate negotiator Laura Hanning. The signature bag is the world's first ethical, luxury, fully collapsible bag. Smart geometric markings in the fabric create a unique pattern and, most importantly, allow the bag to fold seamlessly into an iPhone-sized wallet. The brand uses only leather, which is a byproduct of the meat industry. Young handbag company Naru Studios creates luxury products from renewable, recycled and biodegradable materials. Designed in Oxford, the bags are handmade by leather artisans in London. LuederStudio, a brand that recently showed at London Fashion Week for the first time, uses recycled ocean plastic in a colorful range of unisex nylon jackets, each with multiple handy, practical pockets. Sportswear brand ArmedAngels makes clothing from 100% recycled polyamide and 58% recycled elastane. Their collections also include stylish, comfortable T-shirts made from fiber extracted from wood cellulose (tencel).

2: Borrowed or used
Another trend that is an alternative to buying new clothes and disposable fashion is lending and sharing clothes. In recent years, more and more start-ups, apps and platforms have emerged to help exchange and borrow clothes. Just like in a library, you can borrow clothes for a specific period of time instead of buying something new.

For special occasions, this system definitely makes sense. Usually, the most difficult thing to deal with is the need to buy an expensive creation that we only wear once. Thanks to the rental system, we are able to compose a different, perfect set each time including new accessories such as shoes and a handbag. All told, this is definitely a trend that will stick with us for years to come. Especially since it gives you access to top designer clothes without having to spend a fortune on them. In view of the huge amount of clothes thrown away every year (nearly 39 million tons end up in incinerators and landfills every year!), it is exceptionally gratifying to see the surge in popularity of online rental platforms such as Rent the Runway, or Hurr Collective or MyWardrobeHQ.
Poland also saw the emergence of pioneering brands renting clothes for special occasions some time ago. Among them, the thriving ones are E Garderobe and Love The Dress Buying, or renting, second-hand clothing is not a new idea, but as a fashion trend its rapidly growing popularity is astounding. According to U.S. online retailer Thredup, the used clothing market is expected to grow 127% by 2026, three times faster than the global clothing market.

3. metaverse fashion
Perhaps the latest and craziest phenomenon that will significantly shape our future is the metaverse. Our work and our daily habits are increasingly moving into virtual spaces. It's only a matter of time when, in addition to NFTs and games, we'll have full-fledged virtual fashion that allows us to express ourselves in the metaverse.
One example is Gucci Garden, where the latest collection was presented. You can also pick up limited edition Gucci products there. Thanks to the first sale of collectible items, the brand earned 286,000,000 Robox platform cryptocurrency or Robux.

"The digital realm of fashion is generating real revenue, and brands operating in the metaverse are quickly gaining more and more buyers. The non-convertible tokens, which enable ownership of original, branded digital art and fashion, are changing the rules of the game." - reads a report prepared by analysts at the Boston Consulting Group together with Vogue Polska, on the opportunities and challenges of developing the virtual reality space.

There are many sustainable fashion trends, but virtual fashion is by far one of the most intriguing technologies to make the fashion industry more sustainable. Despite the energy it requires, the production and use of virtual clothing is still far more environmentally friendly than clothing production, which requires raw materials, energy, water, dyes and CO2. And needless to say, there is no textile waste in virtual fashion. This is an exciting, though still quite scary for some, new trend that is sure to shape our lives in the near future; including beyond fashion.