The future of the AR fashion industry
Nan Yu
1. Introduction 1.1My Question
What will humans wear in a hundred years? According to statistic analysis made by environmental scientists at present, I am trying to draw a probable picture of the ecological environment in 100 years from now, as for how human beings will survive in what kind of environment, how they may feel, and how much the earth will change. When resources are exhausted, how can clothes serve humans? With higher temperature and more frequent climate changes, what living conditions will be? Do we still need clothes? How will humans develop their relationship with the earth?
1.2 Fashion Industry Introduction and Prediction
The fashion industry causes a huge amount of carbon footprint during the process of production. For example: it is estimated a single polyester t-shirt has emissions of 5.5 kg CO2, compared with 2.1 kg CO2 for one made from cotton. The fashion industry is responsible for 10 % of annual global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. At this pace, the fashion industry's greenhouse gas emissions will surge more than 50% by 2030. According to the oil and gas company BP's research, we will run out fossil fuels before 2100. The most prevalent resource used in the fashion industry among these three is oil, and it will probably run out in 52 years. First of all, we chose to set the time line as 2100 because by then:the problem of lack of petroleum would be serious enough and alternatives for petroleum products (including synthetic fabrics) are urgently needed. Secondly, it is remote yet not unfathomable for us to image how the world is going to change. Thirdly, other problems due to fossil fuel shortage will emerge. (combined with lack of coal and gas)
2. AR Fashion in Future World 2.1 World background in 2100
By 2100, fossil fuels will have been exhausted, and global temperature will continue to rise, which will make it difficult for humans to live. Even though provided with advanced science and technology, men will find it hard to adapt to the extreme events caused by the rising temperature. With the excessive consumption of resources, carbon emissions cannot be efficiently balanced, giving rise to more frequent atmospheric activities and higher temperature of the earth, which will cause further damage to the deteriorating environment. Synthetic fiber, the raw material for clothes produced in the petroleum industry, will become extremely scarce and expensive. Although the scarcity of resources has been alleviated due to the emergence of this new material, the cost and difficulty of production will still stand in its way of mass production. As a result, the price of daily clothes will become pretty high. So comfort and durableness will not stop people from pursuing beauty. Therefore, with the help of technological methods, people are looking for affordable and fashionable clothes online, which is an easy way for everyone in the world to have an access to fashion. Meanwhile, men will be forced to work, socialize and entertain in the virtual world affected by the terrible external environment and limited natural resources .
2.2 The Relationship between Virtual Reality
Therefore, what will the fashion industry of 2100 be like? In the era of advanced science and technology, we have been blessed by the the establishment of virtual world. Actually, digital twins are the copy of real objects in the virtual world. Instead of being one type of technology or concept, the fashion system of digital twins should represent humans’ ultimate goal of understanding the world. In fact, there was originally a natural world on the earth in the beginning, then a human world arose before a digital world with the advent of computers. As a matter of fact, digital twins serve as a bridge which can break the barriers among these three worlds.
2.1 How does the Future of the Fashion Industry Integrate with AR?
As for clothes, they must be sustainable in the future. With the advancement of science and technology in 2100, clothes will be characterized by environmental protection and technology since some durable daily clothes will be handed out by the government. In terms of technology, future clothes will be equipped with a pair of AR glasses, which are much lighter than the previous ones. With regard to clothes given by the government, they are designed in a simple style, but is waterproof, air-permeable, and UV-resistant, which will be suitable for the extreme environment in 2100. In terms of environmental protection, clothes handed out by the government are mostly made of sustainable bio-fiber materials such as corn, seaweed, pineapple, food residues, DNA molecules, silver ions, etc, which are sustainable and anti-viral. Besides, clothes made from the above-mentioned materials can dissolve under specific conditions, and will pro zero pollution in the process of manufacturing.
Although the lifestyle in the future will be completely different from that of today, decorative clothes, not the necessary purchasing items for clothes, yet requires a sophisticated process of production, will be sold on a large scale in the future AR mall because people can browse through virtual fashionable clothes through AR glasses and other devices. What is more, the price of clothes in the AR mall is much lower than those in physical stores, so the designs will remain online, which can be regarded as the formation of a new chain of virtual fashion industry. It is foreseeable that with the gradual deterioration of the environment, decorative clothes will play their role in the virtual world and the virtual AR world will become a part of human society.
3. Conclusion
This paper makes some predictions of fashion in one hundred years, discusses about the future fashion industry, offers a few suggestions and hypotheses about the future, raise questions and work out solutions. It is important for the fashion industry to achieve more sustainable development for people, the environment, and fashion in the future. I really hope to know more about designing in an integrated way, study the future, and tackle social problems effectively in
the later courses.
Research sources
Xiaolaimi, (2020). Fantasies about the future city. ZHIHU, [online] Available at:<https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/56333869>
Cailiaoren,(2019). Natural DNA may replace petroleum as plastic. [online] Available at:<http://www.migelab.com/Article/articleDetails/aid/19461.html>
[online] Available at:<http://www.simplyenviro.com/fossil-fuel>
Robin Young,Allison Hagan, (2019).the environmental cost of fashion.Wbur, [online] Available at:<https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/12/03/fast-fashion-devastates-environment>
W*, (2020). The birth of the first blockchain virtual fashion.Wallpaper, [online] Available at:<https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dYWQTOHQ_IKv1716T1UVGg>
Appendices
[1]Park Hyun Hee. A Study on the Consumer Use Effect of AR Fashion Retail Technology: Moderating Effect of Technology Readiness[J]. Fashion & Textile Research Journal,2019,21(6).
2]Chen Qian Qian,Dai Ming Yue,Park Hyun Jung. User Experience and Satisfaction of Augmented Reality Applications -Focused on Chinese Fashion Consumers[J]. Journal of Digital Convergence,2019,17(10).
