In the trendy, ever-changing fashion industry, an unprecedented revolution is transforming the conventional boundaries of physical clothing. But is it profitable? Read and find out.

Digital fashion or virtual fashion is the heart of the fashion industry’s digital revolution. As the metaverse captivates people’s attention and forms of self-expression, this fresh and innovative evolution is changing how we perceive, create, buy and engage with fashion. And the online world is the stage where this story takes place.

The Digital Fashion Market

As we all have gotten used to the digital era, a lot of people want to express beyond the boundaries of the physical world. Consumers are present in the metaverse, where they want to be unique and recognized and are spending on average 50% of their time, per an Allied Market Research report. Seeking digital identities, users are turning to 3D fashion and digital clothing. Their style becomes a boundless, creative way of expression.

The global digital clothing market was valued at $498.7 million in 2021 and is expected to reach $4.8 billion by 2031, according to the report. With a projected compound annual growth rate of 26.4% from 2022 to 2031, the digital fashion market’s success is due to the swift development of the metaverse, the increase in demand for sustainable clothes, the surge in digitalization, the popularization of NFTs and technological advancements like augmented reality, virtual reality, and immersive games.

Similarly, cost-effective digital tech like Ai and Web3 are driving the practicality of buying digital fashion. For instance, transactions made on a blockchain are secure and transparent thanks to the authentication and time stamps allowed by this technology, making them immutable.

The market for virtual clothing is pretty much ubiquitous as it is, well, virtual. But the regions where this industry is developing faster include North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, as per Market Growth Reports.

The Intersection of Fashion and Technology

While physical or traditional fashion remains meaningful and profitable, the digital realm is opening new avenues and sparking curiosity. Augmented reality in fashion and AI tools for fashion design are just two examples of digital experiences for designers and clients alike.

What’s more, this shift is about sustainability. The fashion industry emits billions of metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, producing 10% of all humanity’s carbon emissions and being the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply, per the World Economic Forum.  The move towards 3D fashion models and digital fashion weeks brings sustainability to the industry.  

Monetizing on Digital Fashion

The demand for digital clothing has given way to virtual fashion marketplaces where designers and fashion-lovers trade, buy, sale and re-sale digital garments, like Renderosity, CGTrader and TurboSquid. Social media also serves this e-commerce purpose. This allows artists to profit from their creations, whether they’re big fashion houses or emerging talent.

Fashion designers can monetize their creations through these fashion NFT marketplaces and metaverse worlds like Roblox, which are still growing. Roblox, for example, generated $713.2 million in quarterly revenue in Q3 2023, An increase of 2.83x since the same quarter in 2020. In the first 9 months of 2023, $2.39 billion worth of Robux (a virtual currency) was purchased on Roblox.

When it comes to pricing their virtual clothing, designers must consider all the time and expertise they put into their art, as well as costs from AI-powered fashion software or virtual fashion shows they attend. Depending on the level of personalization, demand, and brand reputation, designers must strike a balance between competitiveness in the digital market and maintaining a profit margin.

Don’t doubt that digital apparel is a lucrative industry still gaining prominence. The uses and meanings for digital clothing exist both online and offline, pretty much meeting consumers’ needs wherever they are. This isn’t a trend, it’s an evolution.

Share your thoughts on this topic below!