Technology has come to bring improvements to the fashion industry. From the digitization of production chain processes to digital design, various innovations have shown themselves at the forefront of fashion. And, of course, digital-first is one of them.
This article will explain how digital-first works and how designers and brand owners can implement it in their production process. Jessie Fu, founder of altr_ brings insights and some of her expertise to show that this technology not only reduces costs but also contributes to the environment.
The Fashion Digital Transformation
Before we get a better understanding of digital-first, let’s take a look at the digital transformations in the industry.
The pandemic increased the digitalization of most processes around the world. We couldn’t go out as much as before, so we had to adapt ourselves – and the processes that we work with. However, we can’t say that automation came due to the pandemic because it only anticipated what was already on the close horizon.
Therefore, for a while now, brands had to adapt themselves in many different ways. Whether it be digitizing their supply chain, innovating their production process, or taking any other actions to enter the digital world.
According to the CBI European Union, brands – but also companies in general – have been adopting technology to reduce and optimize three main points. They are:
- production flow;
- flexibility;
- speed to market.
However, technology’s role goes far beyond these.
Understanding Digital-First
Digital-first is a culture model whose main objective is to prioritize the use of digital services over traditional ones. Regardless of what needs to be solved, the idea is to focus on the most innovative solutions that take the journey to the digital environment. The movement, also known as “Digital by default”, happens a lot because of the change in consumer behavior and, consequently, of the whole society.
Even if a business is able to stand out today, for example, with traditional sales methods, it is important to understand what is changing and start considering new options.
As stated by Jessie Fu, “Fashion is a powerful medium to express one’s identity. As consumers spend more time online, demand for digital goods and experiences is increasing. However, there’s no separation between our digital identities and the physical ones. By going digital-first, we hope to take an innovative approach to support the sustainability aspect of fashion.”
In other words, digital-first is the bridge connecting the digital and the physical worlds. A designer can create their pieces 100% in the Metaverse and, after coming up with its final version, proceed with the physical process of producing it. Therefore, the technology allows making and remaking, as many times as necessary, a single piece without wasting physical material.
Digital-First & Eco-conscious Actions
Digital-first fashion will have less waste starting from the sampling phase. And, as altr_’s Founder affirms, “in a digital format, it will have a faster product iteration and feedback cycle.”
What she means is that all people involved in the design process of the part can have access to the design. In addition, as we said before, it is possible to make adjustments as many times as necessary without wasting textile and resources on samples.
And this is exactly where altr_ comes along. The company would like to explore opportunities such as leveraging biodegradable materials, recycled materials, and local on-demand production to create physical pieces.
altr_ Spreading The Digital-First Strategy
When asked how she came up with the idea of altr_, Jessie affirms, after her background in the e-commerce area and its issues, she figured she wanted to take a step further and help the industry.
Therefore, she came up with two main points to focus on:
- Overproduction and waste from e-commerce logistics
- Undervalued designers
So, altr_ came as an innovative company bringing solutions for the industry players. The company is a digital-first fashion house. It aims to empower the next generation of creators. And, furthermore, promote sustainability in fashion by going digital-first and using NFT technology.
altr_’s vision is to alter the relationship between creators, consumers, and the legacy fashion establishment. They focus on incubating and onboarding the next generation of fashion designers and leveraging the technology to empower creators.
For more information on altr_, check their official website, Twitter, Instagram and discord.
