2024 will be best known as the year artificial intelligence became mainstream and it's starting to impact the apparel supply chain but other hot industry topics from sustainability to social responsibility went round in circles so will 2025 be any different?

ChatGPT and Generative AI became mainstream in 2024 and arguably the public’s acceptance of artificial intelligence was one of the year’s biggest themes with fashion supply chains starting to take note too.

Singapore headquartered ultra-fast fashion giant Shein has embraced AI from the start. It has been criticised for copying others ideas but if we put that to one side, it has successfully used AI to scan the internet for real-time fashion trends in a bid to see which garments will sell before making them.

It’s a real step-change from the days of forecasting weeks and months in advance and guessing what will be popular given TikTok and Instagram can make the likes of ‘Brat Summer’ and ‘Demure Fall’ trend in a matter of seconds.

However, the jury is still out on whether AI should be used in this way or whether the apparel sector needs to be changed fundamentally first.

During a conference earlier this year, CEO and co-founder of Hyran Technologies Dr Ahmed Zaidi said: “AI amplifies existing systems. Is this the system we want to amplify?”

He argued the fashion industry’s current low-cost, high-volume model is broken, resulting in waste and deadstock due to unmanageable lead times.

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If we step away from AI and tech for a moment other hot topics within fashion sourcing this year have all been ones that aren’t new at all – the quest for sustainability and circularity, diversifying the supply chain, improving social responsibility and embracing ESG legislation.

In lots of ways it could be argued the fashion industry’s conversations at least have become circular, even if true sustainable-based circularity on the ground is still a pipedream.

And with Trump coming back into power next month tariffs is another familiar topic that has reared its head for fashion sourcing executives once again.

It would be easy to become disheartened about all of the industry challenges that remain unsolved and imagine 2025 as having a rather ‘Groundhog Day‘ movie feel.

However, it’s essential that we start the year afresh with new ideas and innovations.

Put it this way, it’s crazy to think 2025 will mark five years since the pandemic brought the world’s fashion supply chains to a complete halt and that one global event really did put the importance of sustainability, protecting the planet and its people (our garment workers) into the spotlight.

Since then, the industry has learned how to embrace new technologies more quickly as well as the benefits of nearsourcing and diversifying.

We have also seen a rise in ESG legislation coming out of Europe and parts of the US. And fashion brands such as UK retailer Primark has even created a framework based on making garments that are built to last and is taking part in pilot projects for textile recycling technologies in places like Vietnam.

I guess what I’m saying is there is hope for the fashion industry in 2025 and beyond. It will require more brands and retailers to step outside of their comfort zone but the rewards will be huge.

One of the standout reports from this year in fact, was produced by the International Apparel Federation in partnership with the International Trade Center (and is definitely worth a read if you missed it). The report, which features experts and case studies from across the entire fashion supply chain explains how the fashion sector can become both profitable and sustainable by 2030, but the action must start now.

By Just Style