Trends keep capitalism moving. What is in and what is out, what variation of that thing is in or out and so on. The cool part about trends is that it is across all industries. The infamous evergreen/fern arm tattoos in the 2012-2016 era, crispy rice with spicy tuna, over-the-knee boots, highlighter colors … the list goes on. As much as we look back on certain trends with a grimace and a sense of confusion as to how we got there, at the time it was the peak of style and fun. Trends can make or break a company which is the difficult part about them. A company that doesn’t keep up with the trends to some capacity will get left behind, and a company that capitalizes could make more money than ever. For example, The New Yorker was always a relevant publication, but much like many other newspapers, even with an online option, the rate of subscriptions were dropping monthly. That is, until the tote bag hit the market. The New Yorker’s infamous tote bag would rocket launch them back into success. With every annual subscription, you are sent a complimentary tote bag. The tote bag designs and style sent Gen Z and millennials into a frenzy to sign up for an annual subscription to get a tote bag with a hint of news.

This article will break down our trend predictions for 2023 apparel. We will cover fabrics, colors, imprints and styles. These are arguably the most important aspects of apparel. These trends can be cross applied though. Noting fabrics, colors, and accessories to adhere to certain style trends is something that can be used in any industry to help boost sales this upcoming year.

Fabrics – The Foundation of Fashion
Poly-cotton and tri-blend fabrics are always a hit and will continue to be in 2023. The “worn-in” soft T-shirt feel and look is an iconic and desired feel to any piece of clothing. Stealing your parents’ sweatshirts and T-shirts “because they’re better” wasn’t for nothing. The best part about of poly-cotton and tri-blend fabrics is that they offer the same worn-in and nostalgic softness to apparel without having to wait all the years, washes and wears. Multi-material fabric blends are in most pieces of clothing, especially activewear.

On the other hand, single-blend fabrics, like 100% cotton, are also gaining traction. This is a trend clients should heavily consider for the future. Many countries, regions, and governments are cracking down on multi-material fabrics. The European Union is trying to pass a law banning all non-single-blend materials. This is due to its difficulty to recycle. Fabrics must be recycled by materials, so when clothing is multi-material, separating the different materials from one another is extremely difficult. This includes fabrics and pieces that are 99% cotton and 1% spandex. Switching to single-blend fabrics is a great way for clients to start to integrate sustainable promo products into the company and branding plans.

Hemp apparel is also one of the leading new fabric alternatives. Hemp is not new to the fabric scene and has been used as far back as 8000 B.C. China for paper and clothing materials. It was also used during WWI in the wake of the cotton shortage in the U.S. Around the early mid-1900s, a tax was put on all hemp-grown products. There was also an increasing social stigma of marijuana’s affiliation with drugs. With these two massive obstacles in the way, production of hemp/marijuana products came to a halt. That is until 2018 when the U.S. government decided to raise the tax off of marijuana products, as long as the THC levels were below .03%. Hemp is a much more sustainable option for farmers and consumers. Hemp is better for the environment, requiring much less water than cotton. It is also a natural pesticide, so farmers do not need to spend exorbitant amounts of money on pesticides that eventually end up in rainwater runoff and in our soil, plants and animals. Sustainability is a hot topic and will continue to be for years to come. Making sure that you’re offering clients sustainable options could go a long way with their customers.

“That is SO your color”
Colors play a huge role in the things people want and don’t want. For example, for years green was the least desirable color for marketing. Magazines avoided mostly green covers out of fear of low buying rates for that month. This is to say that most recently green has been the “it color.” With the recent move for sustainability, green is now the color of feeling “clean” and “fresh.” Color trends are obviously very important to apparel but can truly be used across all products offered. Pantone recently released their spring 2023 colors. They are as follows:
• Fiery Red (18-1664)
• Beetroot Purple (18-2143)
• Tangelo (15-1335)
• Peach Pink (15-1530)
• Empire Yellow (14-0756)
• Crystal Rose (12-1708)
• Classic Green (16-6340)
• Love Bird (13-0443)
• Blue Perennial (16-4036)
• Summer Song (14-4316).
These are all great colors to keep in mind for planning spring apparel launches for clients as well as any other products that a client is looking to add to their brand. Pantone has not announced an official color of the year yet, but WGSN has predicted the 2023 fall/winter color of the year will be Apricot Crush.

Imprints and Lasting Impressions
Imprint methods are also something that many consumers take seriously. Some consumers will only buy embroidered items for durability or only screen-printed items for a lightweight feel. Based on trends from previous years, it is predicted that methods like screen printing and embroidery will be around for some time, considering they are classic imprint styles. With that being said, digital printing is definitely picking up steam to give the classics a run for their money. Stahls’ was the catalyst to the growing direct-to-film transfers that gained a lot of hype this year, slowly stretching to other companies. Their enticing aspect of direct-to-film transfers is that “they can take a full-color, fine-detail logo and bring it to life without an outline or scorching.” This is according to Stahls’ Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Josh Ellsworth.

Style Can’t Be Bought
Style is the sister to trends. True style cannot be changed by a trend, but trends can be incorporated into a person’s style. One style that is a growing trend for companies and consumers is “genderless fashion.” One of the biggest pushes for this move is because with growing progressive landscapes accommodating the shopping audience, it’s crucial for stores to stay alive with Gen Z. One of the main pushes for genderless fashion is that the idea of a piece of cloth having an assigned gender doesn’t really make sense. The Greeks all wore a form of toga which, when broken down, is just a dress. Many believe men should be able to wear skirts and dresses and women should be able to wear baggie pants and non-form-fitting shirts. Further, customers who are non-binary must choose between gendered sections to find clothes.

One style of clothing that really takes on genderless fashion is streetwear. Genderless fashion is also a great way to highlight style rather than a person’s gender or reinforced gender stereotypes. One way clients can offer apparel is by just describing the piece of clothing rather than saying “men’s” or “women’s”. For example, “Fitted V-neck T-shirt” or “straight cut cotton T-shirt.” This can also include descriptions that don’t just say “great for a wife or husband”, but instead mention “great gift for a partner or significant other.” Finally, if clients offer a visual aid of the apparel, having the product photographed in various genders is a massive help for starting to break the stereotypes of gendered clothing. This style of photography also ties into size inclusivity which is another very hot trend that is growing and likely to stay.

Preppy styling and nostalgia are also big trends coming back this year. Preppy is much less intense this time though. Think closer to coastal preppy and Gossip Girl summers. One way to explain it best is through the label “coastal grandmother”. This is a term coined by a TikToker who helped dissect the new preppy era which includes thicker stripes, loose trousers, loafers and the reemergence of cardigans. The new preppy is a lot of solid basics, looser fit button downs and all things Nantucket. This also includes the fit of certain clothes. Baby doll shirts and dresses, woven bags and canvas tote bags are all staples.

Trends are everchanging and cannot always be hit out of the park, but they can all be incorporated. Apparel is constantly evolving as well, but with the basics of trends like fabrics, imprints, colors and styles, it is hard to miss a trend completely. Clients can also incorporate these aspects of trends into other items they may be selling or gifting.