In November, the fashion multinational H&M launched a new collection, “The history of the design of the metaverse“. Codesigned by the Digital Fashion Institute (IoDF), clothing is inspired by the metaverse and contains ready-to-wear physical garments and digital wearables, including 3D filters. The designs also consider circularity and incorporate recycled fibers from discarded textiles and recycled sequins made from plastic bottle waste. This particular initiative does not use NFT or web3.

“We wanted to present our clients with an explosive collection that would capture the excitement we all feel at the dawn of the metaverse, but also the fascination we have with the natural world,” said Ella Soccorsi, H&M Concept Designer. “The resulting collection is extraordinarily tactile, with intricately crafted and hand-beaded garments, but also explores the endless possibilities of the digital sphere and H&M’s circular mindset.”

As a design agency, IoDF promoted the connection between web3 and sustainability last year at London Fashion Week. He sees digital fashion as a way to harness creativity and reduce waste. The company’s website lists a large number of clothing companies among its clients, including Marks & Spencer, Adidas, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. He is planning his own NFT drop and has teamed up to create NFTs together with fashion companies and digital avatars in collaboration with Tik Tok. IoDF is one of a host of new digital fashion houses, including The Fabricant.

H&M has also gotten involved in other digital companies. In 2021, focused on blockchain traceability of textiles. In April 2022, the company announced a virtual showroom with 3D-rendered garments and materials. This followed his first experience in the virtual world in January 2022, where he collaborated with Maisie Williams and DressX on curated virtual looks designed by 3D graphic designers.

In November 2022, the company created an immersive experience “loopoptopia” on Roblox for fans to discover their trendy digital identities. The experience allows users to collect different fabrics and items to create clothing combinations. Other clothing retail companies have also been active in their presence on Roblox, including Nike, Forever 21, Claire’s, and Gap. While Roblox’s graphics don’t lend themselves to appreciating the details of fashion clothing, with 46 million daily users, companies see it as an opportunity to sell digital clothing to engaged Gen Z audiences.