As we head into 2022 there is a sense of optimism for the further reconnection of the world post-Covid-19 pandemic. For many the easing of Covid restrictions is opening the door to more social freedoms, driving the evolution of consumer trends.
Consumers pent up desire to revamp their wardrobes, termed by The State of Fashion as the Wardrobe Reboot, comes from the 2022 consumer trend – The Great Life Refresh (Euromonitor International). The pandemic has been a driver of personal change and has provided a space for people’s values, lifestyles, and goals to be reassessed. The Wardrobe Reboot highlights consumers’ shift in spending as they prepare for life post-pandemic. The comfortable activewear and leisurewear that dominated the markets for the past two years is giving way to more self-expressive fashions better suited for social events and workwear.
As consumer lifestyles and values shift, the importance of comfort and sustainability will remain significant factors in consumers spending.
Comfort drives fashion:
With life shifting to include more social occasions, consumers are carrying the importance of comfort into today’s fashions. There has been a rise in streetwear, oversized clothing, and kitten heels since the end of 2021, and workplaces are increasingly opting for more casual dress codes in favour of comfort, post-pandemic. Perino by Woolyarns yarns are a perfect fit for the 2022 transition, combining the comfort of leisurewear with style and performance of high fashion, elevating designs suitable for any occasion.
Perino yarns feature sustainably sourced and certified fibres. Fabric made from Perino has a softness only comparable to the finest cashmere and are 50% warmer than merino wool fabrics (Clothing and Textile Centre, University of Otago). Brushtail possum down fibres burst to the surface, giving the fabrics their softness and trapping more air increasing the warmth provided. The unique properties provided by the Brushtail possum down fibre, used across the range of Perino yarns, create a look and feel, unlike any other fibre, offering brands the bridge between comfort, style, and sustainability.
Perino yarns are offered in a wide range of colours – from soft pastels, natural hues, and bold fashion colours dictated by fashion trend forecaster Peclers Paris. As well as physical comfort, consumers will seek emotional comfort and self-expression through an increased desire for bright colours and clothing styles that inspire happiness in 2022. This was also the case in the two years after the 2008 financial crisis. Bold patterns and bright colours are increasingly popular post-pandemic, reflecting the optimistic and positive mood post lockdowns. Millennial and Gen Zs on digital platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are driving fashion trends, including colour blocking colours like Pumpkin Spice, Arcadian Green and Fjord Blue featured in the Perino by Woolyarns 2022/23 yarn collection (Stylist.co.uk) .
The conscious shopper:
Consumers in 2022 are bringing a more critical eye to what they are buying – notably in terms of sustainability, with more of a focus on how products are made and how the clothing they own can be recycled for various occasions and even passed on when one person is finished with it.
There is a greater value placed on experiences rather than possessions coming out of the pandemic, meaning wardrobe items are seen as more of an investment. This makes the need for quality, wearability, comfort, and recyclability increasingly important. Consumers are looking for items that they can re-wear for a range of work and social occasions, reducing the total amount of clothing they need.
Millennial and Gen Z consumers are increasingly opting for vintage and preloved clothing and are supporting businesses offering quality recycled goods. There has been an increase in online outlets of vintage and preloved clothing over the past few years, such as ASOS Marketplace and the popular site Depop, where people buy and sell preloved clothing. This is most popular with Gen Z. Depop boasts that 90% of the site’s users are under the age of 26 (Vogue Business). The younger generations are showing today’s fashion brands the importance of using high-quality textiles that are long-wearing, reusable, and recyclable because they provide garments with high resale value and will last for decades to come.
Perino yarns are made in New Zealand, from natural fibres that are biodegradable at the end of their life – and that is not to say that they will get there in a hurry. The Brushtail possum down used in Perino fabrics, along with offering superior softness, increases the fabric’s durability by reducing pilling – naturally extending the life of a garment and making the fabric look newer for longer.
Perino by Woolyarns offers brands the perfect yarn for transitioning fashions in 2022. Perino combines the softness, warmth, and comfort of leisurewear that consumers became accustomed to during the pandemic, with high performance and quality finish perfect for high fashion designs suitable for all work and social occasions in the post-pandemic world. The sustainably sourced and manufactured yarns are environmentally conscious and won’t harm the earth during use at the end of life.
Perino represents the intersection of comfort, style, and sustainability. Check out our website to learn more about Perino’s unique properties and to request a sample.