Most people have gone through the moment of staring at a closet full of clothes yet feeling like they have no outfits to wear. Individuals in developed countries own many pieces of clothing, partially due to fast-fashion social media trends, which causes great harm to the environment. These problems of the overwhelming choice of possible outfits to create from your garments and many aspects of unsustainability in the fashion industry are both addressed by Salon, an AI personal stylist platform which promotes circular fashion.
The problem: environmental harm and an overwhelming number of choices to make
The number of times pieces of clothing are worn has decreased by 35% over the last fifteen years (Nizzoli, 2022). On top of that, people buy 60% more clothes than in the year 2000 (Igini, 2024). As a result of this, individuals throw away quite a few of their clothes every year, which mostly end up in landfills and lead to environmental pollution (KEMI Swedish Chemicals Agency, 2014). At the same time, owning many garments creates an overwhelming amount of outfit choices (Schwartz, 2015).
The solution: Salon
To help mitigate this global problem, Salon’s mission is to increase wear per garment and discourage unnecessary purchases in a unique way by changing the behaviour of individuals. By using Salon, users get a digital version of their wardrobe, an AI-powered personal stylist, virtual try-ons, a fashion community, and a (second-hand) marketplace all in one platform. With these features, the platform addresses both the fast-fashion crisis and the daily challenge of selecting an outfit through an AI-powered fashion ecosystem that transforms the way users engage with their existing wardrobe and promotes sustainable consumption. This approach is in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 12 of Responsible Consumption and Production. Salon specifically focuses on responsible consumption by aiming to reduce waste by extending the lifespan of clothes through smart styling and increased reuse of garments. This will be done by shifting consumer behavior by encouraging people to be more resourceful with their existing wardrobe, instead of frequently purchasing new clothes.
Market fit
Salon operates at the intersection of fashion technology and environmental sustainability. These markets were valued in 2024 at 239 billion USD and 10 billion USD respectively, at compound annual growth rates of 6.3% and 9.5%. Its primary target demographic is Generation Z because they are relatively seen as the most active in these markets. They are “technologically native” (Mehta, 2022), fashion-focused, and environmentally aware. However, they experience an attitude-behaviour gap between their vision on sustainability and their actual fashion purchasing habits (Prashar & Kaushal, 2025). Salon bridges this gap by merging environmental sustainability and consumer convenience with its AI-driven services. This intersection of these markets highlights a significant societal and commercial opportunity.
Conclusion
Salon demonstrates how GenAI can transform fashion consumption from frequent purchasing and waste of clothes to mindful styling with sustainability in mind. By turning wardrobe management into a digital ecosystem built on the principles of sustainable consumption and user convenience.
References
Igini, M. (2024, May 30). 10 concerning fast fashion waste Statistics. Earth.Org.
KEMI Swedish Chemicals Agency. (2014). Chemicals in textiles – risks to human health and
the environment. In KEMI Swedish Chemicals Agency (No. 6/14). https://www.kemi.se/en/publications/reports/2014/report-6-14-chemicals-in-textiles
Mehta, A. (2022). Gen Z fashion consumption: Influence of social media. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366499971_Gen_Z_fashion_consumption_Influence_of_social_media
Nizzoli, G. (2022, April 6). How many times do we wear our clothes? (Not enough!). Project
Cece. https://www.projectcece.com/blog/506/how-many-times-do-we-wear-our-clothes/
Prashar, A., & Kaushal, L. A. (2025). Nudging sustainable fashion choices: An experimental
investigation on generation Z fashion consumers. Acta Psychologica, 253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104727
Schwartz, B. (2015). The Paradox of Choice. In Positive Psychology in Practice Part II:
Values and Choices in Pursuit of the Good Life (pp. 121–138).
