Why Retailers Should Offer More Unisex Clothing – And How AI Helps
Unisex fashion is growing rapidly, but one major challenge remains – getting the fit right. Retailers are seeing increased demand for gender-inclusive clothing, yet inconsistent sizing leads to lost sales and high return rates. The solution? Recomendaciones de tamaño impulsadas por IA that personalise fit, reduce returns, and optimise inventory. Discover why retailers should offer more unisex clothing and how technology is making it easier than ever to get sizing right.
The Shift Towards Unisex Fashion
Unisex clothing is no longer a niche trend – it is a market shift that retailers cannot afford to ignore. Consumers today actively seek gender-inclusive fashion, and industry data confirms this growing demand.
- Sales of unisex clothing grew by 46% globally since 2022, making it the fastest-growing category on the Joor wholesale platform. (Just Style)
- Eighty-five percent of Generation Z shoppers have expressed interest in gender-fluid fashion. (Negocios Vogue)
- The gender-neutral clothing market is projected to reach £170 billion by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.2%. (Globenewswire)
As online shopping continues to grow, consumers expect retailers to offer better sizing solutions. This does not mean expanding existing size ranges but instead offering silhouettes and fit options that are more inclusive. Current fashion trends reflect this shift, with relaxed, boxy, and oversized fits becoming increasingly popular. Many women now prefer purchasing basic items from men’s collections to achieve their preferred fit.
Unisex clothing also provides retailers with an opportunity to streamline inventory management. A standard T-shirt is typically available in six sizes – XS, S, M, L, XL, and XXL – offered separately for men and women. With seven colour variations, this creates 70 SKUs that must be manufactured and replenished. By offering a single unisex fit, a retailer could reduce the number of SKUs by 43%, improving storage efficiency and reducing costs. However, one of the main challenges of unisex fashion remains ensuring that customers receive the correct size.
The Challenge of Sizing and Fit in Unisex Clothing
Unisex fashion eliminates gender categories, but achieving the right fit remains a significant issue. Without accurate sizing recommendations, customers often struggle to determine which size will work best for them, leading to higher return rates and lost sales.
- 30% of all online fashion purchases are returned due to poor fit. (Just Style)
- Prime AI has seen the figure to be closer to 70% after analysing 1 million returns
- Sizing inconsistency between brands creates confusion for customers, discouraging purchases.
- Unclear sizing contributes to cart abandonment, a persistent issue in e-commerce where the average abandonment rate stands at 70% across industries. By providing accurate size recommendations, retailers can help reduce friction and improve conversions. (Baymard)
Returns Are Costing Retailers Millions
Returns are a costly issue for retailers, particularly in the fashion sector.
- Returns cost UK retailers up to £60 billion annually, with some brands losing as much as 5% of total revenue. (Retail Economics)
- The average cost of processing a return is £11.50, further reducing profitability. (Statista)
- Returns erase 30% of order value, meaning that for every £100 spent, £30 is lost due to return-related costs. (Negocios Vogue)
In addition to financial losses, return logistics contribute to significant environmental impact. UK fashion returns generate approximately 750,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, with 350,000 tonnes attributed to reverse logistics alone.(Statista)
Retailers need an effective solution to address the sizing challenge in unisex fashion while reducing return rates and improving customer confidence.
How AI Can Solve the Unisex Sizing Challenge
Predictive AI size recommendation tools help retailers bridge the gap between unisex fashion and fit accuracy.
- AI technology provides personalised size recommendations based on real body measurements, rather than relying on outdated size charts.
- Retailers using AI-driven size recommendations have seen return rates decrease by up to 28%, improving both profitability and sustainability.
- AI sizing tools help increase conversions, with brands experiencing a 12% uplift in completed purchases. (McKinsey)
A real-world example of this impact can be seen with Hugo Blue, a unisex jeans category. Customers who ordered the size recommended by Prime AI had return rates that were 20% lower compared to those who did not use the tool.
For unisex clothing, ensuring the right fit is essential, and AI size recommendation technology provides the accuracy needed to improve customer satisfaction and reduce costly returns.
Why Prime AI’s Size Recommendations Stand Out
Prime AI offers a cutting-edge clothing size recommendation tool designed to help retailers transition into unisex fashion without the risk of high return rates. Unlike basic size charts, this tool takes into account:
- Body shape and proportions, rather than generic size grading.
- Fit preference, ensuring that customers receive a size recommendation tailored to how they like their clothing to fit.
- Brand-specific data, accounting for variations in sizing across different manufacturers.
Retailers using Prime AI’s size recommendation technology have already seen a measurable improvement in customer confidence, with return rates decreasing by nearly 30% and conversions increasing by 12%.
Why Retailers Should Offer More Unisex Clothing
Unisex fashion is continuing to grow, but retailers that fail to provide reliable sizing solutions risk high return rates and missed revenue opportunities.
By implementing AI-driven size recommendation technology, retailers can:
- Attract a wider audience by offering more inclusive sizing and fit options.
- Reduce operational complexity by replacing multiple gendered SKUs with a streamlined unisex sizing model.
- Improve sustainability, as fewer returns mean lower carbon emissions from return shipments.
All retailers can utilise Prime AI technology to accelerate the adoption of unisex clothing and help customers find the best size for their body type. This solution not only reduces refund rates but also promotes a more sustainable and profitable business model.
The Future of Fashion is Unisex – But It Needs Smart Sizing
The demand for unisex fashion is rising, but ensuring the right fit is essential for success. AI-driven size recommendations, such as those provided by Prime AI, allow retailers to enhance customer experience, reduce return rates, and optimise inventory management.
Retailers that embrace AI size recommendations today will be positioned as leaders in the future of fashion retail.
Learn more about Prime AI’s size recommendation technology. Contact us today.
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