With all the shopping, festivities, and gifting we have to do this Christmas, it’s easy to forget to make sustainable, eco-friendly consumer choices—much of which will eventually end up in landfills and polluting the planet. But since you’re here, I’ll make it simple for you to stay eco-conscious this holiday season and beyond.
Technology and creativity are giving us more ways than ever to enjoy fashion without harming the planet—from greener materials and digital alternatives to behind-the-scenes tech-powered tools that cut waste before an outfit ever reaches the store.
Here are sustainable fashion trends worth adapting in 2026–or as early as now.
1. Rental and second-hand pieces
You don’t have to buy new outfits for every holiday event just to stay on trend. Rental and second-hand shops now offer designer gowns, luxury leather goods, thrifted dresses, and outerwear in great condition at a fraction of the original price.
Thrifting is cooler than ever, thanks to online resale platforms. Apart from local ukay-ukay spots, upscale rental services and second-hand shops, like My Closet Manager, let owners rent out designer pieces and give customers an affordable way to wear luxury. Check myclosetmanager.com or visit their showroom at 1Proscenium in Rockwell, Makati.
2. Upcycling and recycled fashion
Upcycling—turning old jeans into totes or aging shirts into crop tops, among many other examples—has taken off on social media and young stylish circles, helping keep clothes out of landfills.
Big-name brands are backing this shift. H&M, UNIQLO, and Nike run take-back programs to recycle old garments into new products. Some pieces are now labeled “made with recycled materials.” I drop off my old clothes at H&M constantly; it’s eco-friendly, and they even give a discount coupon for every bag of old clothes you drop.
3. Slow fashion and minimalist wardrobes
As quite a number of reports and documentaries such as Netflix’s Buy Now has told you by now, fast fashion drives massive waste and carbon emissions. To counter this, the slow fashion movement encourages buying fewer, higher-quality clothes that last longer and can be recycled. I still have clothes and outerwear from decades ago, even as far back as when I was in college, that remain timeless and in good condition.
To help you make the most of what you already have in your closet, download apps that let you create capsule wardrobes, such as Stylebook (iOS), Cladwell, Smart Closet, Your Closet (Android), and the AI-powered Acloset.
Technology and creativity are giving us more ways than ever to enjoy fashion without harming the planet—from greener materials and digital alternatives to behind-the-scenes tech-powered tools that cut waste before an outfit ever reaches the store.
4. 3D-printed and on-demand fashion
On-demand fashion—pieces made to order according to customers specifications—prevents unsold stock of mass-produced items based on trends from ending up in landfills the next season.
While it’s not yet as big in the Philippines, expect clothes made using 3D-printing technology on-demand to make its way here soon. This allows fashion designers to create pieces with precision, minimize fabric waste, and make unique designs for individual customers.
5. Pieces made of eco-friendly materials and produced sustainably
Materials are getting smarter and greener. Regenerative farming improves soil health while growing cotton, plant-based wool, and other fibers. New tech has also allowed for the creation of biodegradable textiles from algae, hemp, bamboo, mushrooms, and seaweed. Plant-based and waterless dyeing cut chemical use and save water, while vegan brands offering pineapple and mushroom leather continue to rise in popularity.
Familiar brands that have used these in recent years include adidas, which launched Stan Smith sneakers with Mylo, a mushroom leather alternative; and Nike, which collaborated with Billie Ellish on shoes dyed with algae-based pigments from Living Ink, a bioscience startup.
Even smartwatches from Garmin, Fitbit, and Apple Watch now feature recycled cases, biodegradable straps, and solar-assisted charging.
6. Virtual fashion for your digital and real-life wardrobe
How many times did you buy an item online without trying them on–only for it to turn out to be ill-fitting or not the right style for you? Or did you ever wish you could just virtually try on an outfit, take a photo to post online, without ever having to buy anything?
Thanks to technology, AR filters and virtual clothing are entering mainstream via gaming platforms, social media, and metaverse-style events. Digital wearables let you style 3D avatars on Zepeto—available in the Philippines via the App Store and Google Play—so you can explore virtual worlds, join events, and dress your avatar in branded or custom outfits.
7. AI and blockchain for smarter, more transparent fashion
Curious about where your clothes really come from? Fashion brands are starting to open up their supply chains by using blockchain, a tracking system that creates an unchangeable record of a product’s journey. Global platforms like Everledger and Provenance (UK-based) let companies trace their products from the source of materials to the finished item, offering proof of ethical and sustainable practices. While these are global examples, similar transparency tech is expected to reach more Philippine fashion brands in the coming years, especially those selling internationally.
As a creative and a creator, I’m still a bit of an AI skeptic. However, I can get behind how it supports sustainable fashion, as AI works behind the scenes to help brands plan smarter. By predicting demand accurately, it prevents overproduction and waste. It also powers virtual try-ons, precise size-matching, and personalized style suggestions—cutting down returns, which is another big waste culprit.
For the industry, AI optimizes inventory, streamlines logistics, and supports compliance with tough sustainability regulations, like those in Europe. For shoppers, these tools mean trust and visibility. For the planet, it means less waste and smarter resource use.
Words Trixie Reyna-Benedicto
This article was first published in Speed’s Holiday Issue 2025.
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