QR codes in the Fashion Industry: A Tech Essential in 2024

QR codes in the fashion industry have been around for years to give a digital dimension to brands and leverage shoppers’ engagement.

However, these codes weren’t as pervasive as they are today. QR codes today have invaded not just the fashion industry but also many sectors (e.g. utility, education, business, marketing)

For the past several years, brands like Levi’s, Victoria’s Secret, Lorea’l, Zara, Nike, and Ralph Lauren have already integrated QR codes into their overall marketing scheme to maximize customer experience to their brand and increase their conversion rates.

These QR codes on clothes which is used in also the fashion industry that can be mostly seen in billboards, posters, magazines, clothing, store windows, and even online such as in websites and social media pages.

These QR codes will redirect scanners to online information when scanned using a smartphone device. Because of the QR code’s flexibility to be used in both offline and offline marketing campaigns, many innovative marketers were also quick to utilize these codes.

But how are these codes making a huge comeback to the fashion industry in the Post COVID-19 pandemic world?

QR codes in the fashion industry and how does it work?

When the QR code is accessed using mobile devices by scanning the QR code, this leads the scanner to digital information online about the brand’s products and services.

This can lead to their website, a video, or an online store.

The information encoded in the QR code is generated using a QR code generator online.

Real use-cases of QR codes in the Fashion Industry

Klarna QR fashion show

Klarna’s ‘censored’ fashion show sent models down a runway in nothing but a robe & a QR code.

Instead of wearing glamorous outfits, models of Klarna, Australia’s s shopping app, walked down the runway in a fashion show wearing only robes while holding a QR code.

When the guests of the show scan the QR code via the Klarna shopping app — socially distanced, of course, it will redirect scanners to reveal what the outfit is online, where they can purchase the clothing items right away.

QR codes in the Fashion TV channel

FashionTV, which is a multimedia platform offering a review of global fashion through television.

The TV company displays a QR code that pops up on the TV screen once in a while.

When viewers scan the QR code, they will be redirected to the various fashion shows of numerous premium brand names, in style designs, fashion fads, Haute couture, commercials, and many more.

R Collective

The R Collective uses a QR code on clothes tags.

The new denim collection of the brand, a Hongkong upcycled apparel company and supported by Levi’s, gives jeans a digital identity using the power of QR code technology!

The denim collection is imprinted and labeled with QR codes that, when scanned, lead to the website.

The website contains tips and different information about sustainable product care after purchase, supply chain information, and less energy-intensive washing and drying tips.

It also contains information about re-styling tips to prolong the life of the clothes as well as advice on recycling the garment at the end of its life.

Kanye West Drops Long-Awaited Yeezy Gap Collection along with QR codes

The new collaboration between Kanye West and Gap featured a QR code for the single-item advertisement.

The jacket went live online at the same time QR codes were displayed in big cities like Chicago and Los Angeles.

Gabriela Hearst

Another fashion brand known for luxury women’s and men’s ready-to-wear and accessories collection advances clothing transparency using the newest tech essential: QR codes.

Gabriela Hearst’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection, named “The Garment Journey,” showcased a digital identity using QR codes that stores information about each garment for customers, resellers, new owners, and recyclers.

The QR code on clothes that is printed on the product label of each garment embeds information about the clothing.

Customers will know various information like the materials used, country of origin, and production process of the garment.

Furthermore, they will know the carbon footprint of each garment and the narrative behind the design.

How to use QR codes in the fashion industry

QR codes to digitize magazines

The integration of QR code technology in the print industry is how the print media is catching up with the modernization of marketing.

With the advent of e-portals, the internet, smartphones, and LED screens, people have lost interest in printed media over time.

To make the print media such as newspapers, catalogs, brochures, leaflets, and magazines interesting again and prevent them from being obsolete, tapping into new and interactive ways using QR codes is their way of going back into the spotlight.

Store windows for online shopping

Even without entering the physical store, QR codes can be displayed on store windows. This allows the passer-by to shop in your online store by scanning the QR code.

You only need to convert the URL of your shop into a URL QR code and display it in your window store.

LED advertisement

QR codes in LED advertisement is a great way to pique people’s interest who are passing by the streets and garner a larger amount of audience.

Furthermore, you can also make the QR code interactive for your target audience for them to scan your QR code!

Use the QR code to download your app

An app QR code directs users to download your app automatically without having to look for it.

QR code tags

QR codes have many possible use cases in clothing and other garments. They are often placed on product tags of the clothing or in the clothing itself.

For example, Gabriela Hearst’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection, named “The Garment Journey,” showcased a digital identity that stores information about each garment for customers, resellers, new owners, and recyclers.

The QR code on clothes, printed on the product label of each garment, embeds information about the garment. Or it can also be used to authenticate a product.

QR codes on clothing labels

You can use the QR code as one of the design elements of your clothing labels.

The second is to put a smaller QR code somewhere more obscure on the garment. The QR code is not the main design, but it can also be accessed if needed.

Maximize your number of social media followers

Fashion brands use social media for marketing and advertising to engage their target market.

Moreover, this also makes their customers feel more connected to fashion companies.

The social media world is the best platform to showcase your fashion studio, and it acts as the best medium for brand recognition and enhances brand awareness.

To grow a fashion brand’s social media followers, users can generate a social media QR code that will house or link to your social media apps and other digital resources.

The importance of QR codes in the textile industry

QR codes are not just meant to be a valuable unique element in the clothing design that gives information to the shopper about the product.

More importantly, this digital tool also helps combat the rampant of counterfeit brand items by enabling QR code authentication, which has unfortunately become a common occurrence among many clothing brands globally.

International fashion brands like Ralph Lauren and Diesel secured their brand by attaching the QR code to their label items so customers can scan the QR code and verify for themselves if the product is authentic or not.

QR codes for retail shop

QR codes in retail are one of the most popular technologies that is widely used by marketers.

Retail giants such as Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, 7/11, Amazon, and many retail industries have already utilized QR codes to modernize customer engagement to leverage brand experience.

QR codes make the purchasing and shopping experience easier for customers.

Moreover, with the ever-growing competition in the e-commerce industry, the QR Code technology will serve as a gateway to get new target customers and set a competitive streak in the market.

Benefits of using QR codes for the fashion business industry

Accessible using smartphone devices

Since QR codes are available to be read using mobile devices, this makes it easy for fashion brands to connect to their consumers from all groups of ages!

QR codes are editable in content

Even after you have printed your QR code in your clothing product tags, or if you have already distributed them online, you can still edit a QR code anytime.

This saves you time and money.

The ability of QR codes to be modified also allows users to have multi-campaign marketing using one QR code.

Tracking your QR code campaign scans

QR code scans are trackable.

Tracking the data of your QR code is essential for better marketing and understanding of your campaign.

If you are not tracking your QR code scan data, you are simply wasting all the effort you put into your QR code marketing campaign by leaving all the sales opportunities to your competitors in the market.

When you generate a QR code using a Dynamic, you can uncover valuable important data such as the location where your scanners are scanning from, the time when you get the most scans, and the device they used when scanning your QR code.

These data are stored and revealed in the QR code generator online dashboard using dynamic QR codes.

Fashion marketing with QR codes is a new tech essential today

Fashion marketing with QR codes plays a very efficient and effective role in ensuring customer loyalty and retaining them in a long-term relationship.

Unquestionably, QR codes help fashion brands for better customer engagement.

Therefore, it is valuable to opt for QR codes to give your customers the best possible experience while shopping.

Contact us today to find out more about how you can use QR codes for your fashion brands.