Leveraging 4D Golf Apparel Wear Simulation in Online Shopping: A Promising Approach to Minimizing the Carbon Footprint

As fashion e-commerce grows, the online return rates are running higher than ever before. Online customers buy the same product in multiple sizes or colors with the intention of returning what is not necessary as they are unable to have a tactile experience during their purchase. In terms of sustainability, returns have a huge negative impact on the environment, causing waste sent to landfills and carbon emissions. In the United States alone, over 15 million metric tons of carbon dioxide are annually emitted from transporting returned inventory. This study explored an innovative way to help reduce online returns due to fit and sizing issues using four-dimensional (4D) golf apparel wear simulation. The study observed how online customers reacted to an apparel wear simulation where they could see the body–clothing interactions, such as dynamic changes in the drape of a garment and cloth deformations caused by different body movements, with a focus on golf apparel. Female customers (n = 13) with experience playing golf and purchasing golf apparel online participated in randomized experiments where three different e-commerce demo websites embedded with simulations were shown. In-depth interviews were followed to collect qualitative data, and surveying was used to quantitatively assess the perceived usefulness of 4D golf apparel wear simulations. The findings of the study indicated that the wear simulation has the potential to help customers find the correct fit and size when shopping online. By exploring the idea of providing a more accurate representation of how apparel fits and interacts with the body, this study sheds light on the promising approach of leveraging 4D golf apparel wear simulations in online shopping to enhance sustainable fashion and potentially contribute to reducing the carbon footprint by minimizing returns.