SHADE: Empowering Consumer Choice for Sustainable Fashion with AI and Digital Tooling

We present SHADE, a real-world application of using digital tooling to nudge consumer behavior toward sustainable, conscious fashion. In this paper, we outline how digital tools and platforms play an important role in the shifting paradigm of the fashion industry towards conscious fashion, which herein, refers to sustainably-made apparel and accessories produced with minimal environmental and social impact. This includes, but is not limited to, ethical sourcing and responsible resource management. Specifically, we discuss how SHADE leverages extensive data, publicly available information, and AI to guide consumers towards conscious fashion choices by empowering them to make well-informed decisions at the point of online shopping. This contribution explores the fundamental principles, research conducted, and potential impact of using SHADE within the broader context of how digital tools and platforms influence the fashion industry as a whole.