Buying clothes that don’t exist seems like a scene from The Emperor’s New Clothes, but people are getting into digital design. As sustainable concerns peak, shoppers want novel ways to embrace their style and identity. Digital fashion house The Fabricant helps us dress up online, without the excess.

Somnium Space is an open virtual world for communication, e-commerce, and entertainment. From buying and selling land to earning cash streaming songs in the digital domain, as people look to create new opportunities and connections in virtual space, the potential of VR commerce is growing.

Digital art marketplace Nifty Gateway is opening access to digital works, which are backed by blockchain for exclusivity. With young consumers continuing to take an interest in virtual goods, these types of platforms build interest among buyers by harnessing the draw of hype and limited-edition drops.

In an always-on consumer culture, people are used to buying what they want whenever they want. But can possessions comfort and fulfill us during uncertain times? Canvas8 spoke to Bruce Hood, author of Possessed, to understand the psychology behind owning new things.