Global warming may not only affect climate and the environment, it will also have an impact on clothes and fashion, according to design and retail experts.

Savvy, environmentally conscious consumers are approaching clothes with a different mind-set and designers and retailers are responding.

"With Seventh Avenue proclaiming that 'green is the new black,' we can expect a surge in fashion innovations in response to climate change," said Jo Paoletti, a professor at the University of Maryland and an expert in design and fashion.

It will mean not only debates about the benefits of cotton versus polyester or other fabrics, but likely future innovations such as smart clothes that monitor and adjust to body temperature to reduce the need for air conditioning and heating, she added.