Fast Fashion - An Industry in Crisis - Part 1

 

There has been a major shift in the fashion industry since the arrival of affordable and accessible clothing. Brands which are able to produce cheap clothing, and fast, have been leading the shift known as ‘fast fashion’. Having the capacity to release new lines almost weekly, and banish old lines to the sales rack, there is constant turnover. Consumers are quick to stay on top of these latest trends, but at what cost.

Fast fashion is under fire over the industry’s ethics; including the impact on the environment and exploitation of manufacturing staff. There is no question, fast fashion is not sustainable. The apparel industry’s manufacturing and operational processes are some of the world’s highest contributors to greenhouse gas emission, with 1.01 gigatons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere in 2019. Further to this, the desire to be trendy leads consumers to discard clothes at an alarming rate. From an Australian study:

• 24% of people have thrown away clothes they have worn only once.
• 41% of people have thrown unwanted clothes in the bin.
• 38% of millennials admit that half of their wardrobe has been purchased in the past year.

Although many people donate unwanted clothes to charity, a vast majority of those will end up in overseas landfill. Then there is the issue of salary and living conditions for the workers who are churning out these clothes; that is a whole argument in itself. 

When it comes to fast fashion, it’s easy to point the finger at fashion brands and the industry itself as the cause of the issue. Yes, there is blame there, yet these brands wouldn’t be churning out the clothes if no one was buying them, so the blame can be shared with consumers. Why has the desire to keep up with fashion trends become so prominent in society? Globalisation and the expansion of the internet and social media, has made it easier for trends to spread. Social media especially, puts pressure on society to uphold certain beauty standards to be relevant, again a whole argument in itself. Fashion and beauty have essentially become very attainable to the everyday person, and it seems that everyone wants to be a part of it.

Are we prepared to sacrifice our environment and ethics to fast fashion? For some, maybe, they see their cultural capital as being more important to their social progression. However, in a progressively reflexive society, more people are wanting to see positive change for the planet and will make choices with sustainability and ethics in mind. These ideals, which have roots to the ‘hippies’ of the 1960’s, have led to the rise of sustainable fashion.

Sustainable fashion has many definitions. I consider sustainable fashion as the production of clothing which prioritises reducing its impact on the environment, animals, and people over its economic gain. This includes all stages of manufacturing, organisational values, and an items life after its first sale. Sustainability in terms of the fashion industry is about the balance which benefits our environment, social and economic systems so the industry has longevity.

Research has been conducted into sustainable fashion, consumer perceptions, and the second-hand apparel market. Currently only 4.3% of fashion sales of the global market are made with sustainable brands, and it’s estimated that will only increase to 5.6% in 2026. Last year, the global market value of second hand and resale apparel was worth 96 billion US dollars, which is also expected to increase, mostly due to the shopping habits of Gen Z. Although there are trends in support of sustainable fashion, the fast fashion movement and its impacts are not going away any time soon.

Lang H (20 August 2022) “What Is Ethical and Sustainable Fashion?” Goodonyou.eco, accessed 9 September 2022. 

Smith P (22 March 2022) “Share of consumer open to buying resale items worldwide as of 2021, by age” Thredup, accessed 22 July 2022.

Smith P (11 May 2022) “Projected carbon dioxide equivalent emissions of the apparel industry worldwide from 2019 to 2030” Statista, accessed 22 July 2022.

Statista Research Department (17 May 2022) “Sales share of sustainable clothing items within the global apparel market from 2013 to 2026” Statista, accessed 22 July 2022.

Smith P (1 June 2022) “Secondhand apparel market value worldwide from 2021 to 2026” Thredup, accessed 22 July 2022.

Sabanoglu T (15 June 2022) “Annual total carbon emissions released by leading European apparel retailers in 2021” Statista, accessed 22 July 2022.

YouGov (6 December 2022) “Fast fashion: Three in ten Aussies have thrown away clothing after wearing it just once” YouGov, accessed 1 September 2022.