Fast fashion has revolutionized the textile industry, but it also has a significant negative impact on the environment and quality of life. The industry contributes to water pollution, which impacts ecosystems and communities worldwide. This study aims to outline how fast fashion brands currently implement Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM), identify weaknesses in current initiatives, and outline key actions that fast fashion can take to reduce its environmental impact.
Fast fashion is responsible for nearly 10% of global carbon emissions and consumes more water than any other industry. The constant production and disposal cycle of fast fashion exacerbates environmental issues at every stage of the lifecycle. Leading fast fashion retailers like Zara, Cos, Uniqlo, Mango, Asos, and H and M are now officially committed to improving their sustainability.
To minimize their footprint, brands can opt for materials that ensure garment durability, encourage upcycling, and choose to work with factories. However, the industry produces high volumes of synthetic, petroleum-based garments in developing countries, creating high levels of emissions and textile waste.
The pressure for unrelenting growth and consumer demand for cheap fast fashion have been major contributors to the environmental impact of fast fashion. A real environmental turning point in fast fashion is the rise of on-demand production, which involves producing garments only when demand is high. By adopting sustainable and ethical practices, fast fashion can contribute to a more sustainable future for consumers and the environment.
📹 The environmental cost of fast fashion
As climate change intensifies, experts say it is critical to rethink how we produce clothing. #News #ClimateChange #Fashion CBS …
How does Gucci promote sustainability?
Gucci is committed to optimizing its business practices through the efficient utilization of resources, the minimization of waste, and the production of products that retain their value over time. This approach facilitates a more circular model of production and supply chain management.
How is H&M sustainable?
The company aims to reduce its environmental impact by sourcing materials responsibly and leaving a lighter footprint. They aim to have 100 of their materials recycled or sustainably sourced by 2030, and 30 by 2025. In 2023, they increased the amount of recycled materials in their products to 25, which they aim to double to 50 by 2030. By 2025, they aim to have 85 recycled or sustainably sourced materials, making progress towards their goals. Raw material production can be harmful to people and the planet, so the company is committed to responsible sourcing and reducing their environmental impact.
How does Zara promote sustainability?
Zara has made several commitments to sustainability, including using 100 renewable energy in their operations in 2022, eliminating single-use plastics in 2023, introducing sustainable 100 linen and recycled polyester by 2025, and achieving zero net emissions by 2040. The company’s sustainability department collaborates with all areas of the company to establish strategic directions and set goals. Zara aims to embed sustainability into all processes and decisions, striving to do business in a cleaner, kinder, and fairer way. The company is committed to delivering these ambitious sustainability commitments as soon as possible.
Is H&M greenwashing?
A Quartz investigation revealed that H and M’s self-reported Higg Index scores were often inaccurate or inflated, and the company was not fully transparent about its environmental impact. The company was accused of “greenwashing” last summer, making false or misleading claims about their sustainability efforts, particularly through the use of the Higg Index. A new report by the Impakter Sustainability Index indicates that H and M has reacted and taken measures, but it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be, as much depends on whether management will follow through with the promises made. The question now is whether H and M is on its way to sustainability.
Is Zara becoming sustainable?
Zara has made significant strides towards sustainability by developing materials like Infinna™, which converts textile waste into fashion. The brand has set ambitious targets for sustainability, including sourcing 100 linen and polyester from sustainable sources by 2025, reducing water consumption in its supply chain by 25 by 2025, protecting five million hectares by 2030, reducing emissions by 50 by 2030, and achieving net zero emissions by reducing the carbon footprint by at least 90.
Zara’s primary approach to sustainable products is its Join Life initiative, which uses eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled polyester. In 2022, Zara launched its Pre-Owned range to reduce waste garments, offering repairs and sales.
How do fashion brands promote sustainability?
Implementing eco-friendly production processes can significantly reduce environmental impact, such as using non-toxic dyes, using natural cloth materials, recycling water, and reducing emissions. Technologies like closed-loop manufacturing systems can minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency. To implement these strategies, businesses should analyze material usage, energy consumption, and waste generation to identify areas for improvement.
What are fast fashion brands doing to be more sustainable?
Fast fashion retailers like Zara, Cos, Uniqlo, Mango, Asos, and H and M are committed to improving their sustainability efforts. They aim to become the most sustainable fashion brands in the sector by using sustainable cotton and fabrics, using innovative recycling technology, and eliminating toxic chemicals from production. They also aim to reduce the use of harmful man-made polyesters and plan to expand their recycled materials drive. However, most sustainability approaches focus on new garment production, neglecting the issue of discarded materials, which currently account for 80 percent of all clothing in landfills as of 2022.
Why is fast fashion not sustainable?
Fast fashion trends and affordability have led to a destructive buy-throw-away cycle, resulting in massive textile waste. Almost 87% of total fiber input used for clothing is burned or ends up in landfills. The industry loses $500 billion annually due to this issue. 25% of new garments remain unsold, and up to 12% of fibers are discarded on the factory floor. Additionally, 3, 500 chemicals used in textile production are hazardous to human health and the environment, with 10% and 5% being hazardous to the environment respectively.
How does Zara affect the environment?
Zara, a fast fashion brand, has been heavily reliant on cheap and environmentally harmful materials, such as polyester, which consumes significant energy and produces harmful greenhouse gases and microplastics. The brand’s rapid expansion into new markets has increased its global footprint, requiring large resources for building, transporting, and operating its extensive shop network in over 96 countries. This case exemplifies the unsustainability of the fast-fashion model and highlights the significant environmental and social costs associated with rapid growth and trend-driven production.
Is Zara sustainable or fast fashion?
Zara and H and M are fast fashion brands that have faced scrutiny for their environmental and social impact. While both have made progress in sustainability and ethical practices, it’s difficult to determine which brand is more ethical. Zara faces competition from brands like H and M, Forever 21, and Shein, who offer similar products at similar prices. Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable and ethical fashion, and Zara has faced backlash for its environmental and social impact, potentially damaging its reputation and sales. Despite these challenges, Zara remains a major player in the fast fashion industry.
How much does fast fashion contribute to the environment?
The fast fashion industry contributes to 10 of global carbon emissions and 20 of waste water, with every stage of its life cycle contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. The industry’s heavy reliance on fossil fuel-based resources for synthetic fabrics exacerbates the climate crisis. The production of these fabrics also emits greenhouse gases, and the use of non-biodegradable plastic in synthetic fibers further impacts the environment after disposal.
📹 H&M and Zara: Can fast fashion be eco-friendly?
Producing clothing is bad for the environment, but fast fashion companies H&M and Zara have come out with eco-collections that …
I studied fashion in college and one of the possible aspects of sustainability we always talked about was ethics. Is a piece of clothing sustainable if its made of a Earth safe biodegradable fabric, but made by a person who is not being paid a fair wage and being over worked? The biggest problem with fast fashion (in my opinion) is ethics, because that’s how they keep their prices low, so they’re less likely to fix it. I do not think fast fashion can ever be sustainable, on a corporation or cultural level .
You know, it just dawned on me. This is also the result of our psychological health. A person who says “I do not need more than 3 pairs of jeans” has to be confident, secure in themselves and content. To derive fulfilment, self-worth, self-esteem from other things, not including looking trendy. I would buy mostly second hand and I was very happy (also about the money saved). But slowly I started feeling… not good enough? Also my mom would sometime say I look like a bum, why would I buy used clothing if I can afford new one, etc. I also have a friend who always dresses gorgeous, always buying new clothes. Emotionally she is a mess, but she looks amazing. And I envy her. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I am not as strong as I though I was and now the need for new clothes just help patch up some psychological gaps.
I’m always shocked whenever I hear about people throwing away so many clothes. Why throw away clothing, unless it’s in horrible condition (like a bunch of rags, not just missing a button) where it’s unwearable? If you don’t like your old clothes or they don’t fit anymore, there are plenty of places in-person and online where you can sell gently used old clothes, and there are plenty of thrift shops, churches, and charities that will be happy to accept donations! Plus old clothes can be repurposed into new designs via upcycling, or household purposes like cutting up old clothes to use as reusable cleaning rags. I also think Home Ec should be required in schools and should include sewing lessons involving repairing and upcycling clothes. A burst seam or missing button is a very easy repair anyone with a needle and thread can do, there’s no reason to throw away something that can be so easily repaired!
If people who have the money to buy from sustainable brands or anything else over fast fashion, used it for that cause, we wouldn’t have nearly as much trouble. And to avoid buying clothes every 4 weeks or so. That same logic applies to people who don’t have the resources to buy nicer clothes, like me. Even if I’m a consumer of fast-fashion stores like Zara, it’s not like I buy clothes that often; maybe once or twice a year and they’re pieces that I will take care of while also being used in many different outfits. Second-hand stores are always an option and even if they don’t have pieces you like, you can also give them a new life 🙂 The thing is, there is something for everyone out there and maybe, by decreasing our overconsumption, we would encourage companies to stop overproducing. That alone brings so many other possible benefits but you get the idea 😉
I made some rules when it comes to buying clothes: I only buy one pair of new shoes a year (only when I need it), I buy mostly thrifted, I don’t buy Jackets and sweaters anymore (Because I have enough and you can find it in any thrift store), I buy clothes that are plain and simple (so that it doesn’t go out of trend), I repair when I can (repaired a pair of slippers many times, wearing them 6 years already), and make a list of things that i want to have so that I don’t go overboard. I buy fast fashion for underwear and socks. I buy fast fashion when there is a piece that I cannot find in a thrift store and that i really want (but it’s quite rare). I am happy with what I am wearing so far, you don’t have to buy every week new stuff and buy sometimes things that are expensive and good quality (if you can afford it) that you can use for years (Shoes, bags, watch, jackets and sunglasses, it’s a game changer and can make your clothes look more expensive).
lived in Brazil up to my 30s, and buying clothes there, even fast fashion brands like zara, is very expensive (example: zara is considered a brand for high-middle class to rich people there. not extreme luxury but a luxury brand). So I grew accustomed to only buying clothes when I needed and on special occasions (birthday, christmas, church/family/social events). I also always shared clothes with my younger sister, my mom and one of my grandmas. Mom and grandma always had a full wardrobe, and often grandma would pull up some vintage piece out of her closet, or would keep our clothes that were out of fashion in our eyes, just so we would pick it up again a few years later. Clothes that didnt fit anymore or were not 100%, but still usable, we would give away to other people, at least twice a year, and clothes that were too old or damaged would turn into cleaning cloths or my other grandma would cut them make clothes for our toys/barbies/dolls. Now I live in a rich country where clothing, specially these fast fashion brands are much more affordable, and yes I do get tempted sometimes to buy stuff.. but I always try to remember myself that it makes much more sense to spend more in fewer pieces of clothing that are better quality and will last longer.. and I prefer to save my money for when I do NEED to buy something, so I can spend more in a better quality thing.
when they tell you that it is recycled clothing or that they are ” Eco-frendly” DONT BELIEVE. I worked for a company that sells clothing to many of these fast fashion brands and it was all a lie- a big LIE, after I realized that my values were more important than working in an office i quit and now I just wear second hand clothes.
Do you think that can those companies use hemp fabric instead of cotton fabric for clothes. Because hemp fabric is much more eco friendly, 3 times durable, 5 times stronger than cotton. Although 1 kg of cotton releases 7 kg of co2 into environment, hemp doesn’t release any co2 into environment. Hemp consumes 5 times less water than cotton and doesn’t require any agricultural chemicals. Therefore, these make hemp fabric to real sustainable solution in fashion industry
I started to find vintage fashion when I was younger because I admired the style worn by my parents in their youth in the 1940s . I built up an alternative style gradually over time although I did vary it sometimes and did wear jeans for factory work etc. It took off eventually and became fashionable as an alternative look and no-one bats an eyelid . It’s certainly environmentally friendly as I have kept suits and all sorts of items for over 30 years and still use them. Also doing repair work. The fabrics are all natural.
I think one of the best things we could do, not as an individual but as a community, is to stop making clothing and generally, superficial matters, such an important part of our identity. I often seen young people making articles showcasing new items they acquired. A big part of their lives revolves around shopping, and therefore, their jobs. That doesn’t benefit anyone. Capitalism has created a culture which prioritizes an item before an individual. You’re not your thoughts or ideas (if these are not profitable), you’re the brands you support and the resources you have. Young people may try to defeat the status quo in many areas, but one fundamental one that is being neglected is building oneself as an individual beyond a brand that supports your identity. Even ideologies are turning into a form of personality now, it’s not longer an interest but rather, a characteristic. Social media has only increased the depth of this issue.
One of my methods for eco clothing is to target underwear and splurge on that every year around Christmas because it’s amongst the cheapest types of eco clothing vs eco t-shirts or jeans etc. plus it’s a practical buy and most importantly underwear and socks etc. are the clothing that wears out the most. So it’s an easy win for supporting eco products without worrying too much about buying more than you need. Plus a good way to help people dip their toes in the water, maybe they aren’t into going in on eco clothing but they might be into a good pair of wool hiking socks aka nice thickly cushioned wool work wear socks. Granted I would recommend looking at the type of socks they like before buying, or buying one pair or multiple pairs of different types to see what people like, before buying them a weeks worth of the preferred type since it’s amazing just how complicated buying socks for multiple people with multiple different preferences and needs can get. XD eg. Stay away from slow drying bamboo socks if someone is going to be wading through a wet paddock in the morning dew or people preferring short socks vs long socks and uniform colour requirements etc. etc.
Most people I know couldn’t care less about sustainibility when it comes to things they are buying. I’d even dare to say that goes for a considerable majority of population in total. People want to look good for cheap money. Sustainibility issues don’t stand a chance unjless you’re professionally involved. We’re too busy and distracted to care about sweatshops and worker abuse let alone pollution. I wish I was wrong, but literally NO ONE gives a damn. Otherwise there wouldn’t be any fashion industry, let alone fast fashion. I don’t know who these people are that throw away so many clothes. I have bedsheets that are 30 years old and still use them.
I but fast fashion, but I’m being 100% honest when I say this, I don’t buy it more than 5 times a year. I keep clothing that I’ve purchased years ago, even still having some pieces from the 2000s and other older pieces from family members. If you keep your clothing in good shape, you’ll rarely need to buy new ones. There’s only so much that you need. This year I purchased a little more than normal since I lost a lot of weight and my old clothes were literally hanging off me, but the only pieces I purchased were all from second hand stores!
so fashion companies brands and outlets must be made responsible for textile wastes, and laws must be implemented that forbid them from exporting waste to poorer countries or dispose of them unsustainably. and the same goes for beverage companies producing constant plastic bottles. those two would be the single biggest impact we can realistically achieve within the next ten yeaers. halt the waste production immediately!
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle is an order of operations. Recycling should always be the final solution, it’s not a silver bullet. A tip for curbing impulse buying, only buy new clothing at the end of a season. If you need a new summer top, buy it in September, but before you do that consider if you really need it to take up space in your closet. Find ways to make clothes last longer. You don’t need to be a professional seamstress to sew a button or a patch.
Its a very good topic, but it is sad that people and companies tend to shame normal customer that actually contributes less to environmental pollution. Why not instead boycott big companies and don’t let it hit the poorest? Yes I am aware of demand and supply, but there is plenty of people that cannot afford sustainable or there is no choice is sizes meanwhile people do $5k hauls in Shein
the concept of buying new clothes and restoring closet every damn month is soooo foreign to me because i’m literally not a damn gringo, yankee, shanqui, that has the “need” to stay in fashion even if there are people with less resources than me (in my country) they still inforce this idea ??? like, i knew a friend from school, her mother single, had like quichicientos siblings and could barely affort rent cuz their damn father didn’t give ’em the money he should LEGALLY share and the dumbass of her mother insisted on uying my friend new clothes for every damn party, when we were 15…. omg…. (quinces parties y’know, we had one every month average) yeah, maybe they were affordable, secondhand, but the main pronblem was that my friend themselves didn’t like the clothes their mother bought ’em like, won’t you listen to your damn daughter and buy food for your children??? PS. she wasn’t a bad mother, but she just had weird priorities
I have to admit I do buy some fast fashion but I wear it for years. I have one item from Primark that we have patched up like 10 times already, but I love it so much, I refuse to throw it away as long as we can come up with a way to fix it ^^’ Aspects that could improve this whole situation are also: second hand usage + donation, learning how to patch up clothes instead of throwing them away, fighting the “you need this brand or this trendy style to be cool” mentality. Also, some trends are a joke these days. no offence to crop-tops but they are mainly from warmer countries. Whenever I see a teen wear that in 0 Degree Celsius weather it’s just like “you are not impressing anyone for being fashionable, you are showing that you waste money on damaging your kidneys… good job… get a sweater ffs” (sorry for the rant)
I am very much guilty on buying fast fashion, since I can’t afford to buy from eco friendly stores. However, I only buy what I actually need and a piece that is timeless. Istg the oldest clothing I have in my closet, which I still wear today, is a sweater that I first wore in grade 5-6… I’m now 19😭. I just can’t fathom the people who throws clothes away and buy new clothes, for the sake of so called trends.
The first people in my country wore leaves as clothing. NOT MADE from leaves, EXACTLY a LEAF in ITSELF! Is it hard? No. BECAUSE IT EXISTED BEFORE! Yes it is disgusting and since it is a leaf, it would break easily BUT STILL DOABLE! Seems to me that the problem is because Zara and H&M hates leaves and propagating this idea would make them lose money. That’s THEIR problem, not ours.
I studied fashion and I feel like fast fashion brands like H&M and Zara won’t be 100% sustainable and eco-friendly at all. They can promote awareness of sustainability and make it a “trend”, but sorry! A fast fashion brand is STILL a fast fashion brand if they are using the same business model, producing collections with mediocre at best materials and, overworking and underpaying their production workers and still can get away with it.
Almost all my clothes are 100% cotton and its more durable than those polyester items from H&M or Zara or Walmart or Target so I can keep using like sweaters and pants that I have almost 20 years and even the ones I cannot use anymore I gave it to my brothers that they liked it, why people still buy polyester and expensive??
The biggest problem is synthetic fibers and materials, like in shoes. I think we must ban their use in apparel products. If we only buy natural fibers and materials, the prices will go up, causing less overbuying and minimizing non-biodegradable, non-recyclable apparel waste. Consumers, just don’t buy them, manufacturers will get the message.
The report address to a problem, but the facts presentation is totally mixed up. One big misconception here what articles we are calling as fast fashions? If its about a T-shirt I can agree, but about a Jacket – No way, who change their jacket in a month,year or even in 5 year? Thats sounds ridiculous to claim. What I think is very important for all is to legislate the market in all aspect from design to supply chain, later the companies and consumer will surely fall into that framework to end such trend.
that used or unsold clothes are the worst, they all go to 3rd world countries such as bolivia as donation, they sell it at a very low price (sometimes up to 5bs, 0.72 USD a pair of jeans, or a shirt), this have a negative impact in local fabric companies, no one can compete with this prices. in contrast other neighbour countries, like peru is one of the biggesst productions in fabric and in bolivia is almost non existent.
Why do people keep blaming fast fashion? If fast fashion only used disovable material no one would blame them. Designer brands use nylon, viscose and other non disovable materials just like fast fashion uses cotton and linen too many times I’ve been to Primark, H&M etc and they have had items containing wool, leather and cotton. The only difference is that people can afford fast fashion more economically therefore they tend to keep them for less amount of time. I think the issue here is a capitalist society refusing to make clothes purse friendly apart from fast fashion and refusing to help the third world enough. If they have the tech to build nuclear and chemical weapons and use them on the environment then they could dissolve more synthetic material
when I see new items that’s nice, told myself I don’t have budget for that, I can’t afford it now, maybe later, and I forget about it the moment I step out of that store. So that’s how I do “sustainable”. Actually I used to think afterward to maybe find the similar item in a secondhand shop, but I rarely go there now.
I love the point about the person who doesn’t care where their clothes come from but buys rarely being ‘better’ than someone who buys often but ‘sustainably’. Even the most eco-friendly new product is not as sustainable as the non-eco friendly one that already exists. (Same logic applies to electric vehicle incentives. Seriously, if you want to do the planet a favour, keep your six year old civic or even Suburban, replace some trips with walking and cycling, and you will do the world way more good than purchasing 2.5 tons of brand new lithium, plastic, steel, aluminum, and everything else in an electric car.)
Very informative article, and eye-opening. Yet, I don’t think its just H&M and Zara, that produce a LOT of GARMENTS each year. They cater to the people who are influenced by fashion, but don’t have millions in their account. Nothing wrong in that. There are companies that sell TONS of clothes made in China, that are toxic to the environment and are NOT targeted here, like Levis, Abercrombie, Guess, Banana Republic, tons of high end US, and UK brands that haven’t been TARGETED like H&M. Why?
4 fashion seasons a year should be enough. If you buy fast fashion clothing and wear them and repair them because you want to keep wearing them I praise you because that is sustainable. If you buy for trends and throw out after a few uses that isn’t sustainable. Dress for yourself not for others, understand your style, buy second had when possible and if you buy from a fast fashion brand make sure it’s something you want to keep wearing.
I was shocked when i learned that people just throw clothes in trash if they don’t like it anymore or if it misses a button. I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family, so every t shirt to buy has to be of a decent quality to wear it for a long time and combine with most clothes i had. All the clothes i grew out of was donated to the church and my yonger relatives.
I’m in my mid twenties and this is so weird to me. I just got my trousers repaired by my aunt (sewer) and she said “thats gonna be difficult, because it did not had enough fabric to close the big hole. She used a patch which is invisible. You won’t notice it. It was bought for 60€ in 2017 and will last at least 2-3 years more. This is pure madness. Oh and I fly once a year inner-german that’s it. People do judge me on that. The discussing is absolutly rigged. I buy a new pair about every 2 years and they have an average lifespan of at least 5 years. They are mode to be rocked until no repair is possible. In my opinion you’D have to bann these practices. for earth’s sake.
I completely agree that the consumers have the power in this situation. Maybe the only way any fashion brands will produce less garments would be if consumers bought fewer clothes. If we were to lower the demand for everything. Because however much you “buy green” or donate or resell your used clothes, the most eco-friendly thing you can do is to just not buy a new piece of clothing at all.
I haven’t bought a single piece of cloth last year. But I was given a few pieces of working pants and shirts cause they just wear out, for a Christmas I got a shirt and pullover. I don’t need much and after the clothes are inappropriate to wear in public I wear it at home till it disintegrates. Then it’s usually used as rag because you want to have something to wipe hands and things stained with motor oil or other substances.
I’m still kind of young so I had the problem that I would grow out of my new clothes too fast. But luckily my little brother likes my style too and he’s happy about wearing them now. And I’m surprised about the fashion habits of some of my friends, who send me pics of what they just bought like every second week… So it is really important to spread awareness to this problem of overconsumption. Thank you for your work!
honestly in my country, Egypt we’re already paying the price of sustainable clothes in fast fashion shops, that is because of the customs and shipping charges (it’s a major problem in our country because if you want to order a 5 dollar lip gloss you’ll pay around 40 dollars JUST shipping fees to egypt. I’m completely serious.) so 1. we don’t really have any sustainable fashion 2. imagine what price we’d be paying if we already pay 50 or 60 dollars on a h and m sweater….
Replace pieces as they wear out, and replace them with quality/sustainable pieces that you can use for years… we can put an end to this. I’ve stoped buying so much, and only buy a couple of things per year. That’s it and it’s my new normal Stop letting marketing companies control you. They want you to feel inferior or not as cool as others… their job is to manipulate us
the seeds from the cotton plant then gets made into cooking oil that gets hydrogenated and used for frying potato chips and other uses. there is no standard definition not even high definition just low resolution. organic cotton would be things like maybe less water use, minimal to no pesticides and such. even blended cotton/plastic based clothing could be recycled maybe not to make new clothing but used as stuffing. a unusable piece of clothing could be shredded and made into stuffing for pillows whether for bed or decoration. over consumption is not good either. seasonless maybe fashionable year around but may not be comfortable year around as it may be too cold or too hot.
this is so helpful. I have been thrifting for a long time now rather than buying new and this has just helped me keep doing that more. I am trying now to only buy basics which are timeless and not something that just catches my eye for a couple minutes. Seeing our planet in this state is actually so sad.
Good article; however, the people perusal this article probably do not need to watch it. The huge clothing hauls I see on social media just make me sick knowing that it will be worm once or twice and then tossed. DO NOT buy from FAST FASHION companies. I do not believe their claims. Discarded clothes are ruining other country’s water and soil. Always ask yourself, do I need this? Most of us have enough clothes to last years.
I was thinking about how to satisfy many of our needs with just one piece of clothing in order to solve fast fashion, and suddenly I came up with a new ‘digital dress’ proposed by Adobe. I think that being able to represent multiple patterns on one piece of clothing will satisfy the desire to own a changing outfit.
I think the focus on quality is such an important thing. I think the world of Vintage where people do prefer to buy clothes that were made back during the eras they like to dress in rather than buying new “reproductions” of those styles. A nice pair of flares from 50 years ago well maintained is just gonna look nicer and more authentic and more likely to last another 20-30 years. I mean there’s a reason we still have a lot of old clothing from the 1700s and 1800s it was made to last cause you weren’t likely to be getting another one for a long time and you were expected to repair it yourself.
I shop at fast fashion brands but I always go for items that I can wear over and over again instead of it is in “fashion”. I also have some clothes that was bought by my aunt in Hongkong and it is still with me since 2004! With old clothing that I have that are already tattered or damaged, I sew them for my dolls or put them as linings to my crochet pouches I sell. If it can no longer be worn or make something out of it, like the threads are disntegrating, I just end up using them as mops. Most clothing factories in the Philippines also give their scraps or sell them at a cheap price and someone else will make something out of those – like mops, potholders, rugs or even pillow stuffing. I remember there is one person here who hired a lot of stay at home moms that they literally recycled old clothing from landfills here and make items like bags and other products. They didn’t need a machine to do it except for washing the fabrics or sew them together! I cannot find the link here on YouTube but it was real sustainable products that she sells. And it isn’t cheap as anyone may think.
Sustainability has been the most used tag in the wrong way, we are highly in need of a good monitoring system before any company/firms are able to use them in their products and services. We would add your article to one of our playlists to inspire consumers & businesses to choose the right products and services. -Team PlanetCents
I buy fast fashion because I don’t have a big enough budget for nicer clothes, but I wear my cheap clothes for years, and if they no longer work for me but aren’t damaged, I donate them instead of throwing them away. I didn’t know people actually threw away so many clothes. As someone who grew up in a house where we took care of our clothes and made sure they lasted for a long time, I can’t really fathom wasting them so easily.
1% of people have 99% wealth. I have median income in developed country that I never throw away H&M clothes. Therefore it is reasonably assume that majority 80% people can not afford expensive clothes. Most expensive clothes are not sustainable. I brought one piece of brand clothers which get wear off after 1 washing. They design for 1 time use. The rich people don’t wash clothes often. Therefore the so called fast fashion are more sustainable. They designed for average people like you and me. 😀