The fashion industry is the most wasteful industry, because clothing requires constant replacement. Fast fashion encourages a throwaway culture where clothes are disposed of before their real life cycle has ended. Most of the clothes are not used until they are worn out, but instead get replaced by the latest trend. The concept of fast fashion contributes to textile waste. This is because fast fashion retailers’ have the ability to send clothes from the design stage to store shelves within two weeks, which encourages consumers to buy substantial quantities of low-priced clothes every week. These levels of consumption point out that the fast fashion consumers may have an excess of lower quality clothing they don’t need. The increase in young female consumers, whom are style hungry and in low socio economic groups, have expanded the popularity of fast fashion. These young fashion consumers are not aware of the need for clothing recycling (Zarley, 2010).
Disadvantages of fast fashion
Fast fashion has several negative impacts on the people and the environment. Fast fashion causes overconsumption. People are purchasing way more than what they need. This purchasing behavior increases the fashion waste. The fashion industry is thus not sustainable. Fast fashion is made possible by exploiting the people and natural resources. The fast fashion industry exploits the workers by paying them low wages, unpaid overtime and also damages the environment by using toxic chemicals to manufacture the clothes and pollute the environment.
People are getting more aware of sustainability issues, and this includes the fashion industry. More firms have started using organic cotton and engaging in CSR, because it is being demanded by consumers. Vintage an...
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...d try attracting slow fashion consumers instead and cater toward their needs. Apparel retailers need to start being more sustainable, cautious and consider the lifecycle of their products. Managers of the fashion industry must also change their marketing strategies to not focus on who has the lowest price anymore. Other marketing strategies may be giving a percentage off on purchase for bringing in old clothing to recycle, or starting with campaigns to educate fast fashion consumers to start being more environmentally conscious and encourage them to reduce the amount they purchase, reuse their clothes for a longer time period, and recycle clothes they no longer want to use. Fashion retailers may want to consider promoting quality over quantity as well as offer versatile product lines that allow consumers to mix and match pieces throughout the seasons (Zarley, 2010).
While climbing up the social hierarchy through the lavish purchasing of clothing, many Americans are inadvertently promoting inhumane wages and working conditions for millions of garment factory workers. In the Conditioning Center, the elementary class repeats, “We always throw away old clothes”. Ending is better than mending, ending is better than mending, ending is better.” (35).
Although fashion has an impact on people’s appearances, it has an even bigger impact on people’s lives. Many workers who manufacture clothes, are actually in a copious amount of danger. According to New York Times Upfront Magazine, “...so when her manager refused last year to give her time off to see a doctor about a persistent fever she accepted it…. Shortly after, her heart stopped
Fashion is everything to society and the media. The fashion industry has transformed into a necessity in the life of people. Everyone wants to look good, feel fabulous and feel as if we belong with everyone else. The envy and desire to wear certain things and look a certain way all come, from wearing the latest fashion handbags, accessories, dresses, shoes, and the list goes on. But, when is considering fashion into an individual’s life going too far to the extreme? Many do not consider the whereabouts of fashion materials and how the environment is affected by the mere existence of certain garments. Some may believe these objects grow on trees. But that is clearly not the case. Even though it would be nice. The fashion industry as a whole, has been notorious from green issues caused by their lack of sensitivity to the environment, conspicuous and unnecessary consumption of materials, encouraging an “throw-away” society and image issues that support women and young adults to look a certain way to feel “beautiful.” This is an issue that has increased over the past decades. Not just women, but men also feel the uncontrollable need to do whatever it takes to look like the celebrities they see on television and on the runways. The thought that the materials to make those desired items may have caused the life of animals or the destruction of mother nature does not come into mind. Countless people are concerned about conserving planet Earth and keeping it healthy. The fashion world has been targeted for many corruptions.
2010: H&M becomes the world’s largest consumer of organic cotton and continues to increase its use of sustainable materials in the following years.
It’s no secret that some women believe fashion portrays who they are. Therefore follow every season’s new trend. This leads to spending money that they don’t have. Waller Lea, a journalist, suggest that “for some communities, purchasing knockoffs or generic products are frowned upon, forcing minorities to spend more money. Now businesses and companies are targeting minorities, causing more debt problems.” Addicted to retail or brainwashed? Opponents claim that fashion is simply a creative way to express themselves. There are others ways to express ourselves that are no based on our appearance. Through drawing, painting or through our thoughts and ideas. What happens when someone can’t afford expensive clothing or doesn’t have access to fashionable clothes? They are singled out and excluded from society for being different.
It is necessary to identify fashion and explain the systems apparel industry uses before I start explore the essentiality of fast fashion. According to Dictionary.com, fashion is defined as the prevailing style or custom that is in a current mode and used to express oneself. It can be clothing, accessories, hair, etc. Why certain people like to frequently shop in malls and keep updating apparels in their closets every season? Form psychological perspective, people usually consider clothing as a symbol to show their values, personality and lifestyles to others. Critically, a rapid imaginative change and symbolic expression supports a sense people have about fashion. People believe that an ideal self-identity can be communicated to others through clothing, so figuring out how people make decision when they perceive clothing among different brands and understanding their needs and desires can help apparel industries expending and maintaining market s...
Sustainable manufacturing requires the green fashion knowledge from consumers to make it work. Green fashion knowledge is, “Environmental attitude models or consumers’ perception and beliefs on green products”. (Cervellon & Wernerfelt, 2012, p. 178) This is crucial because it raises awareness for consumer for the environment and hence promote the importance of green and sustainable textile manufacturing. But consumers often get the wrong idea and clarity of the true meaning behind it, “Consumers seem to doubt the existence of sustainable production processes, especially in the fashion industry where manufacturing is often outsourced to emerging countries” (Cervellon & Wernerfelt, 2012, p.178) Consumers often believed that sustainable manufacturing is only practiced by a minimal amount of manufacturers, so the concern for sustainable fashion is often neglected. On the other hand, the image of green fashion is often related to dull and not in style, so the majority of people will prefer fast fashion that is trendy, up to date and cheap. To promote the benefits of green fashion, it will take time to educate consumers and transfer knowledge to them. In a study performed by Marie-Ce ́cile Cervellon and Anne-Sophie
It is certain that people are getting more used to wasting products that are still reliable to use and, especially in fashion, not that many people are aware of the concept of sustainability. Although concept of recycling paper, plastic and glass has now spread a cross the states, people still doesn’t know how to recycle or reuse their clothing. “65 pounds of clothing and textiles a year are improperly discarded and only an eight of that goes to charities for reuse [1].” This indicates how unaware people are when it comes to taking care of their garments. Or rather, the way in which fast fashion industry promotes the value of cloth is very low, and it is because the fashion industry wants people to get rid of their clothing as soon as possible in order to sell their new colle...
This article is about the overall impacts of fast fashion. The particular section referenced discusses possible solutions and alternatives to fast fashion. It talks about how it is possible to produce environmentally friendly clothing through the use of organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, and other fiber crops that require less pesticides, water, and other inputs. It goes on to share how certain brands are beginning to implement the model of sustainable clothing. The point of this article is to introduce readers to the topic of fast fashion, give background, and show readers what they
Fashion in the 21st century is a big business, as its production employs millions of people and generates billions of dollars in revenue. Fashion has for the past century been, and is still today, used as an indicator of social change and progress, as it changes with the social norms of the society and the political changes of the world (Finkelstein 3). Works Cited Finkelstein, Joanne. A.S.A. & Co. Fashion: An Introduction to Fashion. New York: New York University Press, 1998.
The act of consumption has been the primary means through which individuals in society participate and transform culture. Culture is not something already made which we consume; culture is what society creates through practices of everyday life and consumption involves the making of culture. When attempting to understand certain acts of consumption it is necessary to observe the relations involved in production and consumption. Through technological innovation, the fashion industry has been expanded to play a prominent role in consumers’ purchasing decisions and styles are becoming less difficult to obtain. With the expansion of department stores and shopping being viewed as a leisurely activity, this has continued to transform the act of fashion consumerism. The functional interests feature a rational attachment to clothing items. Symbolic benefits involve status and prestige to fulfill the achievement for positive self-esteem. Further benefits include a provided experience for the individual consumer and the created use of imagery and desire used to enrich one’s life.
Therefore their consumer promise is also the force behind the combination of their environmental and preservation guidelines used through the group 's supply chain. Zara, has been a groundbreaker in conveying new fashions, new designs, and new ideas rapidly to its stores. Zara’s tenacious thrust of on-trend products into the supply chain channel keeps its stores in stock on the latest fashions at lucrative prices. Lots of their new concepts have come from some of the fashion shows that just ended in New York, Paris and Milan will soon be on Zara’s racks.
Sustainable fashion offers various benefits to both the consumer and the entire environment. For instance, it is noted that the entire process of sustainable fashion is worthy for the globe. In most cases, the fashion industry leaves behind a huge environmental imprint ranging from the pesticides in growing cotton to the landfill impact of clothes that wear out and the energy needed to manufacture every piece. Therefore, deciding on organic fibers or sustainable fabrics made from bamboo can also reduce the quantity of carbon emitted and chemicals brought into people`s lives. This shows how sustainable fashion if embraced can bring benefits to the consumer, the producer, and to the environment, which is very vital for future generations. Selecting clothes that contain the label “fair trade act,” during purchase emphasizes on sustainability in numerous ways. The first thing is that, it guarantees that the product was produced under safe working conditions. Further, it signifies that the person who produced it earned a fair wage since it is sweatshop free (Hethorn 123). The act of purchasing clothes considered as “fair trade” confirms that individuals and places mean more than the organization`s fundamental reason for its
One pays a large amount of money to buy clothes which sometimes does not suit her/him. It is claimed that clothes and accessories that are in trend are generally the most costly. Not to mention the fact that they go out of fashion very quickly. Furthermore, the current vogue for stylish objects has brought social discrimination, especially among the young generation. It is unfair to the poor, who cannot afford the latest products, being discriminated on the grounds of class or money.
This cloth recycling process is known as the “Indian shoddy industry (where clothing is completely destroyed in order to permit the reclamation of its constituent fibres)”(Norris). A modernized and westernized India has seen a growth in western name brand clothing such as Levi’s Strauss & Co. Jeans, and other brand name clothing that are favored by adolescents of western society, and have gained increasing popularity amongst Indian adolescents as well. Western clothing has become so popular in India that its own government now considers it a part of traditional Indian clothing. This is a clear example of India's loss of culture as foreign brands are becoming more prevalent within the Indian mainstream. Not only has western clothing such as jeans and t-shirts been accepted into the Indian mainstream, but India itself has delved into the clothing and fashion industry with the creation of new designer brands that perfectly capture western clothing styles.