The Intro
How did we get here?
The fashion industry—The world’s 7th largest economy, with more modern brands developed on the values of cutting costs and incrementing profit. The fashion industry produces 10% of global carbon emissions, less than only the industries of energy, transport, and agriculture.
Fast fashion. You have 110% heard this term in recent years. Just like the idea of “racing to the bottom'“, it defines a company that with the sole motivation to maximize profits, reduces business costs, labor restrictions, and environmental protections to be seen as valuable and to lure in consumers.
The reality…
Let’s mention a few of the biggest culprits:
Zara
Forever 21
Shein
H&M Group
Don’t worry, we will go more in-depth into some of these brands in the following posts, so stay tuned!
The clear issues of the industry:
- There is an unhealthy “throwaway” consumer culture fostering overconsumption and waste. This is what these fast fashion brands feed on.
- Fashion companies don’t have sufficient competence to address sustainability—it should not be an isolated add on project like Zara’s 2019 “Join-Life” collection—which was totally an instance of greenwashing, but I will have an entire post dedicated to that.
Both consumers and brands play into the monstrous cycle of consuming unsustainable products.
On that topic—what does sustainability even mean? Everyone throws around the word in different contexts, but here is the official definition from the Brundtland Report, published by the UN in 1987: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising future generations to meet their own needs
Over the past couple of decades, fashion & sustainability progress has not come far at all. Sure, there are more players, organizations, spectacles, and celebrations, but in ecological terms, progress is minimal.
We consumers have to do our part in terminating our side of the cycle: the consumption of unsustainable fast fashion brands and overconsumption. Without the consumers fueling their brands: they would be forced to pivot. Soon I will have a post dedicated to small steps you could take to aid our sustainable progress.
I’m excited to have you on this journey as we explore many facets and brands of the fashion industry! I hope to open your eyes to not only the bad practices and brands, but also the good. Welcome to The Fashion Ethicist!
