Fast Fashion - inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends.
Back in 1975, Amancio Ortega (founder of Zara), had the idea to take 'seasonal collections of trendy knock-offs all produced in Spain' and sell them to those who couldn't afford the originals. Zorba, as it began, was one of the first stores ever to create such a concept and has developed to create an empire of 10,000 stores globally with revenue of £18.9 billion per annum.
'Ortega changed the design, manufacturing, and distribution process to reduce lead times and react to new trends in a quicker way, which he called "instant fashions". The improvements included the use of information technologies and using groups of designers instead of individuals.'
Once a genius way of creating affordable but still on trend garments, is now an economical and environmental disaster. The worst factor is the waste it produces that ends up in landfill sites. Due to the clothes being mass produced, on a quick turn around the quantity of chemicals in them is vast, which horrifically all end up leaching into the earth. Not only this but the manufacturing process itself means items are flown across multiple stops before reaching their retailer. Each time they travel using single use plastic that gets thrown away adding to the environmental problem.
But if fast fashion was created for consumers who can't afford couture then how are these same customers going to be able to help change what's become a huge global issue. Brands and designers are now taking into consideration the way they package and transport their items, as well as the fabrics and methods of making the garments themselves, but if each of these processes means the price of the products increase surely this will simply mean the consumers the products are designed for won't be able to afford them any longer. I read an article recently suggesting fash fashion and the effects of the fashion industry in general is predominantly an upper class problem. It's known now, that reusing and recycling clothes rather than owning single use items is much more eco-friendly and is something everyone can do, but buying what's considered 'eco-friendly' garments at a higher price could be seen as classist. I know there is an argument to suggest if you buy fewer clothes at a higher price then it all evens out, but the reality is people don't want to downsize their wardrobe. As each season roles round, it's only natural to want some of the newest trends, so perhaps it's the expectation that everyone should keep an up-to-date wardrobe that needs to be altered rather than the budget.
Whether it's the price, the products or the attitude there definitely needs to be some sort of change if the fashion industry is to stop contributing to the environmental crisis of our generations.
St.
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