OUR CLOSET TO CLIMATE CHANGE: AN ANALYSIS ON FAST FASHION AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS BY- VAISHNAVI. R
OUR CLOSET TO CLIMATE CHANGE: AN ANALYSIS ON FAST FASHION AND
THE CLIMATE CRISIS
AUTHORED BY- VAISHNAVI. R[1]
Designation: 3rd year student, BBA.LLB (Hons)
Affiliation: Saveetha School of Law, Chennai
ABSTRACT
Climate change and sustainability are concepts that resonate and
reflect from the dusk of the twentieth to the twenty-first century. It is a
widely accepted opinion among scholars that sustainability is the lifestyle
that could slow down its advantageous opponent- climate change. Though the
sustainability strategy is familiar, what are its most effective tactics and
placements that could slow down the doomsday clock? Furthermore, there is
ambiguity in ‘sustaining’ sustainability in the long run. The entire
sustainability lifestyle is too vast to explore and cover. Accordingly, the
paper focuses on one particularly impactful aspect of everyday life
irrespective of political, economic, cultural or social background.
Every human being needs food, clothes and shelter. That is a fact.
The paper distinctly analyses the problematic relationship between our closet
and the climate crisis. It is simply reductive to say that the textile and
fashion industries were long on the watch list of ustainability crusaders. More
than 300 million workers depend on the textile and clothing industry globally.
And they are one of the most liberal contributors to greenhouse gas emissions,
emitting 10% of the world’s greenhouse gases. The recent fast fashion trend has
only added fuel to the forest fire by being the literal poster child of
unsustainability. The paper tries to understand the impact of fast fashion on
the environment and the current developments in the industry to counteract fast
fashion, such as the connect4climate campaign, slow fashion movement and
thrifting. It also establishes the corporate social responsibility of the 2.4
trillion dollar industry. In addition, it holds the industry accountable to an
ethical fashion code. Consumers must also shop ethically and sustainably to
make a global difference. After all, they collectively control the supply chain.
KEYWORDS- climate change, climate
crisis, consumer responsibility, ethical fashion code, ethical consumer, fast fashion, fashion
industry reforms, sustainability, sustainable fashion industry, sustainable development goals.
INTRODUCTION
In the transition
from the twentieth to the twenty-first century, the concepts of climate change
and sustainability have emerged as paramount concerns shaping global discourse.
Scholars widely acknowledge sustainability as the strategic lifestyle capable
of mitigating the adverse effects of
climate change. As General Sun Tzu astutely noted, "Strategy without
tactics is the slowest route to victory; tactics without strategy is the noise
before defeat." However, while the strategy of sustainability is
well-known, the effective tactics and implementations necessary to stall the
impending doomsday clock remain a subject of inquiry.
Within the vast realm of sustainability, one critical aspect
transcends political, economic, cultural, and social boundaries: the essentials
of everyday life—food, clothing, and shelter.
This paper meticulously dissects the intricate yet problematic
relationship between our closets and the climate crisis. While it may seem
reductionist to solely focus on the textile and fashion industries, these
sectors have long been under scrutiny from sustainability advocates.
Globally, over 300 million workers rely on the textile and
clothing industry for their livelihoods, making it one of the largest employers
worldwide. It stands as one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse
gas emissions, accounting for 10% of the world's total emissions. The Ellen
MacArthur Foundation, a UNEP partner, has estimated that a truckload of
abandoned textiles is dumped in landfills or incinerated every second. It is
also estimated that people are buying 60 per cent more clothes and wearing them
for half as long. Plastic fibres are polluting the oceans, the wastewater,
toxic dyes, and the exploitation of underpaid workers. Fast fashion is big
business, and while the environmental costs are rising, experts say there is
another way: a circular economy for textiles. The proliferation of fast fashion
in recent years has exacerbated this issue, epitomizing the epitome of
unsustainable practices.
This paper seeks to explore
the profound impact of fast fashion on the environment while also delving into
current initiatives within the industry aimed at combating its deleterious
effects. Initiatives such as the Connect4Climate campaign, the slow fashion
movement, and the resurgence of thrifting represent pivotal steps towards
sustainability. Furthermore, it addresses the imperative of corporate social
responsibility within the $2.4 trillion fashion industry, advocating for the
establishment of ethical fashion codes and practices.
However, sustainability in fashion extends beyond industry
reforms; consumers wield significant influence over the supply chain. Thus, the
paper underscores the importance of ethical and sustainable consumer choices as
a collective force for global change. In essence, this paper endeavours to shed
light on the critical nexus between our closets and the climate crisis, emphasizing the urgent
need for transformative action within the fashion industry and among consumers alike.
STATEMENT
OF PROBLEM
The core characteristic distinguishing sustainable fashion lies in
the production of high quality, long-lasting items, coupled with a
manufacturing process devoid of harmful chemicals[2]. Despite this, a
minority of consumers globally demonstrate a willingness to pay a premium for
sustainable fashion. For instance, in a survey[3]conducted by Fashion
Summit and backed by HSBC and KPMG China in Shanghai, only 22% of participants
expressed such a disposition. Interestingly, the majority of respondents
prioritize the attributes of the product itself (46%) over the reputation of
the brand (11%) when making sustainable fashion purchases.
To augment the
attractiveness of sustainable fashion, potential strategies include providing
extensive labelling or information regarding a product's sustainability,
thereby encouraging consumers to factor in its environmental impact.
Furthermore, companies could endeavour to establish themselves as reliable and
reputable sustainable brands, shifting the focus from individual products to
the overall brand image.
Regarding clothing
disposal practices, a majority of respondents in London and New York typically
opt to donate their clothing to those in need or other charitable causes.
Comparable trends are observed in Hong Kong, although respondents in Shanghai
and Tokyo exhibit less inclination toward such actions. While this survey
yields valuable insights into consumer attitudes across these five cities, it
is crucial to acknowledge and account for cultural variations that may influence
behaviour.
The research
paper focuses on “Ethical fashion consumer- Consumer behaviour with regards to
sustainable fashion”. The study analysed 100 respondents' consumer
behaviour while purchasing clothes in the city of Chennai.
OBJECTIVES
OF THE RESEARCH
The study examined the
following research objectives-
·
Consumer behaviour during clothes shopping
·
Difference between consumers’ shopping goals during online and
in-store shopping experiences
·
Impact of fast fashion and over-consumerism on the environment
·
Consumer responsibility to shop ethically and its impact
·
Comparative analysis of lifetime and durability of fast fashion
clothes, sustainable clothes and tailored clothes
·
Common disposal practices and their impact on the environment
·
Exploring sustainable options like thrift or second-hand
stores
·
Customers’ approach to greenwashing
·
Legal developments in the field of the sustainable fashion
industry
AIM
OF THE RESEARCH
The paper aims to investigate the detrimental impact of fast
fashion on the environment, analyse current initiatives aimed at countering
fast fashion, such as the connect4climate campaign and the slow fashion
movement, and explore the role of corporate social responsibility in the
textile and fashion industries. Additionally, the paper aims to emphasize the
importance of ethical consumer behaviour in promoting sustainability within the
fashion supply chain.
RELEVANCE
OF THE STUDY
The study has aimed to understand the fast fashion phenomenon and
its impact on global sustainability goals. The fast industry has recently been
in the hot waters with climate change activists as it is notorious for its
negative climate change impact. From climate activists crashing the 2023 Coach
runway with signs like ‘Coach: Leather kills’ to protesters joining the Dior
runway in 2021 with ‘We are all fashion victims’ placards, it has become an
anticipated staple of every fashion season recently. With the technological
advancements and cheap outsourced labour in the fashion industry, it is no surprise
that cheaper brands replicate the runway pieces in a fraction of the cost and
time than the original pieces. Fast fashion is a sector of the apparel
industry that was developed in Europe to meet the rapidly changing preferences
of primarily young women who want to follow trends in fashion but at a fraction
of the cost[4].
Despite contributing 10% of global carbon emissions, the
sustainable fashion industry was an elusive topic at COP28. Marchionni states
that decarbonising the fashion industry “is an intricate endeavour”, given that
more than 70% of its greenhouse gas emissions come from upstream activities, with current operations
predominantly reliant on non-renewable energy sources[5]. Therefore, it is highly
relevant to discuss and analyse the impact of fast fashion on the global
sustainability goals, leading to climate change.
METHODOLOGY
The paper studies the impact of fast fashion on climate change
using a variety of methods available to the authors. The researchers conducted
non-doctrinal research with both primary data such as survey findings and
secondary data such as statutes, case studies and other literature materials
collected. A research methodology, employing both quantitative and qualitative
methods, was used to extract proper analysis. The study used a record of
literature review to analyse the existing research material and provide a
comprehensive understanding and improvement regarding the research theme and
topic. The study also used quantitative analysis such as an online survey and
questionnaire. Online surveys and questionnaires help understand the mindset
and mentality of a sample group while making them accessible and friendly to
use. The paper considers a limited non-probable sample group of 100 respondents
purchasing clothes mostly in Chennai. The respondents' sample had an equal
male-to-female ratio from below 20 to 40 years of age. The paper primarily
relied on the inductive method of data analysis since the research hypothesis
was developed after data collection. Hence, the paper’s findings have been
strengthened by data triangulation. Various statistical tools and techniques
were used to interpret data.
SELECTION
OF SAMPLE
The respondents of the online survey and questionnaire sample were
male and female students and workers residing and shopping in Chennai. The
study selected 100 respondents in the study area. The sample group has 50% male
and 50% female respondents. The age groups of the sample ranged from below 20
to 40 years of age. Google form surveys and Questionnaires were used for
collecting data from respondents. The respondents that participated in the
study were diverse in age, gender and nativity.
TOOLS
OF DATA COLLECTION
Surveys and questionnaires were used in primary data collection
for the paper. The paper also relied on secondary data like previous works of
literature, published sources, online databases and records were used. The
researcher chose to do an online survey for its accessibility, ease and time
constraints. The survey used only closed-end questions to gather proper, non
influenced data.
SOURCES
OF THE STUDY
The authors conducted non-doctrinal research using both primary
data such as survey findings and secondary data such as statutes, case studies
and other literature materials collected. The study used both primary and
secondary sources. The paper used primary sources to collect data from the
respondents who answered Google forms and questionnaires. The secondary sources used were data
available in the form of public surveys, journals, reports, questionnaires,
newspaper articles, and government websites.
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The following research questions attract significance to be probed
and answered to fulfil the research objectives. Hence, the questions were
circulated in a survey and questionnaire to the 100 respondents purchasing
mainly in the metropolitan city of Chennai.
- Which of the fast fashion clothing stores
do you shop in most frequently? a) Reliance trends b) Zudio c) Max d)
Pantaloons e) Zara f) H&M g) Prefer only online shopping h) Prefer only small
businesses
- How much do you spend
on average during clothes shopping?
- On the scale of Rs.
1000 to Rs. 10,000
- Do you read the label or product
description (online) of clothes and does it influence your decision to purchase?
- a) Always b) Mostly
c) Sometimes d) Never
- Do you consciously
prefer sustainable fashion over fast fashion?
- a) Yes b) No c)
Maybe
- What are the factors
that influence your decision to purchase clothes? Overall cost, Textile quality, Brand
loyalty, Sustainable or climate conscious or ethical brand claim, Discount or sale or
coupons, Fitting of product
- How long does your
clothes last?
- How do you dispose of
your old clothes?
- a) Burn b) Donate c)
Throw them with garbage
- Would you purchase second-hand clothes if
there were more thrift shops available? a) Yes b) No c) Maybe
- Do you believe that you, as a customer,
have an impact on the brand’s claims to be
sustainable?
- a) Yes b) No c)
Maybe
- In your recent experience, do you think
clothing brands are honest with their
sustainability claims?
- a) Yes b) No c)
Depends on the brand
- Does ‘Greenwashing’
as a trend stop you from approaching sustainable fashion? a) Yes b) No c)
Maybe
RESEARCH
HYPOTHESIS
The detrimental impact of
fast fashion on the environment is significant and multifaceted, contributing
substantially to greenhouse gas emissions. However, through strategic
interventions coupled with enhanced corporate social responsibility and
adherence to ethical fashion codes within the textile and fashion industries,
there exists potential to mitigate these adverse effects. Furthermore, consumer
participation in ethical and sustainable shopping practices can play a pivotal
role in effecting positive change throughout the supply chain, ultimately
contributing to the broader goal of sustainability and climate resilience. The
paper hypotheses that the fashion industry has a detrimental impact on the
climate crisis.
REVIEW
OF LITERATURE
The purpose of this paper is to systematically review and
critically assess the studies on consumer behaviour in shopping fashion
sustainably to identify the research gap in this context and inform a future
research agenda. A descriptive analysis was performed to examine the research
methods, research trends, and theoretical underpinnings
This study explores the attitudes of fashion consumers toward
sustainable products, ethical fashion purchasing and their subsequent
behaviour. The research applies the developmental theory model to a fashion
context, finding fashion consumers can be categorised into one of three groups:
‘Self’ consumers, concerned with hedonistic needs, ‘Social’ consumers,
concerned with social image.
The purpose of this study is to investigate consumers' perceptions
of and consumer behaviour towards apparel labels and environmental, sustainable
and social apparel. Findings indicate that consumers expressed positive
sentiments towards apparel sustainability, yet they lacked knowledge about
social and environmental practices within the apparel industry.
This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of
eco-fashion consumption and consumer purchase decisions while constructing
one's self with external symbols, such as appearance, clothing and fashion
items. This study approaches sustainable clothing from grounding in design
research to the meanings of material culture.
The findings
enrich the past literature on ethical fashion that trusting belief is a salient
determinant of consumers' attitudes toward ethical fashion and purchase
intention of ethical fashion products. The findings also supported the
applicability of KAB and TPB in the domain of ethical consumption in
the context of a developing country.
This study examines consumer behaviour and ethical fashion by
focusing on the fast-fashion retailing industry through Spanish consumers.
Hence, it contributes to the ethical fashion and consumer behaviour literature
and provides noteworthy data for practitioners. The findings are further
supported by the quantitative analysis of surveys conducted with 462 Spanish
consumers.
In this study we investigate how consumers in The Netherlands can
be persuaded to adopt sustainable practices when purchasing, using and
disposing of clothes. This study investigates the attitude-behaviour gap for
the sustainable choices for the purchase, use and disposal of clothes.
The main objectives of this study were to research sustainable
fashion consumers to identify and explore consumption motivations, as well as
value creation. The results can assist businesses in knowing their consumers
better and consequently being able to implement sustainability into their
business model more effectively.
The paper
discusses Polish consumers' behaviours in the market for sustainable textiles
and clothing. It analyses the need for more studies on socially responsible
consumption in so called new consumer countries characterized by slowly
developing ethical consumer movement, few studies analysed consumer behaviour
compared with the volume of literature exploring sustainable development and
corporate social responsibility of textile and clothing manufacturers.
While sustainability
strategies are multifaceted and diverse, the paper offers only a selection of
approaches to sustainable fashion.
The purpose of
this paper is to report on the role of luxury value perceptions and ethical
concerns in consumers’ environmentally significant behaviour and purchase
intent for genuine leather products. The study determined that South African
consumers’ strong functional and individual luxury value perceptions drive
their above-average purchase intent for genuine leather products.
A theoretical model drawing together the elements of
sustainability and fashion design was presented in the paper. The data have
been gathered from various sources, mainly academic literature, and qualitative
analysis has been carried out by following the principles of the grounded
theory method: the data is analysed by identifying and categorizing relevant
concepts by using a constant comparative method, i.e. examining the internal
consistency of each category.
This paper attempts to
provide an up-to-date depiction and analysis of the consumer’s attitude towards
the sustainability of fast fashion products in the UK. Four related strands of
literature are reviewed to establish a tri-component model of attitude (ABC),
i.e., Affective, Behavioural and Cognitive. A wide set of determinants for
attitude is identified, including income, price, gender, culture, religion,
age, etc.
The exploratory study analysed consumers' perceptions of
purchasing slow-fashion garments using focus groups. Yet, due to the economic
crisis worldwide, disposable incomes are on the wane and clothes at disposable
prices are losing their appeal. There is
a growth of a new movement counteracting the demand for fast fashion—the “Slow
Fashion” movement.
The paper explores how sustainability may be used as a form of
self-expression, and whether it can endow individuals with an identity
associated with ethical consumption at the post purchase consumption stage.
Exploratory research was undertaken to investigate sustaining decisions and
sustainability practices
This study aims to identify the concept of ethical consumption of
sustainable fashion to achieve
sustainability in Saudi Arabia's fashion industry Ethical fashion consumers are essential for growing the ethical fashion
sector as their purchasing decisions and experiences are influenced by ethical concerns. Reducing
excess packaging and materials is where ethical consumerism and business ethics
intersect.
Overconsumption is a growing global phenomenon with serious
effects on the environment and society. Huge amounts of textile waste end up in
U.S. landfills due to unsustainable clothing consumption patterns. With the
conceptual underpinnings of Behavioral Reasoning Theory, the purpose of this
study was to explore sustainable clothing consumption behaviours (SCCBs) that
young consumers were most and least likely to engage in and to understand
specific reasons for their decisions to engage in a variety of SCCBs.
This study
aims to identify the main perspectives of research on sustainable retailing in
the fashion industry. The content analysis results indicate that the most
prominent areas in the field are
sustainable retailing in disposable fashion, fast fashion, slow fashion, green
branding and eco-labeling; retailing of
secondhand fashion; reverse logistics in fashion retailing; and emerging retailing opportunities in
e-commerce.
William Young, Kumju
Hwang, Seonaidh McDonald, Caroline J. Oates, 2009[24] This paper investigates the purchasing process for green consumers
concerning consumer technology products in the UK. Data were collected from 81
self-declared green consumers through in-depth interviews on recent purchases
of technology products
RESEARCH
LIMITATIONS
·
The major limitation of the research is the sample frame.
The sample frame collected is from the general public ranging from 20 to 30
year olds mostly.
·
The sample size is another limitation, as the
responses collected are only from a group of people and not the entire
population. Even with a wide age range, realistically the survey sample was
dominated by students (20- 30 year olds).
·
Another limitation is the sample size of 100 which
cannot be used to assume the thinking of the entire population of Chennai city.
·
The physical factors have a larger impact, thus,
limiting the study.
CONCEPTUAL
ANALYSIS
Fast fashion
The term refers to ‘cheaply produced and priced garments that copy
the latest catwalk styles and get pumped quickly through stores to maximise on
current trends’[25]. The fast fashion
paradigm is characterized by its expeditious cycle of design, production,
distribution, and marketing of clothing. It enables retailers to swiftly offer
vast quantities and a diverse array of products, affording consumers heightened
fashion accessibility and product differentiation at competitive prices. Coined
in the early 1990s, the term "fast fashion" gained prominence with
the arrival of Zara in New York, as noted by the New York Times. Zara's
operational ethos epitomised this model, striving to reduce the garment
lifecycle from design conception to in-store availability to a mere 15 days.
Key entities within the fast fashion domain include Zara, UNIQLO, Forever 21,
and H&M, each wielding significant influence in shaping and perpetuating
this industry paradigm.
The level of pollution that is generated as a direct result of the
textile and clothing industry presents a dilemma given the fact that many
individuals value fashion over the protection of the environment.
Industrialization has paved the route to the fast fashion industry. The
increased generation of waste is of warranted environmental concern. The fast
fashion industry has profoundly confounded the problematic issue of clothing
production and pollution. More often than not landfills constitute the final
destination for clothing. The fast fashion industry contributes towards the
significant depletion of natural resources. Issues of resource depletion begin
at the onset of textile production, throughout the lifecycle of the clothing,
to the point in time at which the products are wasted or disposed of entirely,
“When used apparel products are disposed
of in a landfill, large quantities of valuable materials and resources are lost”[26].
Current
developments in the fashion industry to counteract fast fashion
Connect4climate campaign
Connect4Climate is a World Bank Group program aimed at raising
global awareness about climate change and inspiring climate action. The
objectives of Connect4Climate involve connecting with existing climate
initiatives and activities and amplifying the global dialogue on climate
change. This helps advance the global climate movement, generates innovative
solutions, brings together thought leaders on climate change, and enables new
audiences to be inspired. Connect4Climate fosters connections between
organizations to create strong, active networks. Above all, the initiative
seeks to reach new, untapped audiences who may never have heard about climate
change. Through all these efforts, Connect4Climate aims to create the social
currency and political capital that will result in effective and enforceable
policies for climate change mitigation and adaptation at the highest
governmental levels.
Slow fashion
The term is used to identify sustainable fashion solutions and
strategies for design, production,
consumption, use and reuse as well as to offer a more sustainable and ethical
way of being fashionable[27]. Slow Fashion has also
been defined as something durable, made from recycled or organic materials[28]. The Swedish Society for
the Conservation of Nature explains that Slow Fashion is for fashionistas what
slow food is for gourmets, less but with a higher quality and with less
environmental impact. They point out that fashion needs to be long termed, to
create a sustainable fashion industry.
Thrifting
Indian households have always been an ally for sustainable living.
A longstanding example of this is the household habit of buying pre-owned
clothes, which now has a moniker: thrifting. By repurposing and sharing
clothes, you not only sort your wardrobe and reduce textile waste but also ease
the burden on your pocket while channelling your inner fashionista. Thrifting
pre-owned, and hand-me-down clothes help consumers make informed and ethical
choices about how they consume clothes. It also helps foster a sense of
community by forming a deeper connection with garments and the people behind
the creation.
COP27 ‘Circular Systems for a Net Positive Fashion Industry’
event
The COP27 was held last week from November 6 to 18. The event,
which took place in the city of Sharm
El-Sheikh in Egypt, brought together around 90 heads of state and representatives from more than 190 countries
to achieve the climate goals agreed under the
Paris Agreement and the Convention itself. The non-profit organization
Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), formerly
the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, organized during the event a trio of talks aimed at addressing how the fashion
industry can become net positive, how it can
reduce its carbon footprint and the actions needed to encourage and
promote circular systems. In addition,
it announced its collaboration with UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
to conduct an online consultation on the fashion industry’s environmental
targets. The “Fashion Industry Targets Consultation” will identify and merge
existing industry targets. The targets are set with five priorities: respectful
and safe working environments, better wage systems, resource stewardship, smart
material selection and circular economy. The Better Cotton initiative issued a
warning to world leaders attending the COP27 climate summit to do more to
protect the world’s farmers and farm workers. An alliance of companies including H&M,
Inditex, Stella McCartney and Kering, among many others, have pledged to buy more than half a
million tons of low-carbon, low-footprint
alternative fibres produced from textile and agricultural waste instead
of forest fibres, for use in both
fabrics and packaging. According to the NGO Canopy, responsible for the
alliance, each ton of clothing produced with these alternative fibres will save
between 4 and 15 tons of carbon per ton of product.
Policy, Legislative and Other Initiatives
1. European Union-
? Proposal for a
Directive on Green Claims
? Unfair Commercial
Practices Directive
? Ecodesign for
Sustainable Products Regulation
? Corporate
sustainability due diligence
2. United States of
America-
? The FABRIC Act
? The Fashion Act
? The Fashion Workers
Act
3. Japan Sustainable
Fashion Alliance (JSFA)
4. Singapore Fashion
Council (SFC)
5. UK’s 10-Year Fashion
Industry Sustainability Change Programme
DATA
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
The periodic purchasing window in a year
Source: Survey
Out of 100 respondents, 25% shop every month, 24% shop once every
two months, 11% shop once every six
months, 3% shop once a year, 10% shop during festive times or when sale happen, 24% shop when a need arise and the
remaining 3% shop impulsively. It is striking to note the difference between
male and female consumers. It is much more important to recognise that while
49% of the mostly young respondents shop regularly, a countering 24% shop only
when clothes are needed. From the analysis, we can extrapolate that there is an
overconsumption trend currently increasing. It looks like there is a huge wave
of over consumers who are drowning the modest minimalists.
Popular clothing store among respondents
Source:
Survey
Among the 100 respondents, men highly prefer H&M while both
H&M and online shopping are popular among women in Chennai. 25% of the 100
respondents frequent H&M and 20% of the 100 respondents frequent online
stores. In total, there is a landslide of 62% of 100 respondents who frequent
fast fashion stores.
Source: Survey
Analysing the same question based on the age group reveals the
expected findings. There is a popular consensus for fast fashion retail stores
among respondents in their early twenties. It further raises the question: what
is the appeal of fast fashion among youngsters?
Influence of labels and product description on purchase
Source: Survey
Among the 100 respondents, 43% only sometimes read the label on
clothes, 24% read it most of the time, 18% always read it and 15% sometimes
read it. So the content on the label sometimes affects consumers’ purchases and
more people must be aware to read the label and
shop consciously.
Do respondents prefer sustainable fashion over fast fashion?
Source: Survey
Among 100 respondents, 45.9% of the respondents are conflicted
about their preference while 32.7% of the respondents prefer sustainable
fashion over fast fashion. So there is a great margin of people who are on the
fence about sustainable fashion. It is effective to analyse the incentives that
may push them to prefer sustainable fashion.
Factors that influence consumers’ purchase
Among 100 respondents, 71% of them are influenced by the way the
clothes fit. If it is properly fitted, they are more inclined to buy it. Almost
59% of the respondents are influenced by the quality of clothes, 55% of the
respondents are influenced by cost of the clothes. Only 20% of the respondents
are influenced by sustainability claims to purchase clothes.
Among the age group, it
is expected that the overall cost of the clothes are the major influencing
factor for youngsters’ purchases. And it is common to find cheaper clothes from
fast fashion brands. Hence we can conclude that cheaper options are the appeal
to fast fashion among young people.
Consumer opinion on brands honesty regarding
sustainability claims
Source:
Survey
Among 100 respondents, 44% of the respondents believe that can
impact brands’ claims while 22% said no.
How long do respondents’ clothes last?
Source: Survey
Sustainable fashion
clearly has clothes that last longer than fast fashion.
How do respondents dispose of old clothes?
Source: Survey
Nearly 90% of the respondents donate their clothes in Chennai. It
is expected since donating or giving old clothes to your siblings is culturally
ingrained in Indians.
Thrifting
Among 100 respondents, 47% of the respondents will not purchase
second-hand clothes from thrift stores. Thrifting is a popular sustainability
practice in the West. In India, there are cultural references to give our old
clothes to younger siblings. Hence it is a foreign concept to pay for those old
clothes.
Chi-square test:
Table 1
Table 2
Table 3
FINDINGS
OF THE STUDY
·
Out of 100 respondents, 25% shop every month, 24% shop once every
two months, 11% shop once every six
months, 3% shop once a year, 10% shop during festive times or when sales happen, 24% shop when a
need arise and the remaining 3% shop
impulsively. It is striking to note the difference between male and
female consumers. It is much more
important to recognise that while 49% of the mostly young respondents shop
regularly, a countering 24% shop only when clothes are needed. From the analysis, we can extrapolate that
there is an overconsumption trend currently increasing. It looks like there is
a huge wave of over-consumers who are drowning the modest minimalists.
·
Among the 100 respondents, men highly prefer H&M while both
H&M and online shopping are popular among women in Chennai. 25% of the 100
respondents frequent H&M and 20% of the 100 respondents frequent online
stores. In total, there is a landslide of 62% of 100 respondents who frequent
fast fashion stores.
·
Analysing the same question based on the age group reveals the
expected findings. There is a popular
consensus for fast fashion retail stores among respondents in their early
twenties. It further raises the question: what is the appeal of fast fashion
among youngsters?
·
Among the 100 respondents, 43% only sometimes read the label on
clothes, 24% read it most of the time, 18% always read it and 15% sometimes
read it. So the content on the label sometimes affects consumers’ purchases and
more people must be aware to read the label and shop consciously.
·
Among 100 respondents, 45.9% of the respondents are conflicted
about their preference while 32.7% of the respondents prefer sustainable
fashion over fast fashion. So there is a great margin of people who are on the
fence about sustainable fashion. It is effective to analyse the incentives that
may push them to prefer sustainable fashion.
·
Among 100 respondents, 71% of them are influenced by the way the
clothes fit. If it is properly fitted, they are more inclined to buy it. Almost
59% of the respondents are influenced by the quality of the clothes, and 55% of
the respondents are influenced by the cost of the clothes. Only 20% of the
respondents are influenced by sustainability claims to purchase clothes. Among
the age group, it is expected that the overall cost of clothes is the major
influencing factor for youngsters’ purchases. And it is common to find cheaper
clothes from fast fashion brands. Hence we can conclude that cheaper options
are the appeal to fast fashion among young people.
·
Among 100 respondents, 44% of the respondents believe that can
impact brands’ claims while 22% said no.
·
Sustainable fashion clearly has clothes that last longer than fast
fashion. ? Nearly 90% of the respondents donate their clothes in Chennai. It is
expected since donating or giving old clothes to your siblings is culturally
ingrained in Indians. ? Among 100 respondents, 47% of the respondents will not
purchase second-hand clothes from thrift stores. Thrifting is a popular
sustainability practice in the West. In India, there are cultural references to
give our old clothes to younger siblings. Hence it is a foreign concept to pay
for those old clothes.
CONCLUSION
In
conclusion, the imperative of addressing climate change through sustainable
practices has never been more urgent. While sustainability is widely
acknowledged as a crucial lifestyle to combat climate change, effective tactics
must be employed to slow down the doomsday clock. This paper has shed light on
the critical role of the textile and fashion industries in contributing to
greenhouse gas emissions, with fast fashion emerging as a significant driver of
environmental degradation. By analyzing initiatives such as the connect4climate
campaign, the slow fashion movement, and thrifting, it becomes evident that
efforts to counteract fast fashion are underway. Moreover, the establishment of
corporate social responsibility standards and ethical fashion codes within the
industry are steps in the right direction. However, the responsibility does not
solely lie with industry stakeholders.
Consumers also play a pivotal role in driving change through their purchasing
decisions. By choosing to shop ethically and sustainably, consumers can exert
influence throughout the supply chain. In essence, this paper underscores the
interconnectedness of individual actions and systemic change in the pursuit of
sustainability. By collectively addressing the problematic relationship between
our closets and the climate crisis, we can strive towards a more sustainable
future for all.
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