Growth of Fast Fashion Industry. Is it sustainable and can it survive the long haul?

FAST FASHION IS NOW EVERYWHERE. The phrase “fast fashion” refers to low-cost clothing collections that mimic current luxury fashion trends. Fast fashion revolutions helps people especially for young age to be easier consuming fashion in fastest way. In previous time, women relied on magazine such as vogue to understand fashion. Perhaps only the high social class that can follow the trend, then it slowly changes to the new revolution where everyone can enjoy fashion in such many ways. Yes, nowadays people are more selective towards fashion industry. The simple mindset and question that ingrained for most of the girl are “what should we wear tomorrow or the day after or next two days?” We can easier get the piece of what we desire anytime in fast fashion brand (TopShop, Zara, H&M). Women tend to buy fashion for everyday because now it is more affordable and they’re a fast changing even though within 2 weeks. Additionally, men perhaps have started to enter this shopping behavior. Lately, people are crazy of fast fashion industry that proved by the following example;

(Tatarian, 2015)

When H&M x Balmain launched their collection in Singapore, about 400 shoppers both women and men were in line to get their hands on pieces from the limited edition Balmain x H&M collection. The queue started almost 3 days in early to get those pieces. From my experience in Indonesia, I was one of them that curious about this collection, so I came to see the long queue of people. When I arrived in the store, I realize that a lot of products were sold out, even the one left in mannequins. One of my friend was so disappointed of not having one of them until she saw 1 small pouch from H&M x Balmain collection (note: with no written H&M Balmain) and she fight to get this piece. The reason she bought it was just because she wanted the packaging. Another chance, I was trying to buy in website, unfortunately all product sold out in less then 5 mins. I am assuming that this collection actually is not that affordable for fast fashion. However, people can spent for 2,000 SGD-3,000 SGD for that collection. Some of them bought as a gift, personal user, or a new business to re-sell the items. It is surprisingly show when people recognize a brand and they will keep in mind of that image. In the end it’s just a matter of strategy that make people think the expensive product is still affordable while fast fashion are accidentally influence people’s mind.

Now, fast fashion is made to support our daily fashion. Along with the time goes by, we realize that fast fashion growth following demand in market, which is increase over the time. Fast fashion offers a ‘short cut’ to have fun with fashion industry. However, we often forget how this habit could be a slow death for our planet.

There are a lot of disadvantages caused by fast fashion. High production requires a greater volume of raw materials, energy, water and other resources and contributes to climate change and waste. – the U.K.-based organization WRAP estimated that “the processes from raw material to garment supply contribute around one-third of the waste footprint, three-quarters of the carbon impact and most of the water footprint of clothing.”

In addition, keeping prices low affects fast fashion companies to manufacture in countries with low wages, where contractors and subcontractors need to meet requirements for low costs, many times on the account of workers’ safety and working conditions, just like we can show in this documentary movie trailer called "THE TRUE COST".

(Movieclips Film Festival, 2015)

If the question is; would fast fashion be sustainable and survive in long haul? I would like to answer that by depending on how the brands can build a sustainable business model. Actually fast fashion industry contributes in many job opportunities to a lot of people including production and management segment. Comparing luxury fashion to fast fashion brand in term of sales association for the example, you will see fast fashion company needs more people to keep the stocks, or just serve customers. Fast fashion need to ensure some of based element to make them survive in future as well as fair living wage, better working conditions for garment workers or creating a closed-loop systems, as ensuring where customers are encouraged to bring back unwanted clothes, which will later be used as textile materials in new products. This is done before by H&M as known for H&M conscious for a more sustainable fashion future.

WHAT'S THE IDEA?

(Icospirit, 2013)

(Wordpress, n.d)

(Wordpress, n.d)

(Wordpress, n.d)

In conclusion, with the advance of technology everything become so fast, people cant wait for something that they desire. Every people take advantage through this technology, they are given more options and it is cheaper. World demanded to be faster and give profitable. If and when fast fashion will be able to make the problem change, then it will become sustainable and useful. Until then, all we have are attempts with little impact to slow it a bit.