As sustainability nerds, we love research. So to learn about “sustainable fashion”, we put together a database. Read about the history of fast fashion, the rise of sustainable fashion, best practices, and risks and challenges.
R4's Fashion Database
When we first started our journey in 2021, it seemed that the term “sustainable fashion” had just been coined - or so we thought. Today, the term is used interchangeably. Whether it’s the fast-fashion giants creating “eco-collections”, smaller start-ups using the likes of recycled fabrics, or retro thrift shops charging $100 for your grandma’s scarf - it’s easy to get confused in it all.
So what does “sustainable fashion” actually mean?
In collaboration with students from London Strategic Consulting (LSC).
LSC is a London-based student consultancy, that provides services for the world’s leading international organizations, disruptive startups, and the public sector. Joined by students from top UK and US institutions - including LSE, UCL, KCL, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Pennsylvania - LSC offers expertise to the professional world. Teams at LSC are mentored by consultants from firms such as McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, KPMG, and Accenture.
The database was also supported in collaboration with students from the Institut Français de la Mode and Bayes Business School.
Check out a sneak peak below!
Fast fashion:
Summary
The rise of fast fashion is linked with the Industrial Revolution’s capability to drastically increase production with fewer and cheaper resources. As people’s incomes grew, the world witnessed exponential growth in consuming for pleasure rather than necessity. Fast fashion was a part of this consumeristic trend, and used its influence to manipulate customers into buying more.
Sustainable fashion: Summary
Sustainable fashion originates from the hippie movement of the 1960s. As environmental disasters and labor exploitation start to surface, consumers and brands rethink of the impacts of the fashion industry. Sustainable fashion aims to minimise ethical and environmental impacts across the supply-chain of all garments and accessories.
Best practices:
Summary
Best practices developed by the sustainable fashion industry include the consideration of the following: production of textiles; materials used in production; standards and certifications across the supply chain; packaging; recycling schemes to manage end-of-life; innovations of new materials, business models, production on demand, and more.
Risks & challenges:
Summary
Sustainable fashion still comes with a series of risks and challenges, such as its blurred definition, the requirement of a systematic revolution, greenwashing risks, economic disadvantages, and misperceptions from customers.