Sources of Sustainable Fashion in a Fast Paced World

Where is the fashion industry at now in terms of sustainability and how is it looking to improve for the future? The fashion industry has become one of the most environmentally destructive industries in the world. Since technology has allowed brands to mass produce clothing quickly and cheaply, consumers have become accustomed to purchasing clothing much more frequently. This drastic change in consumer behavior and mass production of garments has led to an incredible amount of waste in our landfills. The current process of manufacturing clothing has pushed fashion to become the second most polluting industry in the world behind oil (McKinsey & Company, 2020). The amount of greenhouse gas emissions released and water used during the clothing manufacturing process is very high. Additionally, harmful chemicals used in the dyeing process pollute nearby water supplies and leave laborers vulnerable to dangerous toxins.

The purpose of this thesis is to assess where the fashion industry has been in terms of sustainability and how it is looking to improve in the future. I researched how fast fashion has caused harm to the environment as consumer behavior has changed, raw materials are sourced unsustainably, and manufacturing of the garments themselves create environmental issues. I also conducted an external environment analysis to assess which current trends will impact the success or failure of sustainable fashion initiatives as well as the competitors that sustainable brands face in the current market. Based on these trends, I identified the demographics that would most likely be interested in sustainable fashion. Finally, I conducted interviews with six professionals in the industry to get their insight on how the industry has changed and where it is heading in terms of sustainability.