Can fast-fashion be sustainable? Researchers think yes. Identifying why the fast-fashion business model creates waste and determining whether regulators can establish incentives for consumers and manufacturers are steps to reduce waste.
Recently, the clothing industry has come under attack for creating a waste problem with serious environmental consequences. In the absence of environmentally and economically feasible recycling options, fast-fashion manufacturers pump out low-quality clothes produced in high volumes that are worn only a few times and then discarded.
The researchers put forth policy contributions, ranging from sustainable disposal of leftover stock to production tax to incentivize both manufacturers and consumers to be more waste conscious.
In order to devise effective policies to curb the environmental impact of the clothing industry, it is important to identify the source of the problem in the supply chain. Manufacturers, consumers, and regulatory bodies can then take an informed approach to recognize the environmental impact of fast-fashion and to design an ecosystem to reduce waste, incentivize innovation, and create new business models to manage waste.