There’s no fast fix for fast fashion’s environmental challenges

Interesting report from the BBC on the use of plastics by some of the most prominent fast fashion online retailers.

While apparel retailers are making concerted efforts to improve the environmental impact of their business through alternative materials and recycling incentives, there is still much to do.

According to our Changing Consumer Priorities research, sustainability and environmental concerns are increasingly prominent in consumers’ minds. The modern ‘self-centric’ consumer wants the right product and the right price, delivered through an experience of their choosing. They also want to have a say in the nature and provenance of the product and its materials. A genuine challenge for apparel businesses as the one driving factor is that although consumers want more sustainable and ethical products, they do not want to pay a premium for them.

We’ve published a series of articles on this topic that explore the steps apparel products and retailers can take to address the impact they have on the planet and appeal to increasingly conscientious consumers:

Responsible apparel in retail—sustainability will resurface

Seeking greater sustainability through the apparel supply chain

Six steps to sustainable emissions reduction in apparel