by Anna Rohwer
Have you ever wondered why you can find bathing suits in fashion retail stores in January, or why the clothes you buy seem to go out of fashion within a few weeks? Perhaps you’ve been frustrated with the fact that most clothes these days aren’t made to last; they fall apart after just a couple washings. |
In response, and in order to maintain competitiveness, a number of fashion companies--headed by Zara—changed the way their supply chains operated. Basic products were shifted to developing countries, whereas high fashion continued to be produced in the U.S. or Europe. The development of new technology helped to link supply chain activities together and enabled brands to develop a just-in-time production system, where orders can be placed with suppliers on an as-needed basis with rapid turnaround. Referred to in the industry as “fast fashion,” this production practice allows for greater flexibility and ability to respond more closely to market trends. Now, the fashion industry boasts 52 micro-seasons each year, with new trends being introduced in retail stores every week. |
Simon Collins, dean of fashion at Parsons The New School for Design, explains this concept well: “You see some products and it's just garbage. It's just crap. And you sort of fold it up and you think, yeah, you're going to wear it Saturday night to your party—and then it's literally going to fall apart." Elizabeth Cline, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, shares a similar perspective. Referring to a shirt she bought from Old Navy, she says: "I had this tank top that had two flowers, kind of like on the strap, and ... after I started writing the book, I just started looking at my clothes, and the flowers were actually affixed with some sort of tape. They weren't even sewn on." |
Yet, the low cost of fashion keeps consumers coming back for more. Consumers have come to expect new, cheap fashion on a regular basis, and the high demand from consumers pushes prices lower and lower. Fast fashion giant Forever 21 has announced its plan to launch a new brand, F21, which will offer even lower price points than its already low prices: $1.80 for camisoles, $3.80 for t-shirts and $7.80 for denims. Forever 21 is not the only one. Brands such as H&M, Old Navy, and Target also offer incredibly low prices on their fashion. They can survive with low-markup prices because they “earn their profit out of selling an ocean of clothing,” explains Elizabeth Cline. |
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to guess that if you’re buying a t-shirt for $3.80, someone, somewhere, isn’t getting paid very much. Beyond concerns about poor product quality and environmental harm, the global fast-fashion industry has serious implications for workers in developing countries. |
We’ve all heard the term “sweatshop” used in reference to the garment industry at one time or another, and hopefully this has helped you see the direct connection between fast-fashion and poor working conditions in fashion supply chains. Consumers have an important role to play in making the fashion industry more ethical. YOU have an important role to play! Stay tuned for the remainder of this series, which will look at the 2013 Rana Plaza Factory collapse, on-going responses by fashion brands, and what you, as a concerned consumer, can do to make a difference.