Consumers\' Attitudes Towards the Environmental

Consumers' Attitudes towards the Environmental impact of Fast Fashion

Attitudes towards the environmental impact of Fast Fashion

Fast Fashion and the environment

Customer awareness

The issue of fast or quick fashion and the impact that this phenomenon has on the environment, as well as consumer reaction, has gradually attracted attention from environmentalists, fashion commentators and the general public in recent years. As an article on the growth of the Fast Fashion industry by Hickman (2006) states, "Growing demand for cheap clothes is putting an increasing social and environmental strain on the world." (Hickman) the author refers to a recent report that "...questions the very sustainability of the "fast fashion" that is growing in popularity among...shoppers." (Hickman) in essence this report has found that, in one of the few academic analysis of the subject, the intense consumerism that is an intrinsic part of the flash fashion industry,"...comes at a heavy cost to factory workers and the environment from intensive use of chemicals and greenhouse gases" (Hickman).

Hickman's article refers to a study entitled, Well Dressed by Cambridge University's Institute for Manufacturing, which traces the impact of garments from the cotton fields of the U.S. To the sweatshops of China. (Hickman) This study and others raise questions and issues that will inform this dissertation. It refers pertinently to the environmental concern that the growth of Fast Fashion has engendered.

Another aspect that will form a central locus of the present study is the way that consumers have reacted and responded to reports of this nature and the growing awareness of the various ways that Fast Fashion can and does affect the environment.

It goes almost without saying that environmental issues and concerns have become a dominant and pervasive part of contemporary consciousness.

The media and scientific reportage and studies on the affect of climate change and global warming and the unrestrained emission of CO2 into the environment have become headline news in the past few years. The issue of Fast Fashion and the fact that the increased consumerism and success of this industry creates pollution and increases emissions into the atmosphere adds to the reality of climate and environmental decline in the world. Therefore, the study of the consequences and effects of Fast Fashion for an environmental perspective is an important part of the modern trajectory of attention and focus on the environment. Therefore, the issue of Fast Fashion will be examined within this context and with particular emphasis on the way that consumers have become more aware of the environmental aspects relating to modern fashion trends.

In general terms 'fast fashion' refers to the modern tendency towards cheap and more accessible clothing and fashion. As one report states, "Not so long ago, the notion of buying clothes from a supermarket was seen as distinctly downmarket. Now, it seems, most women are happy to pile bikinis, T-shirts, gipsy skirts and jeans on top of the baked beans" (Poulter 2005). One study has found that that the percentage of individuals who buy clothing and fashion from supermarkets has increased in developed countries like the United Kingdom from 60 to 73% a single year. (Poulter 2005) This is reflected in figures of cheaper and bargain fashions from retail chains such as Primark. Many other reports and studies reiterate these findings, which attest to the growth and increasing popularity of the Fast Fashion industry.

Central to this phenomenon is that fact that the clothing on offer is relatively cheap, which is a cardinal factor in the patterns of consumerism and the relatively high quantities of clothing that are purchased. As a report from the UK states, "Lower prices have meant that consumers are starting to buy more clothes, more frequently High street stores used to stock just two collections a year - Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer - but now they are more likely to have something new every month" (Cheap Fashion, Fast Fashion)

However, the literature on this topic also refers to the number of recent studies and reports that suggest that there is an altered and more concerned awareness among both retailers and consumers of the fact that there is a rather high price to pay for cheap fashion. The high price is the impact that Fast Fashion is having on the environment. There are an increasing number of reports which intimate that the high levels of consumerism and the subsequent large quantities of clothing being produced have some very real negative effects in terms of environmental balances and pollution levels. This study will explore these assertions and findings in-depth.

An example of this increased level of concern among consumers can be gleaned from the following statement: "Shoppers are advised to lessen their environmental footprint by buying organic cotton and fewer but better garments, washing them at lower temperatures and drying them naturally." (Hickman) There is therefore, in some areas, an increased awareness of methods and ways of reversing and ameliorating the impact that the availability of fast and quick fashion can have on an already stressed and precarious world climate and environment.

On the other hand it is also true that many consumers simply are not aware or do not care about the negative environmental effects that excessive amounts of discarded clothing and production is having on the environment. It will therefore also be a central concern of this study to establish through various methodologies, the extent to which concern for the environmental impact of Fast Fashion has filtered down and is reflected in consumer awareness. These findings can also be extrapolated and developed into a more comprehensive overview and understanding of the situation.

Another fact that should be noted at the outset is the relative paucity of research and study on this topic. The understanding of the actual and potential impact of Fast Fashion on the environment is a rather new and unexplored area of analysis. This is particularly the case with regard to the relative lack of academic and intensive scientific studies. This view is supported by studies such as a paper delivered by Annu Markkula at the Proceedings of the Nordic Consumer Policy Research Conference 2007. She states that, "Sustainable consumption related to fashion and clothing has not yet received systematic research attention." (Markkula) Markkula also suggests that, "Current fashion consumption practices need to be reformed, but also governments and companies need to contribute to advancing more sustainable life styles" (Markkula). Therefore, it is part of the aim of this dissertation to add to research on this area of concern.

Definitions

The Fast Fashion industry has already been described above as a cheap and easily accessible product that can be purchased at outlets such as supermarkets. In general, the term Fast Fashion is described as follows.

Where high street stores used to change their collections twice a year, the pressure is now on to have something new in store every month. Today's 'fast fashion' machine can churn out styles just six weeks after they appear on the catwalk. This trend has been made possible by the expansion of high street, low value retailers such as Primark and Matalan, and the growth of the supermarket clothing sector led by Tesco and Asda-Walmart, which sell clothing at around half the cost of the high street average. According to a recent report by the campaigning group Labour Behind the Label, one foul items of clothing bought in the UK comes from these four stores.

FAST FASHION)

Therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of Fast Fashion includes the fact that Fast Fashion has become immensely popular among consumers and that it has entered into the mainstream of contemporary awareness. This means that Fast Fashion is being fueled by the "... demand of fashion magazines that help create the desire for new "must-haves" for each season. Girls especially are insatiable when it comes to fashion. They have to have the latest thing, always. And since it is cheap, you buy more of it. Our closets are full..." (Luz).

Fast Fashion is being driven by many factors, including its acceptance among the youth and the fashion conscious. This understanding of the relationship between the consumer and Fast Fashion leads inexorably to the fact that Fast Fashion is by definition more disposable than " high " or expensive fashion or clothing. This makes it more of a problem in terms of aspect like pollution.

An important aspect in understanding this phenomenon in the context of environmental factors and theory is the issue of sustainability. Sustainability is defined as follows. "Based on the definition of World Commission (1987), sustainable consumption has been agreed to mean meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the needs of the future ones" (Markkula).

While the issue of sustainability refers to many facets, it also refers to the environment and environmental concerns that can affect human survival.

1.3. Fast Fashion and the environment

The impact of Fast Fashion can have on the environment, and particularly on the delicate and precarious aspects of climate change and global warming, has already been briefly alluded to. There are a myriad ways in which Fast Fashion can influence the environment. In a report on recent research in this area, Hickman (2008) states that, "Although the public recycle newspapers and bottles, only one eighth of clothes are recycled through charity shops

About 70 per cent goes straight to landfill or incineration" (Hickman). This is telling example, of the way that Fast Fashion can affect the environment.

The fact that these fashions are relatively cheap means that they are more easily discarded that would be the case with more expensive garments. Furthermore, the finding that almost all discarded Fast Fashion is not ecologically processed in an environmentally friendly way is a central factor that will be explored in detail.

The same study by Hickman referred to above contributes to the overall picture of the potentially negative outcomes of Fast Fashion in countries like the United Kingdom. " Waste volumes from the sector are high and growing in the UK with the advent of fast fashion...On average UK consumers send 30kg of clothing and textiles per capita to landfill each year" (Hickman).

As a result of these reports there have been calls from the media and other quarters for a greater awareness of the impact of Flash Fashion. "Buy less!" is just the clarion call that campaigners for a greener and more sustainable fashion industry have been waiting to hear (Holt, 2008). This view is also bolstered by the realization of the link between fashion, consumerism and negative environmental aspects. "We are buying a third more clothes than we were a decade ago. Every year we buy around 2m tonnes, and about 1.5m tonnes end up in landfill. The clothing industry is a close rival to the chemical industry in its levels of pollution" (Holt, 2008). As a result, many of the main stakeholders and players in the industry are urgently suggesting that a more cautious strategy should be devised to deal with the increasing amount of clothing that is being consumed. The view is echoed by the head of the London College of Fashion, Dr. Frances Corner. "We have to think more carefully before we buy, we have to buy fewer clothes anyway, and pay more for them" (Holt, 2008)

Among the findings that will be explored and discussed in this dissertations is the fact that "...fast fashion leaves a pollution footprint, with each step of the clothing life cycle generating potential environmental and occupational hazards" (Luz). An example given is the fact that the most common fiber used for the manufacture of flash fashions is polyester. This material is made from petroleum, which immediately raise pollution concerns. Furthermore,

The manufacture of polyester and other synthetic fabrics is an energy-intensive process requiring large amounts of crude oil and releasing emissions including volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, and acid gases such as hydrogen chloride, all of which can cause or aggravate respiratory disease. Volatile monomers, solvents, and other by-products of polyester production are emitted in the wastewater from polyester manufacturing plants. The EPA, under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, considers many textile manufacturing facilities to be hazardous waste generators.

Luz)

There are also concerns that other materials used in the manufacture of clothing may also have negative environmental outcomes. For instance, cotton which is one of the most versatile and often-used materials in the clothing industry has also been found to have environmental implications. " as Claudio Luz (2007) emphasizes,

This crop accounts for a quarter of all the pesticides used in the United States, the largest exporter of cotton in the world, according to the USDA. The U.S. cotton crop benefits from subsidies that keep prices low and production high. The high production of cotton at subsidized low prices is one of the first spokes in the wheel that drives the globalization of fashion.

Luz)

Customer awareness

As has been briefly referred to above, calls for greater consumer awareness of the problem of the impact of Fast Fashion on environmental issues has been heard from many quarters. The following extract from a speech by Joan Ruddock MP to the Rite Group International Conference and Exhibition, London (10 October 2007) is a good example of this call for a greater awareness of the problem.

In the last 10 years, the amount spent on clothing and textiles, in this country, has grown by 34% and stands at approximately £38 billion, representing around 2 million tonnes per annum. I know this is probably good for some of your businesses but, as we know, it can have an impact in other areas. it's clear that many of Britain's shoppers have bought into the rather unsustainable idea of fast fashion....But this 'fast fashion' comes at a cost. Cheap to produce fashion items can be thrown in the bin after being worn just two or three times, adding to the already enormous mountain of waste that this country produces.So we need to look closely at this trend and see if there is any way of reducing its impacts. (Speech by Joan Ruddock MP speech to the Rite Group International Conference and Exhibition, London, 2007)

The extent to which calls to look "at any way of reducing its impacts" has been heeded by the consumer is an issue that has not yet been clearly defined, measured or established in the literature. This will be a central trajectory of this dissertation and an attempt will be made in this study to add to the much needed research in this area.

Among the many articles, studies are reports that attempt to gauge the relationship between Fast Fashion and environmental friendliness and sustainability is, ANALYSIS: Do consumer concerns threaten Fast Fashion? (2007). The views in the article act as an important springboard for future discussion and analysis. For example, " Most apparel retailers and brand owners believe there's widespread consumer concern about human rights and the environmental impact of the clothes they wear." (ANALYSIS: Do consumer concerns threaten Fast Fashion? 2007). However, the article also points to the opposing view that consumer concern will be dampened and negated by the "demands of fashion" and the popularity and ease of access to Fast Fashions. The two sides of this debate are important considerations in the overall analysis of the impact of Flash Fashion.

Many studies also ask the question, " Does all this really matter to the average consumer?" (ANALYSIS: Do consumer concerns threaten Fast Fashion? 2007). There are theories and predictions that in the future the media focus on global warming will make both retailers and customers more aware of the problems surrounding Fast Fashion and that this will translate into actions to counter these problems. However, the dictates of the market and consumer demand are factors that possibly militate against these more optimistic projections.

The increase in consume awareness of the problem is reiterated by Markkula (2007). She states that there are signs in the media and from various reports of an increased cognizance of the link between Fast Fashion and the environment. There is a sense in which the consumer is becoming more aware of issues that goes beyond the popularity of cheap fashion. This view is also noted by Rushton (2007) in an article entitled, Swap drop: Fashion goes green. "We love clothes but over the past couple of years we have forgotten our morals and better judgment in favor of cheap fashion...." (Rushton).

Aims, objectives and limitations

One of the central aims of this dissertation will be to investigate if the views about an increase in consumer awareness of the problem of Fast Fashion and environmental damage are typical or atypical. Allied with this aim is the objective of adding and contributing to the body of knowledge and research on this topic. This refers to the fact that many expert are calling for a reassessment of the fashion industry in the light of sustainability. " Little attention has been paid so far on sustainable consumption as regards fashion and clothing sector...." and,

The sustainability of fashion and clothing sector has remained quite untouched....Both sustainable production and consumption related to this sector need to be critically re-discussed in order to reach environmental, economical, and social sustainability. This said, also the current fashion consumption practices would need to be reformed.

Markkula)

The central objective of this study to thoroughly peruse the available literature, both online and offline, in order to asses the extent of the problem as it relates to various environment issue and to ascertain through this analysis the extent of consumer awareness and reaction to the issue. These objectives will be further elaborated on in the methodology section.

However, these objectives and aims will of necessity have to include a wide range of variables. Consequently, there are some obvious limitations to this study that must be acknowledged. In the first instance, the extent of the variables will have to be limited. The two central variables that will be considered are the extent of environmental damage causes by Flash Fashion and, secondly, the responses in both a positive and negative sense from consumers. It is also clear that a study of this nature is further limited by the range of consumers that can be interviewed and by the limited research data that is available at present.

Chapter Two

Literature review

As has been noted, the literature is to some extent limited and at this stage is not very extensive in some areas. However, there are a number of sources that provide valuable commentary and data on the topic. It was found that online resources were more prolific and up-to-date. The relative newness of the topic therefore privileges the immediacy of the online environment. In particular, magazine and newspaper reports were found to be fairly extensive.

There are a number of articles that provided useful background information and data on the Fast Fashion industry. A good example is an interview with the CEO of Lecta concerning the impact of globalization and automation in the garment industry, entitled, Where the Garment Factory Is Going. This article provides important insight into the way that the fashion industry is being automated to produce increasingly larger quantities of clothing. The article also proves information about the future of the industry. A brief but useful article that also proves important background is Margareta van den Bosch (2007). This article provides details about the "visionary" originator of Fast Fashion, Margareta van den Bosch.

An excellent article that provides not only a background to the industry but also clear insight into the impact that Fast Fashion has had on the environment is, Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry by Claudio Luz (2007). Luz links the flash fashion industry to variables such as globalization and consumerism.

Globalization, consumerism, and recycling all converge to connect these scenes. Globalization has made it possible to produce clothing at increasingly lower prices, prices so low that many consumers consider this clothing to be disposable. Some call it "fast fashion," the clothing equivalent of fast food

Luz).

An interesting facet of this article is that the author refers to aspects such as the "progressive obsolescence" of clothing, as well as the emergence of recycling as a means of dealing with the problems that have emerged from Fast Fashion. This article is essential for an in-depth understanding of the market and economic forces that drive the clothing and Fast Fashion industry. The following extract summarizes this aspect to a certain extent.

Industrialization brought consumerism with it as an integral part of the economy. Economic growth came to depend on continued marketing of new products and disposal of old ones that are thrown away simply because stylistic norms promote their obsolescence. When it comes to clothing, the rate of purchase and disposal has dramatically increased, so the path that a T-shirt travels from the sales floor to the landfill has become shorter.

Luz)

The latest literature on Fast Fashion provides some very incisive overviews of the way that fashion relates to ecological and environmental concerns. Annu Markkula's paper, Sustainable Consumption - Sustainable Ways of Consuming Fashion (2007), reflects some of the latest thinking and problematics concerning Fast Fashion. Markkula's paper, which has been referred to in the sections above, emphasizes the urgent need for a reassessment and restructuring of the Fast Fashion industry to take account of sustainability issues - especially with regard to the environment and ecological balance. An important aspect of this paper is that the author stresses the need for more comprehensive research into this topic.

There are a large number of online articles available that interrogate the relationship between fashion, Fast Fashion and the environment. This information is often very contemporary and up-to-date and provides access to some of the latest thinking on the subject. Online newspapers and databases are also a source of relevant information. They provide a general overview of the concerns relating to the environment and, even more importantly in terms of this study, provide access to consumer concerns and reaction to this issue.

An article that proved to be very useful in the original stages of research on this topic was Buy it, wear it, bin it: the price of fast fashion, by Hickman (2006). This article provides a clear view of the way that modern Fast Fashion impacts on environmental issue, especially in terms of potential pollution problems due the manufacturing process as well as the disposability factor inherent in cheap fashion. In a similar vein a report on the accessibly of Fast Fashion is Fast fashion at the supermarket by Sean Poulter (2005).

Among the studies dealing directly with the effect that fast and cheap fashion has on the environment, is Cheap Fashion, Fast Fashion. This online article proves a good overview of the way that Fast Fashion affects the various sectors of society. This in turn is related to various environmental issues.