One thing that we no longer need any report or study to tell us is that climate change is very real. We’ re all experiencing it ourselves and we can see that the consequences are becoming worse every year. Which is why the need for sustainable fashion, which many have long been advocating for, is finally being widely recognized. More importantly, consumers are now becoming aware of it and demanding it.
Sustainable fashion doesn’ t just refer to environmentally-friendly clothing. Sustainability, in a nutshell, means good for people and good for the planet. We need sustainable fashion, which not only respects our planet, but also the people throughout its supply chain. Furthermore, sustainable fashion wouldn’ t be sustainable for everyone if it isn’ t also profitable for everyone. Whether you call it sustainable, ethical, conscious, eco or slow fashion, the bottom line is that what we all wear now shouldn’ t cost the future.
Fast fashion has been great for retailers and hugely lucrative. However, this may no longer be the case in the coming years. Our natural resources are limited and working together towards what the United Nations calls the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals is imperative. While it’ s good to hear of fast fashion brands using environmentallyfriendly materials, is it sustainable if the pace of production doesn’ t slow down, if the overall environmental toll isn’ t mitigated and if the exploitation of workers isn’ t put to an end?
We’ re at the tipping point where slowing down means not only ensuring a future where the next generation has a healthy environment to live in. It also means a present where we ourselves can enjoy a world that isn’ t riddled with environmental catastrophes and stained by social injustices.
The silver lining is that we can make a positive impact by being more conscientious with both the things we buy and the things we sell. As the number of conscious consumers grows, the need for responsible retailers also increases. As retailers, what are we going to do now? That’ s the one thing we need to decide on fast.
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Over the years, the fast fashion pace has fueled overconsumption and the perception of clothing as cheap and disposable. However, fast fashion is far from cheap.
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27TH NATIONAL RETAIL CONFERENCE & STORES ASIA EXPO 2021 AUGUST 12-13, 2021 27