May 11.2023
Gen Z is frequently credited as the creator of sustainable fashion, and a wealth of research supports this claim. Many Gen Zers attribute their preference for secondhand clothing which they often cite as a major motivator. In 2022, 80% of Gen Z purchased used goods, while almost one-third resold them, according to eBay. The global market for used and resale clothing is currently valued at $96 billion and is projected to grow to $218 billion by 2026. On social media, there are countless videos of Gen Z wearing second-hand clothes and talking to viewers about their favorite vintage purchases or finds at charity stores. However, they are, like everyone else, a complicated generation…
If you thought there has been a realization, think again. Actuality, there has never been more demand for fast fashion. The Chinese retailer Shein, established in 2008, surpassed Amazon in 2021/22 to become the most downloaded shopping app in the country. Their website was named the most popular fashion website in the world and is adding between 700 and 1,000 new articles per day on average. According to Global Fashion Industry Statistics, the largest retail markets in the world today are China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan.
You might have expected like all of us, Generation Z to have brought about some change, but when you give it some thought, you realize that this generation has never lived without Fast Fashion. This generation grew up with websites that offered inexpensive goods, free returns, and the excitement of daily newness. You have the ideal recipe for mass consumption when you combine that with frequent social media advertisements. In the UK alone, more than in any other nation in Europe, it is estimated that over two tons of clothing are bought every minute. In Southeast Asia, total consumer spending on apparel and footwear is anticipated to reach 30.4 billion US dollars (+43.54%) between 2023 and 2028, and in 2028, it is predicted that spending on fashion will total US$100.34 billion.
When we know that Global garment industry gas emissions will increase by 50% by 2030, that The Fashion Industry is Responsible for 20% of Global Waste Water (today and probably more tomorrow), and that Nearly 10% of micro plastics dispersed in the ocean each year come from textiles, there are some reasons to be scared for future. There is cause for concern given that between two and three billion people around the world are currently experiencing water shortages and that these shortages will get worse in the decades to come, especially in cities said the latest edition of the UN World Water Development Report dating of May 2023.
But in spite of this, Fashion brands continue to use greenwashing today and for years. The term “sustainable” is now used to describe items made of recycled polyester, and brands continue to be opaque about their supply chains and take little action to lower initial demand for fast fashion. As long as there will be a regular rebound effect from increased or if there is continued fast fashion consumption, the circular economy will never be effective. And although the number of people shopping secondhand may increase, Fast Fashion will also increase as long as the Fashion industry maintains shopping as a novelty-centric pastime…
