fast fashion is about to die

Recent controversy over "fast fashion” has helped expose systemic flaws in the way apparel has been produced and consumed for the last two decades.

Even before the pandemic, fashion manufacturers were being forced to respond and make uncomfortable adjustments. The conversation has since shifted to a breakdown of the industry’s supply chain and, of course, to inflation. In other words, the controversy has not gone away, although the spotlight is now on the factories and manufacturers rather than retailers. This is not a bad thing.

The fashion supply chain has endured several disruptions over the past two years, particularly due to lockdowns in China and Vietnam. Factory and port closures have created a domino effect that couldn’t be easily fixed. “Fast fashion” relies on both mass production and just-in-time inventory practices; the latter implies a rapid flow of product from factory to store. When this flow was suddenly interrupted last year, what has become known as the supply chain crisis rapidly disrupted all levels of commerce. Once-abundant raw materials dried up, leaving the end product nonexistent just as consumption heated up. Meanwhile, factory workers who had returned to their provincial homes proved hard to lure back even as lockdowns eased.

Our dependence on cheap overseas products has become painfully obvious. We need to take steps to reshore entire industries, and we need to act now. Fashion should be at the top of the list.