In 2019 consumers around the world spent $209 billion on home textile products (Cotton Incorporated, 2020b). With consumers spending more time than ever at home, studies show comfort and cleanliness are high priorities. While consumers wash an...
The fashion industry’s progress in sustainability
Fast fashion comes at a cost. However, there is hope, as sustainability has caught on as a fashion industry trend, one that brands and consumers can stick with far beyond the length of a season.
The environmental and social impact of secondhand shopping
Of course there is no doubt that the ever-producing world of fast fashion negatively impacts the environment. For example, a new garment takes 77 gallons of water and creates 17 pounds of carbon dioxide; the industry produces over 100 billion...
Ethical fashion: What it is and why it matters
While the terms sustainable fashion and ethical fashion are often used interchangeably, they do not necessarily mean the same thing to everyone. While sustainable fashion emphasizes environmental impact, ethical fashion focuses on the social impact...
The carbon footprint of clothing care
No one can argue that the quick production and evolving trends of fast fashion lead to exponential waste. McKinsey’s Fashion on Climate report (2020) notes that in 2018 the fashion industry was responsible for 2.1 billion metric tons of...
2021 Trends: How COVID-19 is changing fashion
2021 trends and expectations for companies and consumers look different than previous years. When McKinsey surveyed fashion executives in late 2019, 55% of them expected economic conditions in 2020 to be worse than the previous year. They expressed...
Shopping sustainably during the holidays
Most people have received a holiday gift they did not want, and while they may not know it, they have likely given an unwanted gift. In fact, one survey found that 61% of American respondents admitted to receiving at least one unwanted gift during...
Improving the Longevity of Clothing
The fashion market continuously evolves as trends change. In the past, consumers have faithfully followed these trends, buying and then discarding clothing when new styles arrive. This is problematic, since “Today, just 1 percent of clothing is...
Fair Trade in Fashion: Fair for all in the Industry
In today’s global world, trade influences the production of most goods and services in one way or another. However, the term fair trade may be new or unclear to many.
Sustainability matters to consumers during COVID-19
COVID-19 continues to alter much of the world’s physical way of life. Therefore, it is not surprising that it has impacted attitudes as well. People have fewer places to go and perhaps less money to spend, so they are more methodical about the...