Sustainability

Fashion Shouldn’t Cost The Earth:

re-Design Fashion Sustainability

 

 

Introduction

The fashion industry has been responsible for serious social and environmental issues. Fast-fashion practices, in particular, emphasize making fashion trends quickly and producing garments with low cost and high volume (Mintel, 2007), causing negative impacts on the environment and undue harm to society (Ghaly et al., 2014). Fast fashion is referred to as a shorter production time for a garment being both designed and created, poorly made with the expectation of discarding the garment (Bliss, 2021). The fast-fashion items typically last no more than ten wears (Morgan & Birtwistle, 2009) and these discarded garments end up in landfills. In 2020, Vogue Business delineated that more than half of Generation Z bought most of their clothes from fast-fashion companies (Kale, 2021). In a recent survey, Khan (2022) found that 86% of consumers believe sustainability is crucial when choosing a company to purchase from, yet 48% are unaware of where to go for sustainable options and 42% of consumers are confused about what makes clothing sustainable. Most of the confusion surrounding sustainability within the fashion industry is connected to “greenwashing”, a term created to explain how companies are profiting from consumers by launching campaigns claiming sustainability (Khan, 2021). Two-thirds of consumers say they would switch, avoid, or boycott brands based on their stance on controversial issues (Amed et al., 2019). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported 66% of all textiles end up in landfills (Biodegradability, 2021) and Americans throw away mass amounts of clothing, doubling in the past 20 years from 7 million to 14 million tons that pile into landfills each year (Brown, 2021). During the decomposition process, fabrics generate greenhouse gasses, including methane, and leach toxic chemicals and dyes into the groundwater and soils (Brooksbank, 2021).

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Motivation

            This study will bring awareness to both consumers and manufacturers by analyzing buying behaviors with biodegradability rates of various textiles that we will conduct the biodegradable experiments through this ACRE. Sustainability has always been an interest of mine personally, from finding ways to reduce my own carbon footprint to changing my life completely. Professor MeeAe Oh-Ranck also shares this interest and passion towards sustainability, specifically within the fashion industry. Together we hope to transform the minds of consumers while bringing awareness to manufacturers. The goal of this research is to understand the consumers’ mindset while following along and evaluating two popular fast fashion brands (H&M, and SHEIN) in order to determine if sustainability is not only achievable, but also desired.

Research Objectives

The study aims to meet the following objectives:

• Conduct a literature review to gain knowledge on sustainability issues and ethical concerns.

• Examine consumer’s awareness of sustainability and how it relates to purchasing decisions using both a pre and post survey in regards to video analysis of biodegradability.

• Assess analytical data of two fast-fashion companies; H&M, and SHEIN.

• Analyze research data on natural degradation of fast fashion clothes.

• Compare consumer purchasing habits between pre and post surveys.

• Create a video of natural decomposition processes for social media to bring social and environmental awareness.

• Refine and “re-Design” sustainability efforts based on experimental results and changed consumer behaviors.

• Recommend the research to companies from our case study.

 

Methodology

            We will conduct two case studies comparing various fast-fashion brands (H&M and SHEIN), analyzing consumer reviews and create a customer profile data with a visual presentation. Also, we will perform a quantitative pre-survey prior to viewing a created bio-degradable video of the degradation processes of garments and analyzing consumers' perception of sustainability, willingness to change, and prior knowledge of fast fashion textiles within their eco-friendliness. The biodegradability video tests will use sample garments containing polyester, cotton, and blended fibers. We will exam the issue of blends or finishes added to the production process that can hinder the biodegradability of the material. Most would assume that natural fibers decompose easily; unfortunately that is often not the case. Upon further inspection of these fibers, their biodegradability will allow us to establish which factors affect cotton from and ways in which allow fibers to decompose quickly and entirely. Most fast-fashion companies use blended textiles for their production in order to cut costs, we will be able to look at how the blended fibers decompose as well as how satisfied consumers are with those brands. Through analyzing various fast-fashion companies, we can begin to discover the best end solutions and increase the consumer knowledge of how their clothing is impacting the environment. Through surveys of large varied groups, of different economic statuses and ages, we will have the opportunity to determine how well the consumer is informed of the impact their clothing has on the environment, as well as determine if they are willing to change their shopping habits. If the consumer is willing to change their buying habits then the manufacturers will make more sustainable fashion choices to meet the new demands. Promoting social awareness of current the fashion industry through analytical data, a visual presentation, and biodegradable video recording will constitute the “re-Design” aspect of our project.

Originality/Contributions 

            There have been various studies on biodegradable testing projects motivated by fashion companies, however, this bio-degradable testing video research at varying intervals will provide a useful perspective of the issue.  This unique study will be a valuable resource for both consumers who want to make a conscious decision on purchasing garments, and fast fashion companies striving to integrate a wide variety of sustainability initiatives into their existing business models to achieve their goals.

Dissemination

            These processes will be completed throughout the full summer ACRE session, as well as on display for the spring 2023 Albright Fashion Show. Upon completion of this collection, Professor Oh-Ranck and I will present to the ITAA and Costume Society of America. Including the results of the work in at least one professional journal publication, such as the Journal of the Costume Society of America. Finally, I plan to submit the research to Women’s Wear Daily (WWD). We will also present our research at the HECBC conference at the Reading Area Community College.

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Faculty Statement for ACRE Proposal

1 – Why is the student qualified to work on this project with you? What lead to the collaboration?

Olivia Oatman was one of the most dedicated students in my FAS105 Visual Literacy and she approached me to talk about ACRE research ideas on sustainable issues in fashion industry which lead to the ACRE.  Olivia is an ideal candidate with her interests and experiences because she exhibits a passion to learn about the sustainable aspects of fashion and textiles.

 

2 – What learning goals do you foresee in this project for the student? What learning goals do you foresee in this project for you?

Through this collaborative project, Olivia will;

1. Examine the existing literature and gain knowledge on sustainability issues and ethical concerns.

2. Assess analytical data of two fast-fashion companies; H&M, and SHEIN and other archival data and develop a Customer Profiling Data and Visual Presentation Board.

3. Analyze research data on natural degradation on fast fashion clothes and its implications

4. Compare consumer purchasing habits between pre-survey and post-survey (watching a decomposition video) data and quantify the results.

5. Create a video of natural decomposition processes for social media to bring social and environmental awareness.

My own research will include;

1. Expanded research on sustainability.

2. Collect data exploring the benefits of developing sustainable and conscious analytical data for an educational purpose

3. Learn and improve my skills to develop quantitave and qualitative data collection.

 

3 – Please comment on the collaborative nature of the project. Address the specific role(s) you will have.

The project will be a fully collaborative process. I will provide my knowledge and skills on colleting research data, analysis and reports. Olivia will record varying degrees of degradation on test samples daily (10 sample garments produced from fast fashion companies) and record the progress in a video. Also, we will work together to develop the survey data (pre and post) to quantify the results. Olivia and I will work to analyze our data described above. We will work through the necessary rounds of feedback and revisions with any writing produced.

 

4 – How does the proposed project complement the field? What are the broader implications of this project? 

While there has been some fabric decomposition research motivated by corporations, there is still some confusion surrounding sustainability due to “greenwashing.”  Due to the ever changing complexity of textile creation, it has become harder to determine the time rate of decomposition and there currently is no set answer on fabric decomposition rates. Furthermore, the implication of this research is to change consumer purchasing habits towards sustainable products through the decomposition video on how the sample garments disintegrate and eventually biodegrade.

 

5 – Please comment on the scope of the project. Is it appropriate for the timeframe of the ACRE?

Our goals for this project in terms of research, data collection, analysis of data, and promoting sustainability have been carefully considered and fall well within the time constraints. However, I believe Olivia will extend this research into the fall semester as she will use this ACRE project for the basis of Senior Thesis Project. Olivia is very focused and inspired by our research direction, so along with my mutual research interests, I am confident we will accomplish the goals outlined in this project.

 

6 – How will the results of this project be disseminated? What sort of presentation or publication venue is a likely outlet for this work?

Olivia’s ACRE project will be presented at the Albright Fashion Show in 2023. I also expect that this project will be presented at two professional conferences; one hosted by the Costume Society of America (CSA) and another by the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA).  Finally, I plan to submit the research to Women’s Wear Daily (WWD).

 

7 – Are you planning to travel during the timeframe of the project? If so, how are you planning to handle the supervision of the student participant while you are away?

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Abstract

With fashion consuming the marketplace and being the second biggest pollutant, consumers and manufacturers need to change the system as a whole in order to reach sustainability. Fast-Fashion practices emphasize making fashion trends quickly and producing garments with low cost and high volume, with items typically lasting no more than ten wears. We collected data on biodegradability rates of the sample garments from H&M and Shein, fast fashion brands to bring consumer’s awareness of sustainability and how it relates to purchasing decisions by using video demonstration of the test results. A survey on sustainability was conducted determining the level of knowledge the consumer has of sustainability within the fashion world and at what rate the consumer is ready to make an individual change. With the assistance of this study, we hope the consumer is able to learn about their purchasing behaviors and the effects it has on the environment while also showing the manufacturers that change is wanted and possible. The significance of the study is that it addresses the concerns of social, economic and environmental issues from the fast fashion practices while also bringing social awareness regarding purchasing habits.

 

Research

Due to fashion being outsourced around the globe, for cheap labor and materials, the fashion industry is responsible for 3.3 billion tonnes or 10 percent of all global CO2 emissions and 20 percent of global waste streams (Zhang et al., 2021). In order for the UK alone to reach zero emissions by 2050 consumers will need to redesign their ways and how they purchase and think of fashion as well as how production is created for textiles (Zhang et al., 2021). A Unilever study found that over one third of consumers are now choosing to buy from sustainable brands, 53% of shoppers claim to feel better when purchasing sustainable products, as well as 21% say they would actively choose brands if they made their sustainability credentials clearer through marketing, advertisements, and packaging (Zhang et al., 2021). Three perspectives need to be considered for the relationship of fast fashion and sustainability: the supply side (brands), the demand side (consumers), and the regulator side (government and industrial organizations). With all three of these factors working together sustainability can be achieved (Zhang et al., 2021). 

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Fast fashion companies’ prey on lower to middle class families looking for fashion at an affordable price through the help of online advertisements, taking a production of two-four collections a year up to 24 collections (Zhang et al., 2021). These companies thrive on “throwaway fashion” culture by producing garments that will knowingly last no longer than 10 wears (Zhang et al., 2021). Many fast fashion retailers have begun launching campaigns encouraging sustainability with information on their websites, H&M launched “the Conscious Collection” which uses sustainable materials for their garments (Zhang et al., 2021). Although this is a newer concept for fast fashion retailers it can be seen to have an increased consumption rate and higher social impact within their consumer purchasing behaviors (Zhang et al., 2021). Consumers' lack of information and education on the matter of sustainability is the leading cause to miss information and purchasing behaviors, and companies thrive on these facts by releasing limited or false information (Zhang et al., 2021). 

Recovering from the effects of the fashion industry is necessary for sustainability to occur within this growing industry. A key objective towards sustainability is the development of slowing down the entire process resulting in slow-fashion rather than fast-fashion (Csanák, 2018). Sustainability can only be achieved successfully if businesses look at and change several factors: protecting the environment, recycling of waste, using and encouraging environmentally friendly materials, establishing fair trade and better working conditions, protection of skills and original heritage, supply chain management, and the application of animal-welfare (Csanák, 2018). With these factors in mind, sustainability can be achievable throughout the fashion industry. 

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The main goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of the fashion industry through social responsibility and environmental impacts. “Fashion is considered as a temporarily dominant direction of custom style, otherwise: a popular or the latest style of clothing, hair, decoration, or behavior, a manner of doing something (Csanák, 2018).” Slow and sustainable fashion have never been of interest towards the fashion world despite the shifts and changes warranted by consumers, mainly due to the fast shifts and spread of new styles (Csanák, 2018). Sustainable fashion fights for change and goals that are challenging with styles that are constantly evolving for the better (Csanák, 2018). For change within corporations to occur they will have to face a profit reduction that seems to be unlikely for many, placing the greater good for greed is needed for sustainability to arise (Csanák, 2018). 

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Within this study we have analyzed two major fast fashion companies: SHEIN and H&M. Each company has their own unique and individual business model they follow not only to guarantee success but also to achieve their goals. Looking further into the business models used by fast fashion companies in comparison to slow fashion we can conclude their use of social media as a marketing tool and a second store. We have broken down the total following, likes, shares, and views of each company on all major social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. 

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Evaluating 1,000 customer reviews directly from each company's website as well as from a third party’s reviews. Reading each review carefully in order to determine which column they accurately fall into: (1) Sustainability, eco- or environmentally friendly practices, corporate social responsibility (CSR), (2) Consumer is aware of sustainability issues yet continue to purchase, (3) Consumer claims to be addicted to company, (4) Product quality, durability, and uniqueness, (5) Product Pricing, (6) Shipping and Delivery, (7) Return Policies, and (8) Other Miscellaneous issues: Customer Reviews. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From H&M’s direct website we found that consumers are willing to pay a bit more for a fast-fashion brand that reflects a bit better quality with prices ranging mostly from $9.99 to $39.99. The reviews clearly stated the excitement and love of their purchases with little complaints, except for those coming from fit and sizing related issues as well as the occasional packaging complaint. Many thought the price was worth the quality. 

 

Most of the concerns within these reviews seem to be over customer service whether in person or online. They treat people disrespectfully and encourage their staff to decline returns in order to keep the profits. Those who write reviews on other websites emphasize their poor production of the garments while on their direct website it is harder to find bad reviews. There also seems to be a great deal of issues surrounding their delivery/ shipping and. return policy that consumers are unhappy with as they are not getting either.

 

We found that for the cheaper garments many consumers were somewhat okay with the quality while on the $20 items they were furious that the quality was the same as the $4 items yet more expensive. Almost all of the items were transparent or see-through, did not match the product photo, colors were inaccurate, and were inaccurate on sizing information. Even on the 5 star reviews the quality doesn't match although the consumer is more than happy to pay since the garments typically range from $2 to $20. Many of the items had thousands of reviews in comparison to H&M. 

 

It seems as though the consensus of the reviews agree that you "get what you pay for," and since the clothing is the cheapest around it is easier to justify buying shady quality to save a dollar. Most of the reviews say it is a hit or miss even if they leave a 5-star review, customers seem to not mind the quality as long as it is affordable in the moment. Since the website is rather large, they can please a bigger audience than other fast fashion companies. SHEIN also offers points for money off your next purchase by leaving reviews and gaining likes from them, possibly leading to false 5-star reviews rather than accurate ones. Most reviews like the quality especially with the price to match.

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As the results show from analyzing customer reviews, responses are rated higher directly from the company’s websites whereas consumers are willing to discuss their issues related to the products or companies on third party websites.

 

            Evaluating both companies further, we investigated the average cost of each garment to better understand why consumers were more willing to provide positive reviews rather than negative ones. Initially we predicted negative reviews, which has led us to further dive into the consumer mindset behind supporting these companies despite knowing the poor quality and questionable practices they partake in. When breaking own the price point of each garment we categorize them from: (1) Price: Under $10, (2) Price: $10 - $20, (3) Price: 20 - $30, (4) Price: $30 - $40, (5) Price: $40 - $50, (6) Price: $50 - $60, (7) Price: $60 - $70, (8) Price: $70 - $80, (9) Price: $80 - $90, (10) Price: $90 - $100, (11) Price: Above $100. We evaluated women’s garments by looking into: Dresses, Tops, Shirts and Blouses, Pants, Jeans, Shorts, Overalls and Jumpsuits, and Skirts. Within this study we decided to only look into women's garments excluding the men’s, and kid’s sections on each companies’ websites. While SHEIN has a significantly larger website than H&M we were able to conclude that SHEIN averages a $10 to $20 price decrease with most of their women's garments costing under $10 while H&M averages their cost $10 to $30.

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Fast-Fashion is linked to consumer behaviors, habits, and desire for status leading fast-fashion to practice in an over production rate of mass-produced garments and availability (Tsabitah & Anggraeni, 2021). A study was conducted by Tsabitah and Anggraeni in 2021, focusing on Generation y and Generation Z between a fast-fashion brand that is affordable for all versus a slow fashion brand that has a higher price tag. Aiming to determine which generation is more willing to purchase from either brand due to style, inclusivity, knowledge, price, quality, and brand awareness (Tsabitah & Anggraeni, 2021). Ultimately wanting to know why these generations are choosing fast-fashion and if their choices can be swayed (Tsabitah & Anggraeni, 2021). “Brand awareness is generated and enhanced by repeated contact to increase familiarity with the brand, which eventually leads consumers to "experience" the brand, and when con- sumers see, hear, or think about having enough experience with the brand, the brand concept will take root in memory (Tsabitah & Anggraeni, 2021).” When fast-fashion brands rely heavily on hauls and online presence this takes effect “Perceived quality is defined as consumers' judgment of the overall quality of a product, and even the perceived quality is not the objective quality of a product, but depends on consumers' subjective evaluation of quality, which can be used as a reference before purchasing a product (Tsabitah & Anggraeni, 2021). It is also worth noting that when consumers are relatively unfamiliar with the characteristics of the product or consumers lack experience or knowledge of the target product, the possibility of using price as a quality signal is usually particularly high (Tsabitah & Anggraeni, 2021).” When SHEIN gains positive feedback on reviews as good enough for the price this is what happens, the consumer may not know of a better quality or be justifying it based on the price rather than the production of that garment. “Consumers believe that the image emitted by a brand or company can indirectly indicate the quality of the brand’s products or ser- vices (Tsabitah & Anggraeni, 2021).” When the consumer purchases from H&M they expect better quality due to the perception and reputation followed by a higher price point average whereas when a consumer purchases from SHEIN they automatically expect lower quality and are more than willing to accept this due to the price yet when the quality is better than they initially expected the consumer is thrilled. “Products can be considered as a series of internal (style, design, suitability) and external (price, warranties, brand name) information clues, each clue provides customers with a basis for evaluating products (Tsabitah & Anggraeni, 2021).”

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In order to determine the rate of value consumers find sustainability crucial we conducted a survey analysis using Microsoft Teams. It is important to note that this study is still being conducted until the end of May 2023 as the results may vary. From 27 responses we gathered information determining education, income, gender, purchasing habits, sustainability awareness, and brand preference. Out of 27 responses 21 were female, 4 were male, and 1 preferred not to say; 12 responses came from 18-21 year old’s, 3 responses from 22-25, 1 from 26-29, and 11 from over 30 year old’s; 

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Within this research we compose a biodegradability study using textiles from SHEIN, H&M, and TestFabrics. TestFabric has no finishes, dyes or additives to their textiles making them our controlled setting while SHEIN and H&M have a variety of the things depending on the garment chosen. Using a total of 12 subjects we collected Polyester, Polyester/Cotton, Cotton, and Linen for our study. We were able to predict that linen would decompose first, then cotton, and unfortunately polyester and polyester/cotton would not decompose. Within 27 days of the study linen was 50% fully decomposed from each brand, cotton was about 30% decomposed, and no change was visible to polyester or polyester/cotton. When the study reached 33 days, the linen from SHEIN was 100% decomposed and H&M and TestFabrics were 75% decomposed, cotton was 50% decomposed, polyester and polyester/cotton have yet to start decomposition. At 50 days of this study all the linen had fully decomposed, 75% of the cotton had decomposed, polyester and polyester/cotton have yet to start decomposition. This study showed the progressiveness of natural fibers versus synthetic fibers and the rate at which they begin and succeed in full decomposition.

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Biodegradability Study

Conducting a biodegradability study using textiles from SHEIN, H&M, and TestFabrics. TestFabric has no finishes, dyes or additives to their textiles making them our controlled setting while SHEIN and H&M have a variety of the things depending on the garment chosen. Using a total of 12 subjects we collected Polyester, Polyester/Cotton, Cotton, and Linen for our study. We were able to predict that linen would decompose first, then cotton, and unfortunately polyester and polyester/cotton would not decompose. Within 27 days of the study linen was 50% fully decomposed from each brand, cotton was about 30% decomposed, and no change was visible to polyester or polyester/cotton. When the study reached 33 days, the linen from SHEIN was 100% decomposed and H&M and TestFabrics were 75% decomposed, cotton was 50% decomposed, polyester and polyester/cotton have yet to start decomposition. At 50 days of this study all the linen had fully decomposed, 75% of the cotton had decomposed, polyester and polyester/cotton have yet to start decomposition. This study showed the progressiveness of natural fibers versus synthetic fibers and the rate at which they begin and succeed in full decomposition.

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Sustainable Options

Within this study we have analyze additional case studies in order to fin n alternative solution towards fast-fashion. While these are only two solutions towards an alternative purchasing method there are still various solutions to be explored. 

 

ThreadUp

ThreadUp is an online thrift store aiming to reduce waste by encouraging its shoppers to give garments a second life (Our impact). Unlike other online secondhand websites, ThreadUp sends the seller a free box with a shipping label where they send their unwanted garments to ThreadUp directly allowing the seller to not have to worry about a thing (Our impact). ThreadUp will give the original owner store credit or cash on their car once their garments sell (Our impact). The garments are carefully examined, priced, and put online for buyers to enjoy (Our impact). Some lower cost items sellers are trying to get rid of may not have a profit due to the inspection process costing more than the garment (Our impact). 

 

Founded in 2009 by James Reinhart after realizing there was money to be made from his unwanted clothes and the thought that others felt the same (Our impact). A year later in 2010, ThreadUp introduced a kids clothing collection captioning “Clothes don’t grow, kids do  (Our impact).” In 2011 the online thrift store introduced a free Clean Out Kit which allows others to ship out gently used clothes to make a profit in exchange, this allowed the company to achieve a mass supply while providing others with the opportunity to rid themselves of unwanted garments (Our impact). By 2012 the company opened its first distribution center allowing its inventory to grow with the website (Our impact). In 2013 the company opened a women's section, gaining more popularity than the kids (Our impact). In 2014 the brand includes designer fashion with curated pieces (Our impact). In 2015 ThreadUp opened a second distribution center in Mechanicsburg, PA (Our impact). In 2016 the brand expanded their online presence even further by opening an office in Kiev, Ukraine for a team of engineers and data scientists (Our impact). In 2017 ThreadUp introduced its first pop-up store in Texas and California for thrifters to experience an in-person point of view, Launched Shop Her Closet allowing consumers to shop their favorite celebrities’ closets with all the proceeds going to charity, as well as launching Goody Boxes giving customers a wardrobe upgrade (Our impact). ThreadUp not only strives for better within their own company but they also challenge other companies to do better, in 2018 ThreadUp openly challenged Burberry to do better after news broke of the brand burning over $37 million in excess inventory in one year (Our impact). Shortly after this Thread Up launched a resale-as-a-Service (RAAS) allowing brands to plug into its resale engine to deliver thrift experiences to their customers (Our impact). In 2019 secondhand shopping becomes more mainstream when ThreadUp partners with even more celebrities, their HQ moves from san Francisco to a historic building in Oakland California with everything containing second hand, vintage, reused or repurposed qualities, as well as replacing their paper mailers with recycled poly mailers that are 100% recyclable and 100% reusable (Our impact). In 2020 ThreadUp launches the Fashion Footprint Calculator to help consumers understand how their fashion habits contribute to climate change by encouraging them to shop sustainable (Our impact). Within this year they also partnered with Walmart.com tto bring thrifting to the masses through their online presence, opening a third distribution center in Atlanta Georgia, Launches a rebrand encouraging the shift to thrift, and partners with Christin Siriano to launch the first universal thrift logo for used clothes (Our impact). In 2021 ThreadUp officially processed 100 million items and displaced a total of 1 billion lbs of CO2e, while consumers have saved a total of $3.3 Billion off retail prices, as well as thawing thrifted looks from ThreadUp walk the New York Fashion Week runway signifying an industry shift towards a more sustainable future (Our impact). 

 

Within ThreadUP’s inventory there are 26 fibers making 99% of the total inventor, with 14 fiber contents including natural fibers, 6 including cellulosic fibers, and 8 including synthetic fibers (Thredup Company Profile - office locations, competitors ... - craft). A typical apparel has a useful life of about 50 washes (13) before it is significantly worn out (Thredup Company Profile - office locations, competitors ... - craft). Many consumers use garments for less than half of their useful life before disposing of them (Thredup Company Profile - office locations, competitors ... - craft). ThredUP further sorts used clothing so that only good quality clothes are available for sale in their online store. The study assumes that second-hand clothing sold by ThredUP has 70% of its useful life still left (13) (Thredup Company Profile - office locations, competitors ... - craft).

 

All cleanout bags are sent to recycling by ThreadUp, the clean out kit is entirely manufactured and printed in the USA (Thredup Company Profile - office locations, competitors ... - craft). Offset printing is used for both envelope and cleanout bag printing (Thredup Company Profile - office locations, competitors ... - craft). The process is identical for both paper and LDPE film printing including amount of ink, energy and other resources consumed (Thredup Company Profile - office locations, competitors ... - craft). 

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Stitch Fix

Stitch Fix is a membership program with no commitment where buyers can take a personalized style quiz to determine their perfect fit (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Each garment is carefully picked by a stylist that is paired with each person individually in order to provide them with the best care and quality possible (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Working directly with vendors to provide the best quality, prices, and sustainable options possible for their customers, Stitch Fix ensures all measures are taken in order to reach a sustainable future (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Through their vendor code of conduct, Stitch Fix is dedicated to ensuring the best working conditions possible with shared ethical and environmental standards (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Using private label factories to guarantee adequate “workplace conditions, wages, working hours, health and safety, and non-discrimination (Stitch fix, your personal stylist).” In 2021 Stitch Fix became a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), a nonprofit organization leading companies to reduce environmental impacts while promoting social justice (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). 

 

By 2025 Stitch Fix plans to source 100% of their materials from their private label brands towards sustainable materials (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Currently 32% of Cotton used by Stitch Fixes private label brands is sourced in more sustainable ways, working with farmers to reduce chemical, water usage, and carbon, working with Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) to achieve these goals (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Better Cotton Initiative is a non-profit organization leading the globe towards sustainable cotton production initiatives, making cotton production better for communities and people who produce it, better for the environment in which it grows and better for the future of growing it (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Currently 20% of polyester within Stitch Fixes private label is sourced through a more sustainable way than conventional alternatives such as using recycled plastic within the fiber content rather than virgin materials (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Stitch Fix partners with globally recognized organizations to ensure their recycled polyester is environmentally friendly (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Recycle Polyester is a version of polyester made of recycled materials such as recycled fibers or recycled plastics, making this a better option than polyester overall (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). By using recycled polyester which reduces energy consumption by 30% within the production process of creating one shirt (Stitch fix, your personal stylist). Currently 82% of viscose within Stitch Fixes private label is sourced in more sustainable ways by ensuring the wood pulp fiber materials were not derived from ancient or endangered forests, partnering with The Canopy Initiative (Stitch fix, your personal stylist).

 

Limitations

Within this study we have conducted a case study on SHEIN and H&M, the limitations within this are from SHEIN being a private company making it nearly impossible to find information directly from their bran having us to rely on third party sources. Making it impossible for us to determine the total percentage of textiles use within their production. For the biodegradability study our limitations conclude the region in which we reside and the climate of when the study was conducted. Results will most likely vary depending on the region of which this study is conducted in making textiles decompose faster or slower depending on the level of humidity, moisture, and sunlight exposure. Although our survey analysis had small results we hope to gather more over the year, as results may vary depending on age and income towards purchasing behaviors and knowledge on sustainability, as well. As the willingness to evolve towards sustainable options within the fashion industry. We only explored two possibilities for alternative solutions towards fast-fashion purchasing while there are several options available to the public. Our recommendation. is to continue to research and provide solutions that would work best for varying individuals, their lifestyle and their needs.  

 

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