Examining Current Practices in the Fast Fashion Industry and the Progress Towards a Sustainable Future

Abstract

The fast fashion industry has rapidly grown to producing low-quality garments at inexpensive costs to meet consumer demand. However, due to its high environmental and social impacts, the industry has faced extensive criticism. Billions of gallons of water are used each year, while carbon emissions from the fast fashion industry have started to surpass those from some transportation sectors. While the literature has contributed reviews of governmental regulations, environmental impacts, and consumer behavior, few works have contributed a comprehensive review of the industry from a sustainability perspective. In this work we explore current practices in the fast-fashion industry – we review current efforts towards sustainable production, evaluate existing initiatives by governments, highlight the importance of company-driven industry responsibility, and identify areas for future research towards social and environmental sustainability within the industry.