Fast fashion: analyse af CSR og bæredygtighed

Fast fashion has never been this popular. It has become an ideal approach for a huge amount of people all around the world. People purchases mass-produced clothing because it suits their wallet and hence their personal cravings for the latest trends. However, these clothing are made by developing countries just to maximize companies’ profits using cheap labour. Thereby, the environmental and social impact can be discussed, as well as the responsibilities that companies have, which is demonstrated in the corporate social responsibilities (CSR). The essay will therefore analyse the impact of the companies’ along with the consumers’ actions towards fast fashion, and the importance of changing to sustainable options and hence the challenges following this.

According to Huffington Post, people purchase cheap and look-alike designer clothes and wears them less than five times thus keeping them for less than 35 days. Because of a strong need for new and trendy clothing, people consume large amounts of clothing from the so-called fast fashion industry each year. Meaning, consumers are purchasing the latest trends which at the same time suits their wallets. Subsequently, they throw it out without any thought or reflection on the following impact it has. Furthermore, fast fashion is sort of a compromise instead of expensive designer clothing. This is especially because, as stated in a video from Newsweek, expensive luxury clothing brands are being copied and sold at much cheaper prices. What many do not think about, is that this compromise comes with huge human, social and environmental costs. Huffington Post also states that the mass-productions are placed in the developing countries, whereas it is exported to countries around the world. Using developing countries to produce fast fashion, is an action of working towards increasing the company’s profits by using cheap labour, as well as child labour. Hereby, factory workers work in terrible conditions whereas they are not paid living wages. Additionally, due to the low prices, people have no problem with throwing out the clothing when it does not suit them anymore and according to Huffington Post the clothing industry is the 2nd highest polluter of clean water. So technically, while purchasing fast fashion, you are supporting horrible labour conditions as well as contributing to pollution.