Pursuing environmental sustainability in the fast fashion industry: A qualitative exploratory research

Abstract

Objectives: The main objectives of this study were to explore processes associated with producing fast fashion apparels that negatively impact the environment, to explore the sustainability initiatives that big clothing manufacturers and retailers in the fast fashion industry have adopted, and to explore the reporting practice of fast fashion firms concerning their environmental performance.

Summary: For this study, a qualitative content analysis was conducted to analyze a sample of five corporate reports or sustainability reports of fast fashion companies for the fiscal year of 2016. The findings related to the environmental impact of fast fashion industry were addressed by the literature review, while findings on environmental initiatives and reporting practices on environmental performance of fast fashion companies were based on the content analysis of the reports.

Conclusions: The environmental impact of the fast fashion industry stems from transportation, cultivation of raw materials, processing of fibers, and textile waste. Environmental initiatives taken by fast fashion companies can be categorized into product design, process design, supply chain, and customer engagement and awareness. Reporting practices of fast fashion firms on their performance are found to be focused on certain indicators; putting the environmental indicators within the context of the sustainability measures taken, it can be concluded that the measures bring about positive environmental performance outcomes for companies.