Do circular economy strategies effectively address closed-loop systems, sustainability tensions, and consumer expectations in contemporary fast fashion?

Abstract

Despite holding a commanding market share over the last twenty years, the fashion industry still struggles to address the social and environmental consequences of its production processes. The present research seeks to understand how fashion businesses incorporate rental models, recycling, and the production of upcycled collections into their offerings as an attempt to foster a circular economy. Drawing on two case studies, the research zeroes in on the primary concern of the growing fast fashion industry on environmental degradation. This document discusses the proliferation of greenwashing and the paradox of consumer expectations concerning sustainability in the fashion sector. A review of the existing literature indicates that, due to the linear configuration of fast fashion, the industry finds it exceedingly difficult to adopt a true circular economy. The evidence suggests that, while harmful, the environmental consequences of circular-economy initiatives outweigh their benefits. The fast fashion industry is built on rapid fire production, planned obsolescence, and globalized supply chains. These are alien to the principles of circularity. This shows how the major players in the industry counter the circular economy critique by establishing environmentally damaging production processes, and in doing so, present the illusion of addressing the harms.