Talk green, shop fast: Why we can't really quit fast fashion

OPEN any modern day consumer's browser history, and you'll likely find a tale of two shopping carts: one tab displaying ethically-made US$150 (RM669.45) sustainable cotton shirts, and another showing similar-looking US$15 (RM66.95) fast-fashion alternatives.

After a moment's hesitation, most click "checkout" on the latter.

This seemingly small decision, multiplied across millions of young shoppers globally, captures a striking contradiction that defines our relationship with fashion.

According to the UN Environment Programme, the fast fashion industry is now the second-biggest consumer of water and responsible for about 10 per cent of global carbon emissions — more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Yet despite these environmental stakes, young consumers continue to drive fast fashion's growth.

A comprehensive 2024 study published in the Scholars Journal of Economics, Business and Management examines this paradox in detail. The research reveals that while 96 per cent of Gen Z consumers are aware of fast fashion's negative environmental impact, they remain their most avid consumers.

The same study found that Gen Z, making up 27.94 per cent of their studied population, demonstrates unprecedented environmental consciousness, even as they drive fast fashion consumption.

This isn't just a regional phenomenon; it's a global pattern that exposes a complex web of contradictions defining young consumers' relationship with fashion.

THE PRICE OF PRINCIPLES

The battle between sustainability and affordability has never been more stark. A recent McKinsey & Company revealed the current cost-of-living crisis is actively eroding young consumers' willingness to choose sustainable fashion.

While their research shows that about 40 per cent of Gen Z and Millennial consumers consider environmental impact an extremely important factor in their purchasing decisions — nearly double the rate of Boomers — rising inflation is forcing them to prioritise price over principles.

The stakes continue to rise. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change warns that emissions from textile manufacturing alone are projected to skyrocket by 60 per cent by 2030.

Meanwhile, the speed of production accelerates. The industry's race to produce faster has led to staggering changes in lead times — the period from design to purchase.

For context, in 2012, Zara could design, produce and deliver a new garment in two weeks, Forever 21 in six weeks and H&M in eight weeks.

Today, newer industry player Shein has managed to compress this timeline even further, with garments ready to be sold in just 10 days.

THE AWARENESS-ACTION DISCONNECT

The disconnect between knowledge and action runs deep. McKinsey's research points to a particularly telling trend: while sustainability conversations continue to "dominate consumer priorities and the fashion agenda", our relationship with fashion remains complicated.

On one hand, consumers express a genuine desire for sustainably-produced items and embrace thrifting. On the other hand, social media feeds are dominated by "hauls" — massive shopping sprees that directly contradict users' expressed environmental values.

This contradiction is further complicated by what McKinsey identifies as an "education gap" in sustainable shopping. Many consumers struggle to understand what truly makes a product sustainable beyond surface-level factors like packaging.

The 2024 Scholars Journal study also reveals that trend-following behaviour has a 73.5 per cent influence on attitudes toward buying fast fashion — significantly outweighing environmental considerations. This finding confirms the short-period nature of fashion trends, which perfectly aligns with fast fashion's business model.

BREAKING THE FAST FASHION CYCLE

The Scholars Journal research suggests three crucial steps: the fashion industry must make sustainable fashion a new trend to compete with fast fashion, develop comfortable and affordable sustainable options, and increase awareness of sustainability's importance for the future.

These changes could help bridge the gap between environmental consciousness and actual purchasing behaviour.

Until these changes occur, McKinsey's analysis suggests that the only truly sustainable option might be simply buying less — though they acknowledge this is easier said than done given "the compulsion to spend" and "the pressure to flex" that characterise modern consumer culture.

The fast fashion paradox thus serves as a reminder that the path to sustainable consumption isn't just about awareness — it's about making sustainable choices the easy choice.

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