INDEPENDENT REASEARCH

END-SEMESTER

RUTVI KUNDALIYA

FA C U LT Y- VA I S H A L I M A M
PRUNAL MAM
SUSTAINAINABLE FASHION PRIOR TO
THE PANDEMIC

•P r i o r t o t h e C O V I D - 1 9 c r i s i s s u s t a i n a b i l i t y p r o g r a m s a n d c o m m i t m e n t s w e r e b e c o m i n g t h e n o r m
i n t h e a p p a r e l , f o o t w e a r, a n d t e x t i l e i n d u s t r i e s a c r o s s v a r i e d s e g m e n t s s u c h a s l u x u r y, s p o r t , f a s t
f a s h i o n , a n d v a l u e r e t a i l . T h e i n d u s t r y ’s s u s t a i n a b i l i t y e ff o r t s e n c o m p a s s e d b o t h e n v i r o n m e n t a l
a n d s o c i a l a s p e c t s , i n c l u d i n g w a t e r, c a r b o n , a n d c h e m i c a l c o n s u m p t i o n , r e s p o n s i b l e s o u r c i n g ,
u t i l i z a t i o n a n d d i s p o s i t i o n o f m a t e r i a l i n p u t s , a n d w o r k f o r c e h e a l t h , s a f e t y, w e l l - b e i n g , a n d
compensation.
•T h e s e f a s t - g r o w i n g i n i t i a t i v e s w e r e d r i v e n b y m a n y o v e r l a p p i n g f a c t o r s . F i r s t , c o n s u m e r
p r e f e r e n c e s h a v e s i g n i fi c a n t l y s h i f t e d o v e r t h e l a s t d e c a d e , w i t h i n c r e a s e d a w a r e n e s s a n d
interest among consumers in sustainability of their clothing choices, and raised expectations
regarding the social and environmental responsibility of fashion brands. According to recent
consumer research, more than half of consumers would choose more sustainable brands over
non-sustainable alternatives. This is especially true among younger consumers, who desire
brands that not only minimize their climate change impact but actually put sustainability and
transparency at the center of their brand and product strategies. Employee pressure has grown
as well, given that around 50% of employees between ages 20-35 prefer to work for companies
they identify as sustainable. And climate disruption has made the fashion business model itself
vulnerable, with supply chains threatened by natural disasters, and the availability and pricing of
raw materials at risk.
IMPACT OF SUSTAINABLE FASHION AFTER
COVID-19 CRISIS

Covid-19 has dealt a massive blow to most

industries — fashion and textile being no
exception. As countries continue to experiment with
lockdowns and the demand for apparel and textiles
shrinks, several major international retailers such
as Primark and Forever 21 have taken the decision
to postpone or cancel orders. In some cases, they
have even refused to pay for clothing which had
already been manufactured. For a country like
Pakistan, which relies on a large chunk of its
e x p o r t s b e i n g f r o m t h e a p p a r e l a n d t e x t i l e s e c t o r,
the effects of cancelled and delayed payments can
be and have been devastating. Thousands of
garment factory workers will be laid off, with most
having to return to their hometowns empty-handed
and without hope of immediate employment.
 ANALYSIS REPORT DONE BY BCG ON FALL
OF SALES IN FASHION INDUSTRY

From April to May, sales decreased by 60-70% in the worldwide

fashion and luxury industry – with footfall in retail and recreation
stores down by 44% in the U.S., 52% in Germany, 78% in India,
and 59% in Brazil.

Fashion and luxury has drop in sales of at least 28-38%,

according to a BCG analysis conducted in March. And due to
that many brands and companies are focusing on sustainable
fashion to earn consumers attention and survive in industry.
Impact of the crisis on day-to-day activities among
apparel, footwear, and textile manufacturers
 WHAT ARE FASHION BRANDS LOOKING
FURTHER FOR SUSTAINABLE FASHION

• Zara - and other brands like Pull & Bear and Bershka - have promised to only sell sustainable
clothes by 2025.

• T h e c o m p a n y t h a t o w n s t h e s e s h o p s s a y s a l l c o t t o n , l i n e n a n d p o l y e s t e r t h e y s e l l w i l l b e o rg a n i c ,
sustainable or recycled.

• Zara has 64 UK stores, and its parent company has 7,490 shops worldwide.

• F r o m n e x t y e a r, c o n t a i n e r s w i l l a p p e a r i n Z a r a s t o r e s t o c o l l e c t y o u r o l d c l o t h e s s o t h e y c a n b e r e u s e d
or recycled into new items.

• S o m e p e o p l e i n t h e f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y h a v e b e e n c a l l i n g f o r   m o r e c l o t h e s r e c y c l i n g  i n o r d e r t o p r o t e c t
t h e e n v i r o n m e n t - w h i l e p o l i t i c i a n s t h i n k   b r a n d s a n d s h o p s s h o u l d f u n d c l o t h e s r e c y c l i n g.

• P e o p l e i n t h e U K s e n d   2 3 5 m i l l i o n i t e m s o f c l o t h i n g t o l a n d f i l l  e a c h y e a r, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e m o s t
recent figures.

• ANNA GEDDA -We believe that we can offer sustainable products, sustainable fashion, and
most importantly we can make it available for many. We believe that sustainability should be
affordable. Also, with our reach, together with our partners we will be able to help provide jobs
and incomes, both in our retail and production markets.
Inditex also has a scheme called Join Life
running in its shops, which identifies clothes
which are made with more environmentally
friendly materials than conventional high
street stores.

These are made from things like organic

cotton and recycled polyester.

They are following a sustainable fashion

chain as there USP.
Brands and retailers are changing practices
throughout their supply chains

• 4 3 pe rce n t o f   So urci ng J o u r na l  r e s po n d e n t s b e l i ev e C OVI D - 1 9 h a s m a d e a p o si t i v e

i m pa c t o n t h e i r i n v e s t m e n t s i n su st a i n a b i l i t y. S u s t a i n a b i l i t y i s n o t o n l y a c r u c i a l
s t ra t e g i c pr i o r i t y , b u t b ra n d s a n d r e t a i l e r s se e i t a s s o m e t h i n g t h a t c a n fi t
r e a so n a bl y i n to th e i r bu s i n e s s . 

• S i x t y p e rc e n t o f E IU s u r v e y r e s p o n d e n t s a l s o sa i d i m p l e m e n t i n g su s t a i n a b i l i t y
m e a s u r e s a c ro ss t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n w a s a m a i n s t ra t e g i c o bj e c t i v e , ra n ki n g o n l y
s e c on d to i m prov i n g t h e c u sto m e r e x pe r i e n ce .

• S ev e n o u t o f 10 r e sp o n de n t s to t h e E I U s u r v e y a l s o a g r e e t h a t “
f a s t , a f f o r da b l e a n d su s ta i n a b l e f a s h i o n i s a c h i eva bl e.” If i t ’s p o s si b l e , i t ’s
i m po r t a n t to de t e r m i n e w h a t de c i s i o n s b ra n d s a n d r e t a i l e r s a r e m a k i n g to g e t to a
m o r e s u s t a i n a b l e f a s h i o n f u t u r e . G o i n g f o r wa r d , bra n d s a n d r e t a i l e r s a r e m a ki n g
i n v e st m e n t s to b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d th e i r gl o ba l su p p l y ch a i n s ’ i m p a ct a n d p rov i d i n g
c l e a r i n s i g h t s a bo u t t h e i r s u s t a i n a bi l i t y to t h e i r c u sto m e r s
SUSTAINABLE FASHION IN WAKE OF
COVID-19

• I n h e r n a t i v e S o ma l i a , d e s i g n e r N i mc o A d a m w a s k n ow n a s t h e
Q u e e n o f T i e Dy e , s p e n d i n g h ou r s p l u n g i n g f a b r i c s i n to va t s of
c h e m i c a l d y e s to u s e i n h e r c ol l e c t i on s . T h e n , on e d ay , s h e
l os t he r s e n s e o f s m e l l .

• A d a m , w h o h a s d e s i g n e d f o r mo r e t h a n 5 5 f a s t f a s h i o n
c om p a n i e s i n c l u d i n g r e t a i l e r For e v e r 2 1 ,   ha s   p i vo t e d aw a y
f ro m c h e m i c a l s a n d s y n t h e t i c ma t e r i a l s . S h e n ow u s e s
t ra d i t i o n a l A f r i c a n t e x t i l e s w ov e n f rom h e mp , b a m b oo an d
e v e n t re e b ar k . He r d y e s a r e n a t u ra l , e xt rac t e d f rom ro ot s , l i k e
t u r m e r i c . S u c h c h a n g e s h av e p u t h e r a t t he va n g u a r d o f t h e
s u s t ai n a b l e f a s h i on mov e me n t .
• Sissi Chao runs the Remake Hub, a Chinese company
that uses recycled plastic to make apparel and
consumer goods. Having grown up watching her
p a r e n t s ’ g a r m e n t f a c t o r i e s p o l l u t e a l o c a l r i v e r, s h e
d r e a m e d o f fi n d i n g a d i f f e r e n t w a y t o b e p a r t o f t h e
fashion industry.

• “I had a dream once that I was in the clouds, holding

t h e p l a n e t i n m y h a n d a n d i t w a s h o t ,” s a i d C h a o , w h o
star ted the Remake Hub in 2018. “I woke up and 
realized that I could not be the s econd generation of
polluters, but that I had to do something sustainable
t h a t w a s a l s o c r e a t i v e .”

• The Remake Hub now produces materials for everything

from eyewear to clothing to home furnishings.  Even
her parents have adopted some of her innovative
t e c h n o l o g i e s , a d d i n g p r o fi t t o t h e i r b a n k l e d g e r s .
 CONCLUSION

Even before the COVID-19 crisis, sustainability did not come easily for many
c o m p a n i e s i n f a s h i o n . B u t t o s u r v i v e t h i s p a n d e m i c a n d e m e r g e s t r o n g e r, l e a d e r s i n
a p p a r e l , f o o t w e a r, a n d t e x t i l e s m u s t i n c o r p o ra t e s u s t a i n a b i l i t y w i t h i n s t a b i l i z a t i o n
a n d n e w g r o w t h s t ra t e g i e s , ra t h e r t h a n r e t r e a t f r o m c o m m i t m e n t s . T h e p o s t- C O V I D
c o n s u m e r w i l l p r i o r i t i z e t r u s t a n d p u r p o s e , a n d w i l l l i k e l y e va l u a t e c o m p a n i e s b a s e d
on how they acted during and after the crisis. Sustainability will be enabled by
t e c h n o l o g y a n d c a n b e d r i v e b y i n n o va t i o n d e s i g n . S u s t a i n a b i l i t y i s p r i o r a n d i n
order to have healthy communities and healthy environment should follow
sustainability as important aspect in each ones lives. “Sustainability will be among
k e y p r o d u c t p r i o r i t i e s , t o g e t h e r w i t h q u a l i t y a n d d u ra b i l i t y.” A n d w o r l d w i l l b e
morely prioritize and working with sustainability in future and it is already been
s t a r t e d a s c o v i d - 1 9 h a s m a d e t o d o t h a t t o s u r v i v e i n i n d u s t r y.
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