Making the Change: The Consumer Adoption of Sustainable Fashion

This chapter explores the recent societal changes leading to a shift in consumer needs and wants from fashion. This aims to offer context to the increased consumption levels in the fashion industry and due to the nature of the necessary supply chain, resulting in consequential negative impacts on social and environmental factors. The fast fashion business model was explored, framing the problems currently challenging an increase in responsible practices in the fashion industry. The adoption of sustainability on behalf of the consumer is crucial, cleaning-up their previous behaviour which focused on quantity over quality. Without adoption, the consumption problem remains ignored and disguised up by aspirational fashion marketing, blinding the consumer during purchasing. The detoxification of both the consumer’s purchasing behaviour and the process and practices implemented in the fashion industry is needed. Potential solutions and approaches will be discussed helping to move away from the previously highlighted fast fashion principals, towards a slower, more considered fashion sector.