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Can millennials change their fashion shopping habits in order to become sustainable?
By Aleksandra Tysiac Wordcount: 7647 2
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1.Introduction 1.1 Introduction - 6 1.2 Rationale - 6 1.3 SMART Aims and Objectives - 8-9 1.4 Project Declaration -11
2.Literature Review 2.1 Introduction - 12 2.2 The Issues of Fast Fashion - 17-19 2.3 Alternative Shopping - 20-21 2.4 Luxury of having good clothes 22-23 2.4.1 Storytelling - 23 2.5 Reducing Waste - 24-27 2.6 Getting a Hand/Secondhand 28-29 2.7 Research Gap Analysis - 30 2.8 Conclusion - 30-31 4
3. Methodology 3.1 Methodology Introduction - 32-33 3.2 Primary Research 3.2.1 Questionnaire Sample - 36-37 3.2.2 Instagram questionnaire - 38-39 3.2.3 Shop Safari - 40-41 3.2.4 Buyers/Direct Interviews - 42-43 3.2.5 Upcycling Guru/Expert Interview - 42 3.2.6 Survey Monkey - 44-45 3.3 Secondary Research 3.3.1 Literature - 48-49
4. Consumer Type 4.1 Millennials/Gen Y - 52-53 4.2 Social Media Usage - 54-55 4.3 Staying cool� - 55
5. The Future
5.1 Pest charts 5.1.1 Fast Fashion - 58-59 5.1.2 Sustainable Fashion - 60-61 5.1.3 Sub conclusion - 62-63 5.2 Recommendations - 66-67 5.2.1 Introduction 5.2.2 Luxury Vintage 5.2.3 Rentals 5.3 Ansoff Matrix - 68-69 5.4 Conclusion - 70-71
6. References
6.1 References - 72-73 6.2 Bibliography - 74-77 6.3 Illustration List - 78-85 6.4 Appendix - 86-
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Looking around and seeing the world is changing, some of us might decide to step in and upgrade their game a little bit. Some would rather stay blind and rather not see the issue, some will just do it to make themselves feel better, and some just to fit in. Environmental, economic, political, nutritional, fashion and of course behavioural changes, all appearing at once, constantly, every day. Is it good to be following the trends? Is it good to slow down and just do our own thing? We are all human, we own this planet, if we don’t want to help the planet, we should at least help ourselves. Seems selfish, but so is fashion or textile industry.
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1.2Rationale
1.1Introduction
This report is a journey which will end with recommendations and conclusion. So far those are unknown, however the research that was conducted before the work started will put me on the track and hopefully run smoothly. The amount of book read, films on Netflix, podcasts listened for it has really inspired me to definitely change my life and help others change theirs. Sustainability, greenwashing, luxury brands, conscious closet, upcycling, vintage/charity shops are the main topics of this report and will be considered as theoretical themes. Personally, I am obsessed with everything that is ethical, green and just good for our bodies and souls, this is why working on this topic will be an interesting journey for myself and hopefully a reader.
Being twenty-six years old, loads of things have changed in my head - especially when comparing it to being eighteen years old Aleksa - my habits, my make-up, my clothes, my decisions, even music taste. Being at university has definitely showed me that “livin la vida loca” isn’t for me, not because my peers can drink more alcohol than I do, but mostly because of the things I want… I am struggling to afford. All that time I waited till I can move out of my parents’ house, I want it all back! However, living my life on my own and not asking for any help has made me a little bit tougher and I know that I will be able to survive. Unfortunately, it is a little bit different when it comes to planet Earth which is completely dependent on us - human beings, and because my dream is to help it out, in this report I am going to see whether it can be saved.
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Throughout the last decades a question such as: “Can money buy happiness� appeared in many lives, that question is a good base to what this report is going to be standing for. A massive urge to find out whether people buy more is because they feel like they want to become a part of the dream society or whether they actually need those items is the main issue that comes into consideration. The beauty standards in fashion have recently changed after people discovered sustainability, apart from causing the greenwashing it has brought a massive impact on how people dress and where they get their clothes from. Sustainability exposed a reality of sweatshops all around the globe but also introduced us to the upcycling, vintage and charity shops. Since people became more aware, fast fashion brands became scared and needed to change something to keep their customers, however in order to completely avoid sweatshops, people have to just stop buying it. The main idea is to give an alternative option to convert fast fashion shoppers, market has already introduced some to alternative shopping methods such as closet’s rentals or simply to upcycle what we already have by getting alterations done or just to swap clothes with friends or by attending special events. Those people need to become aware of what damage fast fashion is bringing into our world, simply by reading more about it. How could they find out about it? Same as they find out about new collections that fast fashion brands are bringing, there are about 52 of them annually (Minimalism, 2016). This information has to be promoted and exposed on social media, the influencers should get involved and finally do something for a good cause. Once the consequences will come to those who are actively making money and damage, things might change, so far it feels like the richest, biggest brands are just unbreakable.
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1.3Objectives To describe what factors consumers, take for consideration whilst shopping for fashion. To develop possible alternatives for those who continue to use fast fashion as their main wardrobe solution. To highlight the damage fast fashion is bringing into the environment. To assess the knowledge regarding sustainability among young consumers. To investigate whether spending more money on clothes could lead to buying less and paying for something that lasts.
In order to help the planet environmentally, this report will be a part of the investigation whether consumer habits can be changed. Whether generation Y has a nerve to stop using fast fashion brands and if they are willing to buy less and create less waste. To see if spending more money on clothes could lead to buying less and paying for something that lasts. Consumption habits in fashion has drastically changed since the whole industry has moved to China, many local people have lost their jobs which caused massive hole inside the budget. So is there any chance that fashion brands could again go back and use their well skilled workers? Fingers crossed.
Aims
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1.4I confirm that this work gained ethical approval and that I have faithfully observed the approval in the conduct of this project. .........................................................................................................................................
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2.1Literature review The following review of literature confirms that in the next few decades, the fashion industry will be facing massive changes. The damage that has already been done will be continued, however it will be slowed down by sustainable, conscious brands who are gaining much more recognition and create community within people. It discusses new ways of buying garments which according to the authors, can be “life changing�, whether it is renting, second hand or internet marketplaces, the growth of market will have to be replaced by other alternatives in order to sustain ethical and environmentally-friendly. Since Rana Plaza tragedy happened back on the 24th of April in 2013, the fast fashion has been recognized as a massive problem and of course an issue that needed to be addressed. The garment factory has collapsed not because an earthquake or accident caused by the environment, it was caused by greedy people whose desire was to make profit without investing much money. Since the tragedy happened, the leakage of information was spreading everywhere, like a disease, and people started to question their fashion choices, which caused big retail brands such as Inditex (Zara) or Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) and many others, a fear that their secrets might be revealed. According to Thomas (2019) Before the new segment of apparel business appeared, in the 1980’s more than seventy percent of clothes were made and bought in the United States. Now more than eighty five percent of clothes are made abroad in factories where workers get paid two dollars a day.
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Theoretical Framework
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2.2The issues of Fast Fashion
Thomas (2019) examines the use of fast fashion which is performed by the biggest worldwide, high street brands. Her research goes much deeper into how much clothes is being produced throughout the last decade and how many brands have exploited human rights by using people to work inside sweatshops in third world countries such as Bangladesh or India. The research conducted by Thomas proved that big brands such as Topshop or Zara is using other less known designers work to copy and produce their collections which, perhaps could be a reason why most designers cannot find well paid jobs. Levergne (2015) is questioning whether the fashion industry is bringing any upgrades into the standards of sweatshops after numerous tragedies that happened in the last ten years. The author goes deeply into the process of clothing manufacturing and the details of serious right that are being constantly abused and not followed, either by government or well-known fast fashion clients who are mostly focused on the amount rather than quality and human, labour or environmental rights. The author of “Fixing Fashion” also found that forced and child labour are still existing issues. Brands do tend to obey these problems by bringing small changes into the sweatshops. These changes are only temporary and will look good on paper, however because of the high demand those good laws never really have any impact on the “hidden costs” of fashion such as: break times, living wages, physical and verbal abuse, sexual harassment, working with no water of fresh air and many others. Apart from many, important issues being introduced and explained, in his book Levergne (2015) included many relevant tables with information and additional interviews/notes from the ex and current workers who have repeatedly experienced those “hidden costs” of working in warehouses such as Rana Plaza or others. Overall this publication is filled up with figures and data of what goes into manufacturing, producing garments - fast fashion wise. It explains how it influences the economy and damage the environment we live in. The author’s aim is clearly to reduce the popularity of fast fashion and to inform the reader about the damage it brings not only to the planet but also to each individual who works on making those cheap garments.
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To call an action was heeded by researchers who began to study the alternative ways of shopping, repairing or renting. Cline (2019) believes that decreasing the amount of clothes is the key to happiness and clear wardrobe. In the world of fast fashion, the idea of having only a few pieces of clothing might be life changing. First of all, Cline explores how to pick the right fabric and explains what is the difference in each of these, then she goes deeper. The author asserts that it is all about the quality, as it helps to improve the planet Earth and also reduces the time of picking the outfit. Moving forward Cline uses a series of interviews with ladies and gentlemen who grew from the industry and can deliver a masterpiece of clothing such as Karuna Scheinfeld whose knowledge on making a quality clothes is deeply rooted, or James Reinhart who is a founder of “thredUP” which is world’s largest resale marketplace with more than 35 thousand brands. However, Thomas (2019) explores the use of social media and online renting channels which gives an overview on how it could possibly improve the future of fashion. According to the author, rentals and vintage are the future of fashion. Not only because of its strong green, eco-friendly values but also because it’s considered as “cool”, is available and used by a variety of people such as gen Z, millennials, boomers, without adding any labels.
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Over a decade ago, one of the authors published a book about forecasting trends and how to predict what is going to be “in” by finding out what consumers are into without offering it to them. This approach is different but outstanding as it does not require new creations and waste that comes with it. However, it helps the consumer understand why they have bought the product and how it might help them in the future. Raymond (2003) in his book is explaining how to read the future trends and understand why each trend is appearing, as he believes is a part of how to attract the future consumer and bring up what they would read as desirable. The author goes deeply into consumer’s lifestyle and draws a connection line between those and their needs, as according to the author it is all about consumer behaviour and their habits. Raymond’s approach links the trend forecasting with experience, however this approach might not be suitable for all organizations. Although it definitely expands and help to develop new strategies for new brands. One of the examples could be ethical and eco-friendly businesses or sustainable vintage/reselling brands. That is due to high popularity and the impact is bringing into people’s lives. This author is allowing the reader to understand the new client and to be prepared to deliver what they will be needing each season or decade.
2.3Alternative Shopping
To make the process of creating conscious closet easy, Cline (2019) provided numerous options of how to look fabulous without putting plenty of effort. She called it a “Parisian chic”, which for many women is the truest idea of beauty. The author has set up perfect guidelines for anyone who is ready to buy more but shop less. Perhaps this publication could be considered a bestseller, as the author’s previous publications such as “Overdressed” were described as most useful amongst the other “how to” books.
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2.4Luxury of having good clothes The idea of having clothes that lasts might scare a folk or two, it is expensive and feels like buying a car, perhaps a large one. However, building a conscious closet should take time and it is more about the “greater intention and awareness of our clothes, where they come from, what they’re made out of, and why they matter.” (Cline, 2019) Most of them should be coming from a brand which shares good ethics and uses quality fabrics such as cotton, wool, cashmere or silk. It is also about the fabulous design that creates the wa-wa-woo effect when we see it. The luxury of having quality clothes can create memories and can make people feel not just better about themselves, but about the changes they are doing and the way they feel in the garment. It is like wearing a logo and people love it! Elizabeth Cline in her book Conscious Closet (2019) have mentioned that good quality clothes are good for the planet because they last a long time, perhaps generations. But most of the times it is the quality that makes people come back to each garment and wear it all over again. Buying clothes that were made locally or in Europe has an impact. It creates a story about the brand, allows the brand to expose themselves and let the world know that they are helping local people pay their bills by giving them jobs. Clothes that were made in Europe had to meet certain law conditions such as working, environmental of course safety ones, where in India or other third world countries those conditions are usually promised but unfulfilled. Brands such as Birdsong who are “dressed to protest” are here to make a statement, their clothes will make one and will be remembered, it is something that men and women should be proud of wearing. Not to mention they are sustainable and handmade in UK supporting the UK’s workers is one thing but wearing sustainable clothes is extra. Birdsong is finally allowing the buyer to spend a fair amount of money on cotton t-shirt e.g. 32 pounds instead of 3 pounds, and of course it is the 100% organic one. To sum this paragraph up, it is crucial to mention that the luxury of having good clothes is just about buying less but having more.
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“Why buy more when there is already so much in your closet?” That is a question most people ask themselves, or even getting asked by others. At the end of the 70’s the term fast fashion appeared and it changed the whole industry - local people lost their jobs but clothes became cheaper and more accessible. People were and still most of them are, overwhelmed by the amount of junk they could get for only a few dollars. Most of them lived in the moment without thinking whether the small price they pay is enough to make those pieces last or whether people who sew those garments get solid amount of money paid. Of course, thinking about the damage it brings to the environment was not an issue at the time. “In the last twenty years, the volume of clothing Americans throw away has doubled - from 7 million to 14 million tons” (Thomas, 2019) Apart from the carbon dioxide emission, the synthetic colourings which goes into “drinking” water and oceans, all these textiles have to be stored somewhere after being used and choked into the garbage - well, most of them stay inside the landfill.
2.5Reducing waste
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“The Environmental Protection Agency reported that Americans sent 10.5 tons of textiles, the majority of which were clothes, to landfill in 2015. In the UK, 9513 garments are dumped every five minutes: textiles are the country’s fastest growing waste stream. Most clothing contains synthetics, and most synthetics are not biodegradable.” (Thomas, 2019). A study conducted by Creed (2017) - WRAP (Valuing our clothes: the cost of UK fashion) showed that a third of British consumers were inclined to stop wearing a garment after just three wears. Those facts lead to the conclusion that if our closet is full then maybe we should stop ourselves from buying more. Getting clothes impulsively, can be responsible for creating a temporary euphoria, but most of buyers have already forgotten what else there is inside their full wardrobe.
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2.6Getting a hand - Secondhand “If you cannot afford in the first time around, get it in the sale. Get it in the sale of the sale of the sale. Get it second-hand” Said Stella McCartney, in one of the interviews Dana Thomas conducted with her whilst talking about sustainable fashion movement that Stella is deeply following. Her fashion represents the luxury of buying less, reducing waste and of course getting it second hand from places like TheRealReal or even from renting sources such as My Wardrobe HQ. She is basically the full package of sustainability! The idea of upcycling allows the customer to wear clothes for less without giving up on the quality. Fast fashion issue might take time and so will our shopping habits, but we will get there eventually. “The future is going to be resale. We have to figure out how we can create a profit from it. Indeed, the apparel resale market is expected to reach $41 billion by 2022.” p 251 (Thomas, 2019) That is in two years e.g. the last few years of feminism, political movements and protests, the voices that were spoken. It helped people to educate themselves about fast fashion and the damage it brings. People are craving for changes, everywhere. The new decade could be a great time for manifestations and statements, especially in fashion. There are many ways of how to search for second hand clothes. Vintage kilo sales are now part of season sales in most big cities around the United Kingdom, young people desire the vintage, old school look without spending less money. “Resale is a way of generating business without needing to continually create new materials and extract resources from the planet - Wainwright said” (Thomas, 2019) Julie Wainwright is the CEO of The RealReal, an online marketplace for authenticated luxury consignment. The website is built on the promise of selling only authentic clothes/accessories, each seller has to be reviewed after every purchase, which makes trustworthy.
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2.8Conclusion 30
The fashion industry has been dramatically changing and will continue to increase in possibilities of not just buying but upcycling, repairing and renting. Giving a new life to clothes isn’t only creative but is also very different than what is already available on the market. Unfortunately, there are still gaps in where the research should be done, e.g. fashion weeks in smaller, less known places e.g. Turkey or Israel. That is where massive chain brands such as Topshop or Nasty Gal are stealing the ideas of designers and using them in their collections. Also, most of the time the researchers are reflecting on tragedies that happened in Rana Plaza which of course was one of the major ones, however similar incidents are happening on a daily basis but nobody is reporting them. This leads to the conclusion that further research is needed in order to avoid the ways of people, planet earth and young, creative individuals getting hurt and irreversibly damaged.
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3.0Methodology 3.1The results of this report were followed by different types of research, both primary and secondary, qualitative and quantitative. Gathering all the information was not only insightful but also fun, this piece of work would not be possible to be published without all the information gathered from people such as friends, business professionals, charity/vintage shop workers and specially scouted volunteers whom I would like to again, say thank you.
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3.2Primary Research
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3.2.1Instagram Questionnaire
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Q1:: How old are you? Most popular answer (128 answers) 25-32 (76 answers) 18-24 (43 answers) 33-40 (5 answers) 41-50 (4 answers)
Q2: How often do you shop? (130 answers) Everyday (2 answers) Once a week (15 answers) Once a month (50 answers) Every three+ months (63 answers)
Q3: Where do you buy your clothes? (127 answers) Shopping mall/highstreet (36 answers) Internet (42 answers) Vintage/charity/second hand (42 answers) Depop/Vinted platforms (7 answers)
Q4: What was the last piece of clothing you bought? Please state the brand (40) Red (fast fashion shopping hall and highstreet) 25/40 votes Green (vintage/charity/second hand) 6/40 votes Blue (internet) 9/40 votes Yellow (depop/vinted platforms) 0 votes
See Appendix
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3.2.2 Q1: According to book such as Fashionopolis the main important fashion customer is aged eighteen to twenty-four, this statement is based on the idea that those people are the current market for fast fashion and their opinion can still be changed in the next couple of years. This age gap was the second chosen within the questionnaire, with forty-three votes, competing against the older consumer gaps scoring eighty-one votes. Q3: Both internet and vintage/charity shops were scoring the first place on the podium with the amount of forty-two votes. It was the 18-24 group that had most of the votes for both groups - thirty-eight for vintage/charity/second hand and thirty-five votes for internet shopping. However, they also had the main votes for the shopping mall/high-street shopping - scoring twenty-six. This could lead to the potential conclusion that youngsters are still into quick purchases based on their desires rather than needs. Four of them also admitted to buying clothes through Depop/vintage online platforms. Millennials are definitely winning the game of shopping!
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Q2: Looking at the people who voted for the youngest answer, most of them - eighteen, goes to the shops and buy new clothes at least once a month, thirteen of them only buy clothes once every three months and luckily only three of them buy clothes once a week. The most popular answer within the most popular group was three + months, when they were asked how often they shop - fifty people chosen this option from the chart, Thirty-two of them answered once a month, twelve confirmed they are happily hunting for new clothes at least once a week and two said that they get their new pieces every day. Unfortunately, none of the older consumers continued to answer the questions.
Q4: The majority of votes went for fast fashion brands such as: Topshop, Zara, Stradivarius, Reserved, Primark and H&M. Some answered Levi’s which could potentially not be classed as fast fashion brand, however their ethical practices are still proving to be a little bit disappointing (see the greenwashing section). Only six people admitted that they have recently bought their clothes in vintage/charity/second hand shop, but only two of them actually filled the answer box out. Both who admitted they have gotten their clothes from second hand source answered that these clothes were either a bit expensive if it comes to be getting them from a high-street shop. It was a sense of bargain that made this decision for them - upcycled Levis (vintage piece) jumper and Uniqlo cardigan. People who ordered their clothes online seemed to know a little bit more about the brands they have picked their clothes from, which potentially could be caused by research that they have done before purchasing. Only two of them bought from a well-known brand: Asos, the rest of them picked a less known brands such as Lucy and Yakk (handmade clothing supporting zero waste) or Kamuflage which is a polish company that supports skateboarders.
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3.2.3Shop Safari The most fun part of the research was an actual, field one. Interviewing the industry people and finding out what they knew was extremely helpful and allowed a new perspective come to the search. All the answers were unpredictable and all the questions were designed to gain information without creating a light full of predictions that those who were interviewed could have fallen into. Each contestant agreed that they have noticed more young people like students, coming into the shop and established that those people are their main customers. Some even expanded their business in order to let the young people find their main desired bargains - luxury items with or without tags on e.g. Burberry jacket. Qualitative, primary research allowed me to see real-life actions, the conversation with the professionals brought a massive impact on what vintage/charity shops are bringing up into the market. The reason I wanted to speak to them was to mostly find out who is their main target audience and whether it agrees with what I have read so far. Every shop was busy and it was pretty difficult to get anything out of the workers/volunteers, simply because they were busy, which shows how popular those shops are.
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3.2.4Shop and Guru Interviews 3.3.3To dig in deeper, there was a need of getting into a consumer brain. We are all spending money on things we don’t need but we just like them and we feel like it will make us feel better. That is what have been discovered whilst interviewing people age 18-35, they all have different habits and like different music or styles, however they all just like to shop. Throughout this research it was important to figure out where these people get their clothes from, how often they buy clothes and what drives them. One of the questions were about Black Friday sales and unfortunately 90 percent of interviewed people confirmed that they have gotten something for themselves, either impulsively or not..
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3.3.4Marta Bartkowska @martsby who is Depop/sustainable living guru agreed to be interviewed by me and explained what is the main trend and how she got herself into the industry. Her insight was extremely inspiring since she has started her business by herself and is still growing every day. She explained why she believes people get upcycled clothes rather than buying from fast fashion brands and stated that most of her clients are actually gen z, millennials males. She also mentions that the most popular items are the ones with a well-known logo on, which still proves the point that people desire to be considered as wealthy ones with some sort of power or status.
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3.2.5Questionnaires / Surveymonkey
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Because the main goal of this report was to find out whether consumption habits can be changed, it was significant to find what people like to buy in terms of fashion. I was seeking for the answers by making questionnaires on social media - see appendix. Both males and females age from eighteen to fifty took part of this process and answered questions such as: how often do you buy clothes, where do you buy clothes and what was the last piece you bought. In this report I would like to explore shopping opportunities, for those on a budget and for those who don’t mind the amount of money they spend on clothes.
Quantitative research such as a survey enables you to receive answers in percentages, which brought both, negative and positive results. The good thing about the survey is that potentially it allows the researcher to receive loads of different answers, which then can be transferred into percentage groups. However, this type of research doesn’t bring much of an insight into the table, unless there were at least one hundred participants, which in this case was a failure.
Survey monkey questionnaire, which belongs to qualitative type of research was conducted in order to gain information for this project, unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, the amount of responses was still a little bit too low to be considered as an insightful source of information. The survey was advertised throughout social media student groups and chat rooms. Those places were chosen to advertise the survey because of their popularity within the desired age groups.
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3.3Secondary Research
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3.3.1Literature Reading books is extremely important whilst studying a certain area for a project. It allows the reader to see a different or a new perspective, learn and take information from different sources - academic, professionals or people who are just passionate about a subject. Each book that has been studied as a part of this report had a different flow and taught me different ways of looking at fashion consumers, their choices and of course made it clear how awful fashion industry can be - in terms of work ethics, carbon dioxide production or even money fraud. It was crucial for all the books that each of them was written in our modern times - at least this century, not only because these, new books have a slightly bigger chance to be read by young people, but to have the most recent and relevant information around this chosen topic. All the theoretical themes chosen for this report will be backed up with the literature that has been read in order to produce this report. Hopefully it will be helpful for the reader to understand why each book had such an impact on each section and will bring the flow into this work.
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4.0Customer Type
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“No one in Hollywood, mind you, chose to wear vintage because it was green. They were buying it because it was cool - a way for celebrities to individualise their style�. (Thomas, 2019) Cameron Silver, a founder and owner of West Hollywood Vintage boutique said about people buying vintage fashion. Millennials are the future of this world, they still have an impact on others. According to the study published in 2015 by Guven Ordun, they are passionate about transparency, individualism and being something else and of course have a passion about fashion, and enjoy paying for it. Their habits can be influential to others, they have a power of inspiring others, not only by spreading word or picture on social media but also by showing their lifestyles on a daily basis.
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Now, the idea of young people’s lifestyles is that they are constantly surrounded by social media platforms, which those can create a community for many of them. Same researcher proved that it is crucial for millennials to be fashionable and follow the trends, as trend was the second, right after the price, factor for them to shop for fashion. The third stimulus was loyalty, followed by prestige and the brand, which might be associated with millennials desire to be considered as “cool� in life and on social media. (Ordun, 2015)
4.1Millennials
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4.2Social Media and their image
They are the first generation with constant access to the internet and social media, which differentiates them from other generations e.g. boomers. “The “Data” in e-world seems to be beyond the imagination. The number of text messages sent and received each day exceeds the population of the earth. Two new blogs created every second of every day and 1.6 million posts are made on existing blogs each day. If you started today it would take you over 4 hundred years to view all the material on YouTube (Yarrow & O’Donnell, 2009) Millennials are struggling to make their own decisions without discussing it with their friends or even Instagram audience (88% of them use mobile phones to text according to Pew Research Centre, 2010). Seems like the idea of privacy is getting vanished from their heads, as they are constantly searching for attention and adoration.
Buying clothes and wearing them is a part of the “good image” they want to create. “Fast fashion target audience is young, mostly young adults age from eighteen to twenty-four, demographic that doesn’t hold onto clothing purchases for very long. According to research by the retail consultancy Kurt Salmon, one-third of these shoppers buy a fashion item every fortnight, and 13 percent indulge once a week. They order online and 20 percent of them demands same-day delivery. They require the item immediately so they can pose for selfies, which they will then post on social medias e.g. Instagram or snapchat. After that, those young people tend to toss the clothes, donate it, or resell it and go shopping for some more” (Thomas, 2019). In his journal, Der Hovanesian wrote that generation Yers are very much aware of their purchasing power and are likely to spend it as soon as they receive, usually on themselves - by buying what they desire. However, what drives them is the authentic relationship between them and the brand based on who they are and what makes them special. (Yarrow & O’Donnell, 2009) 55
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5.0The Future
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5.1.1 P
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Labour Laws - child labour abroad, people not getting paid enough, minimum amount of breaks allowed for the workers - H&M and Zara is known for breaking these laws in the past. Environmental Laws - warehouses are in horrible conditions e.g. Rana Plaza. Health Regulations - no water allowed, working in extremely hot temperatures without air conditioning/fans.
Exchange rates Interest rates Price of products - because of the low costs of labour in third world countries, fast fashion brands use cheapest fabrics and threads to produce their clothes for very low amount of money, selling them for at least 500 % more. Fact that those brands sell plenty of clothes might be good for e.g. Bangladeshi economy, however the majority of clothes produced there will be sold in Europe, bringing money to European economy instead.
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Career attitudes - most fast fashion workers are aware of their low wages and knows that these amounts aren’t high enough to achieve comfort of living e.g. going on holiday or providing for their family without working extra hours. They are becoming a working machines with no life which causes depression and mental problems. Cheap Lifestyle - majority of people buying from fast fashion brands is aware of what sort of working, living conditions their clothes came from. Seeing a label reminds them that those clothes have been done by someone who went through a lot and wasn’t getting paid enough for their job. However, it was an impulsive purchase, usually followed by regret that made them buy it. New trends - the variety and collections coming out throughout the year is massive (52 collections instead of autumn-winter and spring-summer) each customer is getting teased by sales and new collection which is available constantly. It definitely is conforming that so many collections is coming out annually, however from the previous research, most people stick to a maximum of three trends a year and buy clothes that match those. Per capita income - because the prices of fast fashion clothes are usually low, people will buy them without realising that they have spent more than they would if they invested their money into better quality clothes. Their income might not allow them for one large purchase.
Different online platforms - Because of the amount of money fast fashion brands e.g. H&M/Zara/Topshop is making, they can afford a constant updates on their websites and cooperate with influencers, advertising campaigns and PR packages. Their work is being constantly embraced and shown to people who aren’t ready to try something else than fast fashion. Social media e.g. instagram - Sponsored adverts and influencers that work with big fast fashion brands are helping to expand the business and bring more clients in. Amazon and their fashion service - big brands such as Amazon is expanding their business and introducing their Amazon Wardrobe - prime exclusive system, which allows the customer to get any clothes and try them on before purchasing - by taking pictures and using their tools to see what it looks like.
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5.1.2
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Government budget - a local brands might need help to expand their business from the government institutions - sometimes the amount of funding isn’t enough to proceed what the brand is wanting to sell. However, because funds like those exists, it is helpful to start and progress with sustainable, green fashion. Labour Laws - obviously most of sustainable brands produce their clothes locally - within the UK, they need to remember about reaching the basic needs such as: minimum wages, correct break times, insurance/pension and of course tax. Sustainability factor - all the fabrics needs to be produced/brought to the country with the correct paperwork and of course certificates in order to sell. Labels - everything written on the labels needs to be proven by the company, e.g. in order to be proud of the “made in england” sign, companies needs to prove their work has been produced locally.
High costs - brands might struggle to create pieces that are 100% sustainable, eco-friendly, vegan etc.
Ethics and environmental Consciousness - people are now more aware of what goes into their clothes and how those are being made. They want to purchase from eco-friendly brands that assure them that their pieces were produced locally and nobody got hurt while making them. Lifestyle - it is extremely popular to be living sustainable lifestyle, people are proud of being vegan, eco-friendly and talk about it everywhere. More people are now searching for bargains in vintage/charity shops. New trends - athleisure, unisex and old brands with massive logos are very popular amongst young generations (Z and millennials) Aspiring to be different - people wants to be known as inspiring, special ones. Attitudes towards product quality - quality over quantity.
New apps - Cladwell, Stylebook and ClosetSpace -helps with organising the wardrobe Different online platforms - The RealReal, Depop, Asos Marketplace, Vinted Social media e.g. instagram - niche brands are also available on the instagram, they usually have an important message to spread and their followers share those and like to show what they have got from each brand - it makes them feel unique and just more “aware”. 61
5.1.3The PEST charts on pages 56 to 59 are representing the main findings of this report, from primary research sources. Some could argue that those findings are too broad and it might be difficult to come across with a solution, however each chart is entirely different. Fast Fashion (page 56-57) one could be read as negative one, although it was difficult, perhaps impossible to find positive aspects of this field. Sustainable fashion (page 58-59) on the other hand, have raised different issues mostly financial ones, which again - could be a lesson for new businesses that instead of investing most of the money into advertising, it could perhaps be invested into planet earth friendly fabrics and unconventional designs.
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The sustainable industry expert - Marta Bartkowska, confirmed her business was built on good ethics and regularity. She is constantly expanding and bring inventions into her business, which of course is time consuming, but she loves it and considers is as a hobby instead. It was the technological innovations e.g. Depop App, that allowed her showing outfits and promoting second hand fashion. Her consistency brings hundreds of consumers daily - especially those hunting for mega labelled, premium or luxury brands, which proves that her young market is loaded with money and isn’t afraid of spending it. That of course leads to the conclusion that fast fashion could potentially be dead in a few decades. It will always be easier for people to buy from well-known high street brands, that is mostly because it is easily accessible, and for most of the time, their sizing is broad and available for anyone - no matter what shape, size the consumer is.
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5.2Recommendations
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5.2.1 Since sustainability is considered as macro trend, the opulence - also known as macro trend, could be known as the total opposite of it. However, both trends have much in common as they represent the luxury culture, also known as mixing high-end materials. Millennials often complain about not being able to afford fully sustainable clothes, that is why they decide to shop in high street shops as it gives them a massive variety, style and size, although what they are lacking in is the idea of mixing different labels. Finding out basic information such as where each piece of clothing is coming from or what sort of fabrics its been made of, that is all written on the label. Knowing this information, there is a potential for young people to realise that they can change what they buy and invest into better quality fabrics e.g. organic ones. These clothes will last longer and will be nicer to wear. Opulence is what young people want, according to the expert interview conducted as a part of primary research for this report. They want to have a logo on and they are happy to pay more, even if that means they will have to restrict themselves from other spending. Mixing luxury items (premium and luxury - also sustainable) with something they have bought on the high-street is still an opportunity for young people to buy less of fast fashion.
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5.2.2 Vintage shops are great places to find sustainable, luxury items for less than what it costs directly from the designer. Most high fashion designers e.g. Burberry who has been burning their pieces after they couldn’t sell them, are not even familiar with sustainability and aren’t willing to rebrand in order to become sustainable. Burberry have officially apologised for their faux pas; however, it will be forever remembered. Using online upcycling platforms is an amazing way of sustainable shopping and thanks god, the popularity of it has been growing every year. With regard to what primary research shown, millennials are seeking for designer items that are accessible, which leads to a conclusion that giving them an online platform with only luxury items at an affordable price could be a win-win situation. 5.2.3Rentals which just like vintage shopping, is getting much more popular. Especially amongst young individuals. Most of them usually cannot afford what they see on platforms such as Net-A-Porter, however OurCloset.com, Rent The Runway, My Wardrobe HQ and many others is offering outfits for any occasion at affordable prices. It would be ideal to completely dispose of the monthly subscription payment and just charge per renting, however if there was any damage each customer would have to pay extra - as they would have to agree to the terms and conditions of every rental.
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5.3Ansoff Matrix
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All these recommendations (products and markets) are already existing on the market. By looking at Ansoff Matrix marketing model, it is possible to create each: Market penetration:
Market development:
Selling existing fashion to millennials - obviously the fast fashion market is popular that is why their production is constantly moving, however if their prices would go up and they would become using better fabrics which would increase pay rates, people could potentially stop buying so many clothes and would think before they do - as prices would be higher. For those who are willing to get sustainable clothes - new online platforms and marketing promotion could be helpful in order to share the awareness about the dangers of fast fashion industry.
The millennials society is extremely active on social media which is allowing other generations to get familiar with their values about the world - hopefully sustainable fashion.
Product and Development:
Diversification:
Developing existing services and products on the market could be lead by the idea of changing the world and creating a better future. Currents events such as Australia Forest Fires are bringing people together, so introducing a campaign based on what the world is going to look like if we won’t change might be helpful.
Again - social media is the best way to advertise the products. The digital era that we are currently living in is constantly expanding e.g. Amazon Wardrobe. Bringing innovations into the market might interest people, however finding funding for it might be difficult. This is why the easiest way to expand and increase the sales is just giving people what they need - solution e.g. workplaces could pay in smart vouchers that can be used only in certain shops or online.
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5.4Conclusion
By looking at different business models, conducted research findings, business statistics, it is possible for some shopping habits to be changed. Those changes are already happening. “Sustainability and upcycling have become some of the most prominent trends that we see today in fashion, from H&M’s Conscious Collective to Olivia Wilde’s partnership with ThredUp. Lyst, the global fashion search engine, has reported a 47% increase in shoppers looking for items that have ethical and style credentials with terms such as ‘vegan leather’ and ‘organic cotton’. “ (Luce M. 2020) However if the business model is based on volume then it will not be helpful for the environment anyway (Thomas, 2019). Fast fashion brands are focused on producing as much as possible in order to follow and create new trends, it is clothes that didn’t make it and weren’t sold, that are ruining the environment. The best way for the millennials to truly make a change is to become sustainable and live “zero waste” lifestyle. Sustainability has a chance to become a factor that consumers will demand and if so, then the whole fashion industry will be driven by it and might actually change. If H&M “is trying to be kinder to the planet, with an initiative to use only recycled or sustainably sourced material by 2030” (Masunaga, 2019) than any business can.
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Illustration List
Pinterest, (2019), Img 2 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979492490/ [Accessed 1 January 2020].
Pinterest, (2019), Img 8 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979695049/ [Accessed 5 January 2020].
Pinterest, (2019), Img 9 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979457979/ [Accessed 7 January 2020].
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Pinterest, (2019), Img 11 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979465955/ [Accessed 10 January 2020].
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Pinterest, (2019), Img 13 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979489636/ [Accessed 10 January 2020].
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Pinterest, (2019), Img 19 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979490625/ [Accessed 13 January 2020].
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Pinterest, (2019), Img 25 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979490652/ [Accessed 14 January 2020].
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Pinterest, (2019), Img 31 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979532619/ [Accessed 15 January 2020].
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Pinterest, (2019), Img 37 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979694419/ [Accessed 16 January 2020].
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Pinterest, (2019), Img 43 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/698058010979718267/ [Accessed 16 January 2020].
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Appendix - Direct Interviews
Looking at the direct interviews conducted with random shoppers, it is the quality that they value the most. Five out of six have confirmed that quality is what they are searching for and would pay more for something that would last longer/ wear better. Next in the chart is style - with three votes, those young people (age from 20 up to 32) desire to look good and be following trends. Two of them mentioned price as shopping factor, however one of them admitted to buying better quality clothes even if it costs more, last but not least - fit and promo codes were the factors (each scored one vote) of spending money on fashion. 104
To find out what is the most popular place to shop for the survey/questionnaire contestants, each of them have been asked where they mostly shop (based on their last three purchases). Majority (42) out of 127 answered vintage/charity/ second hand shop and internet with the same value of fourty two votes. This could be considered as a good sign and future for upcycling/second hand industry, as well as for sustainability. Most people who shopped online confirmed they were searching for brands available strictly online, most of them had sustainable values such as Lucy and Yak (handmade, independent, sustainable dungarees). Thirty six people (28.3%) chosen to shop from highstreet brands/shopping mall - that is unfortunate, as most of these shops produce waste and is responsible for fast fashion industry. Luckily the number was still overpowered by second hand shops. The smallest amount of votes was received by Depop/Vinted (second hand online shopping), hopefully these platforms will continue to grow and expand in the near future. 105
Looking at the direct interviews conducted with random shoppers, it is the quality that they value the most. Five out of six have confirmed that quality is what they are searching for and would pay more for something that would last longer/ wear better. Next in the chart is style - with three votes, those young people (age from 20 up to 32) desire to look good and be following trends. Two of them mentioned price as shopping factor, however one of them admitted to buying better quality clothes even if it costs more, last but not least - fit and promo codes were the factors (each scored one vote) of spending money on fashion.
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The last chart represents how often do respondents shop for clothes - based on their three months experience. Two out of 133 people answered everyday (1.5%) which means they must spend at least five pounds a day, which gives about one hundred and fifty five pounds a month - that is extraordinary. The largest amount of people (63) answered once in 3+ months, followed by those who shop sporadically - once a month (52) and those who shop once a week (16). Those shoppers tend to let go and fall for impulse purchases which then some regrets or never wear.
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Appendix - Instagram/Direct Interviews Gathering information from primary research sources, allowed the process of creating this report and it helped with producing new aims and objectives. The main idea had to be redeveloped many times in order to receive an insightful response from the interviewed people, the entire process allowed the data as well as aims and objectives to be finally established. Since fast fashion is currently the most popular one within the youngest generation as well as millennials, it is important to find out if this will change anytime soon. Knowing the consequences of what fast fashion is doing to the planet, it should be obvious that our current habits need a little bit of rearrangements. Interviewing each volunteer was helping with exploring the current spendings of young age group and gaining information about what they value in fashion - what their style is, how much money they spend on clothes and how often they buy clothes. The trickiest question for them was admitting to the fact that they have fallen into Black Friday sales - this opinion is based on their reaction to the question and how they were instantly explaining why they have spent each amount of money. 1. How often do you buy clothes? 2. How would you describe your style? (conscious closet, minimalist, edgy, sporty-chique, depop babe, topshop lover, label queen) 3. Have you bought any clothes during black Friday sale? 4. How much money you spend on clothes monthly? 5. What makes you want to buy a piece of clothing? (the quality of fabric, style, vegan/cruelty free, price, if I like it then I will buy it – no matter what) 6. Would you consider spending more on clothes if they were great quality?
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@Katarzyna_tysiac Katarzyna, 27 years old, female. I buy clothes at least once every 2 weeks. I love fast fashion brands! I love that I am able to find the trendiest clothes in the affordable price. My idea of wearing clothes is to wear something that is fashionable but also makes me feel good. I like good quality clothes, however if I see a polyester dress which i am in love with then I will get it anyway. Yes i did - i love using promo codes and discounts. Depends on the time of the year. Sometimes I will spend 1000 pounds on clothes on sales or times when new season is starting, but sometimes I would only spend 300. Doesn’t really matter to me. The most important thing for me is to feel good in that clothing piece. It doesn’t matter whether its cequin top or sportswear. It is important for my clothes to have that wow factor and make me feel like a million dollars lady. Yes I like spending more money on good quality clothes, however those are usually my accessories such as shoes or bags. In terms of clothes - wool or cashmere but also a good quality soft organic cotton t-shirts - I am happy to invest more money into these. Genuinely I am aware that I represent consumptionism and I know that what I do isn’t very conscious. @Wrona_xx Mateusz, 32, male once a week minimalist no £70 style,fit and quality yes
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@J.i_retka Joanna, 30, female 1.Every week, 2.minimslist 3.yes on ebay 4. Not more than £20 5.quality ,only buy high quality clothes in charrityshops 6.always spend more money if I know that something is good quality Most of the times i get my clothes from charity shops, always hunting for a bargain - something that I know is super expensive in “normal” shops. My style is original but also chique. @Benmols Ben, 29, male not often, buy some stuff every 3-4 months minimalist / boring / couldn’t care lol no On a month I actually buy clothes it will be £100-200 style and cost if something is higher quality that will last longer, I’m happy to pay more for it
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@Alxwjm Alexander, 20, male 1.) I buy clothes usually every 4-6 weeks 2.) I’d say my style was a bit depop babe maybe slightly edgy 3.) I did not buy any clothing during black Friday 4.) I probably spend around £20 on clothes monthly 5.) I usually go for the style, price and if I want to buy it then I will 6.) I would spend more on clothes if they were still my style and a better quality, otherwise I think I’d need more enticing @Angelacebula Angela, 24, female I usually buy clothes thoughtfully, not impulsively. Sometimes it’s a few pieces a month, sometimes I can hold off for a few months and not buy anything. My style is definitely unofficial, even loose, sometimes sporty. I want to feel comfortable every day, so I choose mainly sneakers, recently I changed my tight pants for a mom jeans, and for the top I choose men’s t-shirts, flannel shirts and hooded sweatshirts. On the other hand, my wardrobe is full of sweaters and elegant coats, but I like to mix elements so as not to be literal. Also I love black colour and leather jackets - a little bit of rock’n’roll. I’m a minimalist in terms of colour selection. I waited till Black Friday to buy a few things. It wasn’t impulsive cravings, but things I wanted to buy for a long time. They weren’t seasonal things that can be seen on the sale and then disappear from the shops. I chose timeless clothes that were originally quite expensive and Black Friday saved me a lot of money. It is difficult to say how much money I spend on clothes per month, because there are months when I don’t buy them at all. The older I get, the more aware I am, what makes me want to buy less things, but better quality. I visit chain stores sporadically, if I decide to buy in them, I carefully look at things whether they were made of good quality materials and properly sewn. I also don’t accept half measures - if I can’t afford the original, I’m not content with a fake. I hate to look like others, so fashionable things push me away. I prefer to wait until they stop to be fashionable and buy them at a sale or in an outlet. In the future I would like to buy clothes that least harm the environment, but it will be difficult for me to give up on leather products. For some time I’ve been trying to apply the principle: fewer things, but better quality, and thus - more expensive. Also I try to buy clothes and accessories from young Polish companies that sew locally from high quality materials. 111
Appendix - Shop Interviews Shop 1 (lady interviewed) - White rose Question 1: How often you receive a new batch of clothes? 3 times a week from our warehouse in Manchester Question 2: Who would you say your main customers are? Students and older people and even professionals who just pop in on their work break Question 3: Have you noticed any changes recently (throughout the last two years?) We do have loads of students coming in - especially from october till july. They are our main customers. Question 4: What happens with all the pieces that weren’t sold? They go back to the warehouse and being sent to other shops. Question 5: Do you think upcycling has become more popular - if so why? Sustainability issues and people wanting to save up on clothes. Shop 2 (man interviewed) - Charity shop Question 1: How often you receive a new batch of clothes? Once a week and we also take donations from anyone who comes in Question 2: Who would you say your main customers are? Students Question 3: Have you noticed any changes recently (throughout the last two years?) Loads of more students and young people - we even decided to introduce a new system where we buy expensive pieces from buyers and then share costs 50/50 with them e.g. Burberry coat was brought to the shop for us to sell, once its been sold we will share half of the price with the person who brought the coat into the shop. Question 4: What happens with all the pieces that weren’t sold? All the items stay here inside the shop and wait for their turn Question 5: Do you think upcycling has become more popular - if so why? I think students don’t have loads of money to spend and want to look unique and this is why they buy from us. Also the sustainability, fast fashion industry isn’t particularly good and people becoming much more aware.
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Shop 3 (man interviewed) - White rose (both men and women) Question 1: How often you receive a new batch of clothes? Three times a week Question 2: Who would you say your main customers are? Students Question 3: Have you noticed any changes recently (throughout the last two years?) We are extremely busy - throughout the whole year. I must say that fast fashion is going down because people are coming in and out - they buy all sorts and want to look different and they do - they have great style! Also it allows them to save money so that’s a winner. Question 4: What happens with all the pieces that weren’t sold? We don’t get rid of anything - it stays within our brand and just circulate through different shops around. Question 5: Do you think upcycling has become more popular - if so why? Definitely! It is all about people not wanting to support fast fashion industry and want to save up money on clothes - we have regulars who we speak to everytime they come over and they always shop sustainable brands and within the charity/vintage industry. I personally get clothes from our clothes and the quality is amazing, that’s also makes me believe that people come back to us. Shop 4 (manager interviewed) - White rose Question 1: How often you receive a new batch of clothes? Three times a week - all coming from our warehouse near Manchester. Question 2: Who would you say your main customers are? Students and young professionals - in their twenties and thirties Question 3: Have you noticed any changes recently (throughout the last two years?) Well - what i know is that we are super busy, people coming in and out. We are super popular - this is why we managed to open more shops around nottingham and we are super happy because it is going great! Question 4: What happens with all the pieces that weren’t sold? Stays in and gets sent back to the warehouse where it goes to different white rose shops. Basically - it all stays within the family. Question 5: Do you think upcycling has become more popular - if so why? I think the quality of our clothes makes people come back. They have noticed that vintage/charity shops are able to provide good quality not just old used clothes like people used to think. As I mentioned earlier - it is super popular and it feels like the popularity is still growing.
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Shop 5 (lady intervied) Sue ryder Question 1: How often you receive a new batch of clothes? We only rely on donations and we sell everything that was brought by random people to us - furniture, DVDs, toys and clothes. Question 2: Who would you say your main customers are? Older people and now young students - anyone really. Question 3: Have you noticed any changes recently (throughout the last two years?) Yes we can see more young people coming into the shop and even wanting to help. We have been receiving more donations as well - that’s probably because of high street shops impact and all that fast fashion creating too much. Question 4: What happens with all the pieces that weren’t sold? Everything stays in and wait for their turn. Question 5: Do you think upcycling has become more popular - if so why? I think so - mostly because of people getting more aware of what is happening in the fashion industry, they also desire to look different and have their own style which with our clothes is possible - we have clothes from different eras and each piece is different. Shop 6 (lady interviewed) Cancer Research Question 1: How often you receive a new batch of clothes? Everyday - throughout donations Question 2: Who would you say your main customers are? Older people and young like you - it is a small shop and we usually get people who are in need. The older people seem to be buying from us because they want to support our foundation. Question 3: Have you noticed any changes recently (throughout the last two years?) Yes - we receive more things - especially clothes. Question 4: What happens with all the pieces that weren’t sold? They go to different shops and possibly sent out to different countries. Question 5: Do you think upcycling has become more popular - if so why? I think so, people don’t have enough money and they tend to search for cheaper options.
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Appendix - Expert Interview
1. The depop /sustainable living GURU – do you buy from fast fashion brands? 1. I avoid buying from fast fashion brands. One of the reasons for not doing so is the quality of the items - if you buy second hand an item that has been worn and washed over a few times and is still in great quality - you can be assured it’s not gonna get any worse after you wash and wear. Last item I bought from fast fashion brand was an h&m blouse and I got it over a year ago. Guilty. 2. What made you changed your mind on fashion and deciding on starting a upcycling/second hand movement? 2. I’ve briefed myself well enough on this topic and started to be a conscious consumer. I have always liivng been around great amounts of clothes in my flat as my mom was re-selling kids clothes on Polish Sunday markets. I have also went travelling around South East Asia where climate change is showing the most due to high population. It also opened my eyes on how much we ACTUALLY need to live / be happy. 3. Who are your main customers (gender, age)? Not only on depop but also on the events that you are hosting. 3. My main customers are British students, both genders but recently seems like guys are more likely to buy 4. Does depop help you with running the events you host? 4. Depop doesn’t help me organising sustain. But I’m planning collab soon 5. What sort of clothes would you describe are the most popular ones – top 5 bestsellers? 5. Most popular items are definitely crew neck jumpers, quarter zip fleeces and warm fleeces. High fashion brands - any items are always selling fast - and those are the most sustainable too - the designer stuff that you can always re sell - versace, fendi etc 6. Do you think that logo matter or do people just tend to follow the trends e.g. fluffy clothes or fisherman vest? 6. I think logo and brand do matter as you are more likely to sell Fila jumper with huge embroidery on front than plain one. People still do follow the trend so it’s probably just how fast you will sell an item but trend is always going to be sold 7. Have you noticed the upcycling, sustainable movement to be growing recently? 7. I have noticed more and more people talk about it and are always trying to shop better. I’ve read an article somewhere that second hand and re selling fashion is meant to take over fast fashion by 2050 8. Are you planning on expanding your business? 8. I’m planning to expand my business and make it my primary form of an income (I still work part time in a restaurant as I’m too big of a chicken to jump in and start on my own - as we know sales can be liability sometimes) I’ve been lucky enough to get my workshop space recently where I can keep all my stuff which means I don’t have to do it at home anymore. 115
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Appendix - Surveymonkey
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