From #BoycottFashion To #LovedClothesLast Understanding the Impact of the Sustainable Activist Consumer and How Activist Movements are Shaping a Circular Fashion Industry Hilary Jade Ip Final Fashion Management Project sustainable noun able to be maintained at a certain rate or level activist noun a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change consumer noun a person who purchases goods and services for personal use. FINAL FASHION MANAGEMENT PROJECT WORD COUNT: 7050 STUDENT ID: 29483816 This report has been printed on 100% recycled paper CONTENTS 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 8 INTRODUCTION 10 METHODOLOGY 12 CHAPTER 1: FASHION ACTIVISM 25 CHAPTER 2: THE ACTIVIST CONSUMER 32 CHAPTER 3: THE CURRENT INDUSTRY RESPONSE 44 CHAPTER 4: THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY 50 CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATION 58 CHAPTER 6: POST COVID-19 64 CONCLUSION 67 APPENDIX 76 BIBLIOGRAPHY 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report provides an investigative analysis of the ‘sustainable’ activist consumer and how activist movements have pushed the fashion industry towards a more circular future. Chapter 1 of the report analyses the fashion activism and its current forms in the digital age. It examines the impact of activist movements focusing on disrupting fashion consumption. Chapter 2 of the report dissects the Generation Z (Gen Z) activist consumer. Gen Z stands to become one of the most influential consumer “The Fashion Industry is groups and is leading the current industry shift. Chapter 3 of the report explores the response of fashion industry, examining notable examples from across the fashion hierarchy and the Broken” potential issues with their strategies. - Chapter 4 of the report introduces the Circular Economy model, a radical Clare Farrell, change option for brands to improve their Corporate Social Responsibility that is not the Triple Bottom Line. It also introduces regenerative design Extinction Rebellion thinking as the next move for the fashion industry. (2020) Chapter 5 presents recommendations for brands to begin the transition from a linear model to a circular model. The report proposes collaboration between competitors/activist groups which could lead to a mutual benefit for business, consumers, and governments. Chapter 6 takes into consideration how activist movements have been affected by COVID-19 and the activist consumer post-COVID-19 The report ends with the conclusion that the fashion industry will find that the sustainable ‘activist’ consumer is no longer a unique market segment as sustainable attitudes become more commonplace. Radical change needs to happen or soon the sustainable activist ‘consumer’ will no longer wish to consume from the fashion industry at all. 6 7 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION he climate crisis has put the fashion Activist organizations such as Extinction Rebellion Tindustry on a collision course with the and Fashion Revolution have gained significant current zeitgeist (Cartner-Morley, 2019). From growth in following because of this awareness. hazardous substances in garments to the large With social media as their platforms, activist groups amounts of textile waste generated, today’s have been able to reach and educate consumers fashion industry has become synonymous with worldwide. Supported by industry leaders such Figure 2: The average amount of clothing going to landfill per person (WTVOX, 2018) severe environmental impacts. Consumers are as Stella McCartney and Livia Firth (Business ‘getting woke’ as McKinsey reports in their State of Fashion, 2018), these organizations have of Fashion Report 2019. Following that forecast is launched movements encouraging consumers the growing need for brands to put ‘Sustainability to #boycottfashion and make sure their The global apparel and footwear industry is Therefore, this report aims to answer the First’ (McKinsey, 2019). Highlighted as some of #lovedclotheslast. These proposed reductions in projected to grow up to USD 3.3 trillion in question: the key leaders pushing this demand are young consumerism could lead to a complete consumer value by 2030. (Global Fashion Agenda, 2019). Generation Z (Gen Z) activists such as Greta shift (Figure 2). This is if the industry continues with their Thunberg (Figure 1). 2020 brings the climate current practices but there is a possibility activist “What is the crisis deadline closer as more countries fail to consumers leading these anti-consumerist follow through on their 2015 Paris Agreement movements can change that trajectory. impact of emission goals (National Geographic, 2019). Generation Z is set to make up to 40% of global The well-known fact that the fashion industry consumers in 2020 (McKinsey, 2018). Combined the activist is responsible for ’10% of the world’s carbon with the sustainably minded Millennials, their emissions’ (UNEP, 2018), has many consumers combined spending power totals to almost USD consumer and growing conscious of what effect their shopping 3 trillion this year (YPulse, 2020). As a growing habits have on the environment. number of these consumers shift to an activist mind-set, actively choosing to purchase more how are activist consciously; The fashion industry stands to lose profits and more if their values and actions are movements not aligned with the zeitgeist. A potential way to mitigate this issue while still encouraging shaping fashion business activity is the circular economy which is towards a more Figure 1: Generation Z ‘valued as a trillion-dollar opportunity.’ (WGSN Climate Change Activist Insight, 2019) Greta Thunberg circular future?” (Dominguez, 2019) 8 9 METHODOLOGY 80% would 58 % of boycott a consumers brand for surveyed behaving don’t consider unethically themselves activists METHODOLOGY (Author’s Own, 2020) (Author’s Own, 2020) his report has utilized a mixed method Survey: Tapproach to its research into the activist The results were collected anonymously consumer and the possible solutions. The in order to prevent Social Desirability Bias report relies primarily on secondary sources of (SDB). ‘SDB is a phenomenon where survey Figure 3: Results from primary research (Author’s Own, 2020) data such as industry periodicals and academic participants provide answers that are socially journals due to the quality and accessibility. desirable so they create a more favourable Primary research has been conducted to collect or positive impression in their survey localised data. Other primary research included participation’ (Roxas and Lindsay, 2011) store observation and courses from activist organizations such as Fashion Revolution and The survey revealed even though not all The Sustainable Angle. The report is supported participants considered themselves as with the use of models and frameworks from activists, they were all aware of highlighted various academic authors such as Schiffman, climate change activist movements specific Kanuk, and Wisenbilt (2010) and Jackson and to the fashion industry and acted similarly in Shaw (2009) terms of conscious fashion consumption and disposal. Qualitative data collected revealed Ethical considerations: the nuances in consumer’s feelings about All primary research was approved by the their actions as activists/non-activists. The University of Southampton’s Ethics Committee Sustainable Fashion most common reasoning for not labelling & Textiles (ERGO). All participants have consented to themselves an activist is the lack of participation Figure 4: CLAWDI Brand (CLAWDI, 2020) their data being used for this report in protests. However, 80% of participants said they would be willing to participate in Sampling: Interview: a form of protest against a fashion brand if The sample selected for primary data An interview was conducted with the founder been inspired by activist movements and now uses they behaved unethically. (Figure 3) Therefore, includes a mixture of self-proclaimed ‘activist’ and designer of activist upcycling brand CLAWDI her brand as a platform to ‘raise awareness and relay this demonstrates many consumers have the consumers (participants from the University of (Figure 4), Claudi Janse Van Rensberg, to gain information on important environmental issues not potential to become an ‘activist consumer’ at Southampton’s charter of Extinction Rebellion industry insight in operating a successful brand only related to fashion.’ She also highlighted how large any moment, given the correct motivation that were recruited) and regular consumers within utilising the mentality of the circular economy brands like Patagonia, Nike, Stella McCartney play suits their personal values. The most common the age range of a typical UK university setting. framework. a significant role in leading innovative technologies platform for consumers to hear about these This sample is a convenience sample (Jackson that contribute to the field of sustainable fashion. activist acts is social media as expected by the and Shaw, 2009) but this was appropriate Rensberg offered insightful commentary on She believes the industry will move towards most digitally connected generations. given participants’ connection with the topic working as an independent designer and how her ‘lowsumerism’ and other slower production methods of discussion as most were Gen Z. Due to business model of direct to consumer custom to mitigate the climate crisis. The full results of the survey are visualised in complications from the COVID-19 pandemic, orders has allowed her to maintain her sustainable Appendix A. the availability of the participants was affected production values and gain a strong following and The full