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SUSTAINABLE FASHION INDUSTRY: Why do we need a switch towards conscious consumption?
Summary
This thesis examines the fashion industry's environmental and social harms, including its significant contribution to microplastic pollution through synthetic textile washing, and argues for a shift toward more conscious consumer behavior. Fast fashion is one of the largest sources of synthetic microfibers entering waterways globally.
Notoriously, fashion industry is one of the major polluters to the environment, and it is also among the leading industries contributing to the modern slavery. Fashion industry and fast fashion system in particular are associated with numerous environmental and social problems. Large amounts of CO2 emissions, water contamination, landfills of disposed garments, violation of human rights, child labor, working conditions danger-ous for health and lives of people involved in manufacturing, extremely low wages… \nHowever, the level of consumerism is higher whenever before, and production in-creases in order to meet the demand. Negative impacts to the environments cannot be excused with positive socioeconomic influences on the society. Fashion industry cannot exist and develop without environmental protection. Executives within fashion industry cannot justify working conditions existing in developed countries with work-places they give to people there. \nIt is important to speak about existing problems resulting from fashion and textile in-dustries and to raise people awareness on them. Consumer demand is strong and powerful possessing the ability to bring changes to the environment, societies, and economies. Thus, conscious consumption is crucial and able to contribute in achieve-ment of sustainability within fashion industry. \nFor this thesis an inductive research is applied. Secondary data collection involves data from books, articles, studies and other reliable online sources. Primary data col-lection relates to quantitative data collection method (online survey). This thesis is a combination of literature review and the research. It also includes Garment Lifecycle Assessment, Risk response strategies and Buyer Behavior Model.
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