” Once you see how difficult it is to make clothes, and how much time and effort it takes, you understand that it’s just not possible for a t-shirt to cost just 5 euros. ”
Wanda Wollinksy, 31, is a German fashion designer and co-founder of the eco-responsible Kasia Kucharska brand.
Kasia Kucharska
. Before studying at the Berlin University of the Arts, she used to buy a lot of fast-fashion clothes . because it’s cheap, and when you’re young you don’t have much money “. She explains that at the start of her course, it was a way of defending the democratization of access to fashion. Today, on the strength of her experience, she is no longer as convinced by this argument and only buys second-hand clothes.
The sheer quantity of clothes that ephemeral fashion represents is what puts the young woman off the most.
“Most of these garments are not biodegradable. It’s alarming to think that they’ll continue to exist even after my death.“she remarks.
Brand co-founders, from left to right, Reiner Törner, Wanda Wollinsky and Kasia Kucharska. Laura Schaeffer
The paradox of fast fashion
Yet fast fashion is a hit, even when its practices run counter to consumers’ ecological convictions. Although climate change is a major concern around the world, sales of disposable clothing have grown at an alarming rate. a spectacular rise in recent years. Between 2000 and 2014, global clothing production doubled. At the same time, the number of times a garment is worn has dropped considerably.
What explains this paradox? Expert Valérie Guillard says it’s because “. buying is rewarding “. Professor of marketing at Paris-Dauphine University, and author of, among other works, the book entitled “
Du gaspillage à la sobriété: Avoir moins et vivre mieux?”
(De Boeck Ed. 2019), her research focuses on consumer psychology and practices.
” When you buy something, it’s a pleasure. Especially when it comes to clothes, you think you’re going to look better, you’re going to have something new to show off. And when you can consume something, it means you’re in touch with society, which values consumption. What’s more, fast fashion isn’t expensive, so many social categories can enjoy it. To renounce this is to renounce a certain way of being in relation to society. ”
Consuming a fast fashion brand is then more a question of convenience. Kartik says it’s willing to pay a little more for eco-responsible and ethical clothing.
”
If I knew of such a brand close to home that matched my style preferences – a style that represents you, that’s important – I’d go there rather than go to Zara
“he says.
Micro-trends and social networks: the infernal duo
In fast fashion, the key word is
fast –
i.e. the speed at which new garments are produced and brought to market. While high-end brands release two collections a year (autumn and spring), fast-fashion companies such as Zara offer new styles and trends until the end of the year. twice a week. In the case of Chinese online fashion retailer Shein, the design and production period is sometimes as short as 3 days only! As a result, consumers are encouraged to buy regularly for fear of running out. And clothes are so cheap that you can easily justify an impulse purchase and feel like you’re saving money.
Kasia Kucharska brand underwear made entirely of latex and biodegradable Sandra Gramm
Piles of discarded clothes in Chile’s Atacama desert © MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP / Getty Images
Last November, startling images appeared in the media, revealing mountains of used textiles stretching as far as the eye could see
in the Chilean desert
. This type of open-air landfill, which can also be found in Ghana, India and Côte d’Ivoire, appears in our news feed on a more or less regular basis.
In 2013, it was the collapse of Rana Plaza, which housed several textile garment workshops and caused the death of at least 1,138 people, that left its mark on people’s minds.
There is no shortage of images and events demonstrating a certain consumerist frenzy and its catastrophic consequences. It’s hard to talk about an information deficit when it comes to fast fashion. ” But is the information conscious? “asks Valérie Guillard. She explains that we need to step back and understand where we stand in relation to this issue.
Some deplore
greenwashing
and the confusion it can cause. Kartik Chawla is wary, for example, of clothing labels indicating sustainable production or 100% recycled materials:
“Sometimes I go back and try to verify this data, but it’s an extra effort. There may be a lot going on in the background that you’re simply not aware of.“.
© H&M
