fashion industry

Production Chains Impasse

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The urgency to make a change in a world at a standstill


Production chains have been disrupted first by the pandemic and second by the war in Ukraine. Which, unfortunately, doesn’t seem to have a short term solution.

Consequently, the question arises: how can we reorganise the production system to align with a more sustainable model?

The most striking reality is that the Western world relies on goods produced in countries where wages fall far below the threshold for a decent standard of living. That is a dead-end system: corporations will never renounce that magnificent cake which secures their profits. At the same time, everyone worldwide contributes to sustaining the system through overconsumption.

With a complete lack of vision, most companies hope to get back to normal soon, identifying that normal with the pre-pandemic and prewar structure. But the war and the new outbreak in China added more problems, further slowing raw material supplies and destroying markets. So it just got worse. While disrupting production chains, those catastrophic events are bringing in radical changes. And maybe, even those companies who prayed for “back to normal” will understand that life will never be the same, nor will production chains.

Production chains – What are the possibilities?


Small-sized companies offering local productions are more prone to change and more adaptable to new situations. On the contrary, big chains don’t have this ability to change and adapt quickly.
Artisanal should be the new normal, guided by the principle of going ahead with production only when there is a commitment to purchase. No overproduction.
Also, more focused production would give space to creativity, which is fundamental to conceiving meaningful products, goods made to last and worth buying.

Small, artisanal and creative are just some of the elements that provide a thoughtful and sustainable business model.

Of course, being creative means taking risks, so no one wants to do it because there’s no guarantee of success. But the catastrophic events we are witnessing tell us that we must change now.

In order to provide sustainable production chains, we need people leading the industries with innovative visions based on ethical principles.

Taking risks is part of the game. There’s no other way to make a change.

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Chronicles From The Middle Ages

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Women against women


Sometimes, women can have a tremendously negative impact on women’s emancipation. This is evident in the words of Elisabetta Franchi, which felt like like chronicles from the Middle-Ages.

This is what Elisabetta Franchi said in an interview with “Il Foglio”:

“When you put a woman in an important position, you cannot afford not to see her coming for two years because that position is uncovered. An entrepreneur invests time, energy, and money and if a woman cannot show up it’s a problem, so I too, as an entrepreneur, am responsible for my company, have often focused on men.”

“An entrepreneur cannot afford not to see a woman show up for two years, that’s why I often bet on men.”

“I only hire over forty women who already have children.”

Daily life in Middle Ages


This is not men’s opposition to women’s emancipation. This is women against women. When it comes to our vision of fashion, Elisabetta Franchi has never been under our radar. Style speaks, and her fashion perfectly represents her worldview, which is explained above–in her own words. A tacky style for women who dress to impress men. That’s what society and tradition want, so let’s give it to them. And so, we witness the same old patriarchal rhetoric depicted through clothing. A regressive portrayal of women, where career opportunities are nonexistent, but their value lies in attracting men.

It’s something we would never offer to our women. But what we find sad is that most women like that style.

A while ago, we promised to write an exploration of fashion and patriarchy. Indeed, the only fashion that men can appreciate is the one that pleases them. Consequently, that is the most popular style among women, and therefore, that is the best-selling fashion.

Now pair Franchi’s retrograde words with the recent news that three girls couldn’t enter a bar on the beach near Ostia because their clothes weren’t sexy enough. What do we see, then? A disturbing snapshot of a society where women have no opportunities and no evolution.

And we just needed a woman to remind us about it! From the Chronicles of the Middle-Ages, that’s it!

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Earth Day?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Mass marketing, hashtags and behaviour


On April 22, while everyone proudly shared the hashtag Earth Day, the news said that in Europe, six million tons of garments end up in landfills every year. Yes, it’s not a good moment to read newspapers because whatever the field, humans are not shining for responsible behaviour.

Even if we feel very sad about that news, we are not surprised. Indeed one of our latest posts was about the lack of coherence in our society. And scrolling through our blog, you’ll find many other posts on this topic. On the one hand, people claim to care about sustainability, yet on the other, they buy fast fashion or any other cheap product. The habit is ‘consume and throw away’ quickly.

In general, sustainability sells, and if it’s greenwashing, it sells even more!

Earth Day & the culture of waste


This matter has to do with the ‘buy and toss’ culture launched, promoted and pushed by corporations. They did it intentionally by using persuasion and with the help of marketing. Yes, marketing can do magic! Furthermore, knowing they could count not only on the weakness of individuals but also on people who don’t read and don’t think at all.

This is the modern way of purchasing clothing which is also done via Instagram or TikTok. The cheapest ones are the most successful. “It’s cheap, I buy it, I’ll wear it once and throw it away!”
What if they will not wear it? They won’t feel guilty getting rid of it because it’s cheap. In fact, there are garments still with the price tag in landfills!

That is toxic behaviour that speakes volumes about the decadence of European culture. Our parents and grandparents used to buy a few quality clothes that lasted a lifetime, got repaired and passed on to the other family members. Now, people buy very cheap products made to auto destroy in the shortest time possible. And which, unfortunately, don’t disappear but instead compromise our environment.

If we do not refocus our culture, if we are not open to change, and put some effort into shifting our consumption habits, it’s better to avoid the hashtag to celebrate Earth Day.

Hashtags work for marketing but will not save the earth. Our actions will.

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The Coherence Gap

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The clash between sustainability and fast fashion’s growth


Our society has a problem with consistency, revealing a glaring coherence gap. Indeed one point seems quite clear: what people say is not consistent with what they do. It’s like coherence is a fault, or it’s not necessary. So you are allowed to say something and then do the opposite without being held accountable.

Consistency and sustainability


Magazines these days released the news that Shein, the fast-fashion giant, is raising funds at 100 billion USD value.
Considering that their price range is around 10 – 20 euros, two things are certain. First, the materials have zero quality. Second, their production chains raise serious doubts. If 15 euros is the price of one dress, how much are workers getting paid to make that garment?
Quality can be something one could renounce, but an ethical production chain is the foundation of a healthy society. And therefore, crucial in any discussion, even about sustainability.

Yet no questions arise in those who buy Shein. In fact, in a moment when communication and marketing are all about sustainability, the fast-fashion giant is growing enormously. And there is similar news too. Recently Primark opened in Milano, and people were packed in line to get in.

Overcoming the coherence gap


People talk about sustainability and maybe show up at ‘Friday’s for Future’, but they buy fast fashion. Why?
Everyone, adults and teenagers, say something, but they do the opposite. This lack of consistency reveals that sustainability is just a marketing trend. It is a popular topic, something people like to discuss to show they are up-to-date, but they don’t really care.

In fact, if they were consistent, they wouldn’t buy fast fashion at all! And the case of low budgets is just an excuse to avoid the change since the business model is profitable for corporations and “convenient” for short-sighted masses. Vintage items are accessible to anyone, and nothing is more sustainable.

So, here’s the way to overcome the coherence gap: let actions follow thoughts. In the same direction, of course!

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Purchasing For The Trashcan

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Exploring the cycle of fashion trends


Purchasing for the trashcan has become a symbol of the relentless cycle of fashion trends. Items are quickly discarded in favor of the next fleeting style.

Ever since the rise of fast fashion and fashion influencers, we have stepped into a social construction where having endless access to clothing and styles is associated with glamour and the elite lifestyle.
Styles from last week are being replaced by this week’s fashion. Shelves are clearing. And ‘clothing hauls’ are posted on social media platforms by the various fashion influencers who are associated with that brand.

Examining the lie


The unfortunate result, the viewers of these videos are blinded by the heaps of clothing. And therefore, cannot see that these influencers not only were paid to show the clothing. But the clothing was gifted to them for free.
The reality of purchasing a plentiful array of clothing every single week is less of an actuality and more of a cloak of an idealistic utopian fashion fantasy. A trick that has succeeded in blinding all consumers.
Celebrities and influencers are the medium to present this idea of life that is not rationally attainable. The everyday consumer is, then, pressured to put weekend shopping sprees on their credit card bill. Old fashion in the trash, and wounds on the environment.

The fear of outfit repeating in our elitist society


The conclusive fear of the everyday fashion enthusiast is that in order to be viewed by society as enough, or relevant, they must participate in this cycle of mass fashion waste. In order to never appear in public wearing the same item they wore the week before they must fall obedient to the social norm of endless options, overconsumption, and false realities.

Styling your truth goggles


Rather than succumbing to this false fashion reality, rather than purchasing for the trashcan, try to remember the root of the fashion concept. Remember that fashion isn’t an endless array of styles cycling through it’s tailoring various attire to your own body type, skin tone, hair colour, and personal preference. Fashion is having the ability and privilege to choose a unique and quality piece from a line-up, paying the price for quality, and keeping it in your wardrobe for your lifetime. Then finally, when you’re doing your spring cleaning, you come across that one blouse that made you feel so beautiful. Then you remember, I bought this blouse before my first interview. And this was the blouse that gave me the confidence to be proud of my work for the first time.

Fashion has the ability to induce feelings that you might not have been able to create on your own. Fashion is your uniform. And it’s what makes you remember who you are and what you are presenting to the rest of the world. And fashion is not a logo on a t-shirt proclaiming to the world that you can afford to buy a lie.

✍️ A piece written by Gavriel Ewart. An American girl studying fashion and communication at Cattolica university in Milan and interning for suite123

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