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Insight of the Day: On-demand fashion gives much-needed clues on how to green notoriously wasteful industry

This article discusses on-demand fashion as a potential solution to the environmental and social problems plaguing the traditional fashion industry.

Key points about the traditional fashion industry:

  • Wasteful:  It is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and textile waste.

  • Unsustainable:  Reliance on cheap, outsourced labor and massive production runs often leads to human rights violations.

  • Inefficient:  Large quantities of unsold clothes are destroyed or end up in landfills.

On-demand fashion as an alternative:

  • Production based on demand:  Only the items that are actually ordered are manufactured.

  • Smaller batches: This reduces waste and allows for more flexibility in design and production.

  • Closer manufacturing:  Clothes could be produced closer to consumers, reducing transportation costs and environmental impact.

Challenges of on-demand fashion:

  • Customer resistance:  Consumers may not be willing to pay more or wait longer for custom-made items.

  • Technological limitations:  Manufacturing infrastructure is not set up for single-unit production.

  • Shifting consumer culture:  The industry needs to move away from the fast fashion model that prioritizes trends and low prices.

The article also mentions promising developments:

  • New technologies:  3D printing and other innovations could enable more efficient, on-demand production.

  • Sustainable brands:  Some companies are already finding success with small-batch production models.

  • Regulations:  New laws are pushing the fashion industry to become more environmentally responsible.

Overall, the article suggests that on-demand fashion has the potential to revolutionize the industry, but challenges remain. Technological advancements and a shift in consumer culture are necessary for this model to become mainstream.

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