The Future Of Fast Fashion Ecommerce

Fast Fashion completely altered the eCommerce fashion industry. Dominating the eCommerce market, users are enthralled by the style options given to them by fast fashion chains. But as we look ahead into the future, amidst growing sustainable and socially conscious claims, what does the fast fashion industry have in store?

What Is Fast Fashion?

Fast fashion refers to fashion brands that produce low ticket fashion items rapidly according to changing trends. Brands such as H&M and ASOS have got the fast fashion phenomenon under wraps. By offering clothing items at low prices, customers are able to dress like celebrities; changing outfits regularly, and not breaking the bank to do so. It provides shoppers with access to trendy and affordable clothing. 

Fast fashion has strong links to social media, influencers and the eCommerce world. Most fast fashion operates in the eCommerce world, with free delivery and returns making up a huge part of the appeal of this market. Not only is there the convenience of being able to change clothes all the time, but these clothes are delivered right to your doorstep.

Social Media

Social media has played a huge part in the growth of fast fashion, as influencers and TikTok help promote these brands. Social media helps accelerate fashion trends, and social commerce allows for shoppers to access new clothes easily. The rapid spread of new trends through social media has led to new products being created at a faster speed than before. When a trend comes into play, having a brand be able to offer this style sometimes in a matter of days is what has helped fast fashion become so popular.

AI Algorithms

AI-driven approaches have helped push fast fashion forward, as they can help detect emerging trends and therefore optimize production. Consumer data can be analyzed to predict which styles will be in demand, and then supply chains can be put in place to facilitate this. Sophisticated algorithms can monitor social media trends as well as consumer preferences, which means that fashion brands can be on top of the game. 

Combining this knowledge with headless and no-code editing systems, you can see how easy it is for eCommerce brands to stay on top of brands. This data driven approach increases sales and helps to reduce the risk of overproduction. However, it does come under scrutiny for it’s sustainability and ethical practices.



Sustainability

The environmental costs of a fast fashion model are significant. Making products at such a low selling point involves lower cost materials which are often synthetic. These fabrics, such as polyester, account for 60% of global clothing production. However these fabrics are made from fossil fuels, and contribute to high carbon emissions. 

As a result, the fast fashion industry is one of the world's largest industrial polluters. On top of that, often these fabrics are non biodegradable or recyclable, adding to long term waste problems and microplastics in water systems issues. These are all serious concerns about the industry as we move forward.

Ethical Concerns

Ethically, the production of clothes in such a short space of time raises questions about labor regulations. It can be the case that fashions that operate on this scale are not treating their workers fairly and in safe working conditions. This can often be the case for women in developing countries who are often working these roles. 

Ensuring that the workers for these brands are operating under safe and humane working conditions can be hard to monitor. The need for oversight and security in the fashion supply chains sometimes gets overlooked in favor of speed and demand.

Sustainable Trends

As a result of this, we can see a growth of sustainability within the fast fashion industry. Many fast fashion brands are attempting to ‘go green’ with sustainability initiatives. Companies are taking steps such as:

• Launching recycled material collections

• Reducing carbon footprint

• Investing in efficient supply chains

• Creating second-hand sections

• Changing clothing materials

• Changing packaging materials

• Offering higher price ticket options

Conclusion

It is hard to deny that there is a need and desire for things to change in the fast fashion industry. As consumers look more to brands who share their values, it’s no surprise that the fast fashion industry has to follow suit; or else they will lose sales. There is a visible shift in fast fashion brands towards more sustainability, which we can continue to expect to see moving forward.