Towards Understanding Sustainability Practices in the Fast Fashion Industry: A Multi-Case Study

In recent years, the fast fashion industry has attracted significant public scrutiny for its substantial contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, prompting many companies to commit to reducing their carbon footprint. However, the practical solutions adopted by the industry to decarbonize its operations remain ambiguous. Therefore, to address this gap, a content analysis was performed on the sustainability initiatives taken by the five biggest fast fashion brands to make their product design, process design, and supply chain processes less carbon-intensive. It has been found that although brands have attempted to lessen their GHG emissions, their present efforts are still insufficient to achieve net zero in GHG emissions in the following decades. Therefore, the fast fashion industry should adopt a comprehensive sustainability approach to mitigate its environmental impact, focusing on long-term solutions to reduce GHG emissions across the fast fashion supply chain.