Major fast-fashion retailers that previously relied on unquestioned textile waste and underpaid labour to make a quick and fast buck are currently losing millions of pounds to order cancellations. Sustainability and transparency are starting to align with good business, and brands must consider slower and more considered supply chains to protect themselves from further financial losses.
As shoppers, we should shift our attention to smaller, boutique brands so they can survive the financial backlash of COVID-19 and we can support a healthier garment industry post-lockdown. We should also demand better from fast-fashion brands that continue to commit human-rights and environmental injustices. If major retailers want to be on the right side of fashion's future, then they must incorporate the stories of garment workers into their brand message.