Ultra-fast fashion tests Japanese consumers’ commitment to sustainability

Like other countries, fast fashion in Japan is testing the balance between people’s love of fashion and their commitment to protecting the environment. Known for being highly fashion conscious, the Japanese public is also viewed as having a conservative mindset that shies away from excess. While a “less-is-more” approach certainly is more practical in a tiny Tokyo apartment, will Japan also buckle to the consumeristic appeal of online fast fashion that has already won over other parts of the world? Let’s take a look.

The inescapable lure of global fast fashion

It’s hard to escape the influence of fast fashion, no matter where you are in the world. Leading fast brands such as H&M, Zara, and Shein splatter their ads across Instagram, YouTube and elsewhere. As well as being hard to ignore, they are also hard to resist, with a huge range of super trendy and super cheap items.

What also sets this industry apart is its speed. Traditionally it took 20 years for clothing fashions to re-emerge in society – think of bell-bottom jeans or skirt lengths. Now, as fast fashion replicates the latest trends and high-fashion designs, the fashion cycle has shrunk to just five years. That means that fashion trends are manufactured, consumed, and wasted in a much faster cycle.

Fast fashion’s favorite fabrics are made from fossil fuels

The worst news is that the fast-fashion industry’s favorite materials are made from fossil fuels: polyester, acrylic, and nylon. Washing these synthetic fibers pollutes the oceans with 0.5 million tons of microfibers each year, which accounts for 35% of the primary microplastic that is leaked into the environment, according to European research.

As well as polluting water, it also consumes vast amounts of it. Around 79 billion cubic meters of water were used by the global textile and clothing industry in 2015, the European Parliamentary Research Service says. Meanwhile, about 20 billion tons of clothing were thrown away.

How often do Japanese consumers buy new clothes?

So, how long do Japanese people hold on to the clothes they buy? According to a survey by Kao Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer of detergents and other chemical products, the average length of time that an adult keeps a garment in Japan is 4.9 years. For women in their twenties, that figure drops to 3.7 years, which is the shortest among the different sex and age demographics.

This compares with a 2015 estimate of an overall average lifetime for clothing in the UK of up to 2.2 years. That’s less than half the average lifespan of garments in Japan. Compared with Norway, however, Japan can do better; clothes in Norway were found to last 5.4 years. Interestingly, on average, they had been with the current owner for the past 4 years, suggesting that many of the clothes had been inherited or purchased used.

While culture accounts for some of the differences in these figures, so does lifestyle. Kao’s survey also found that during the slower pace of life amid stay-at-home restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese consumers’ purchasing behaviors changed as they

1. Began to cherish more the clothes they already own
2. Preferred to buy clothes with long-lasting value, rather than following trends

The threats posed by fast online fashion

While online shopping was a godsend for many people during the pandemic, online fast fashion threatens the above positive changes in Japanese consumers’ behavior. Online shopping also has a considerable environmental downside. There is the carbon footprint of delivery, as, unlike when handing clothes directly to a customer, they need to be wrapped in plastic to protect them, and then in paper packages or cardboard boxes.

Transportation adds to that footprint, as products are delivered to each customer’s house. This is further exacerbated by the free-of-charge returns policies that the majority of online apparel platforms offer. A physical visit to a store reduces these carbon costs, especially because trying on the clothes before buying them reduces the likelihood of them needing to be returned.

When the fashion cycle churns ultra-fast

There is an even bigger challenge to sustainable clothing consumption, which is called “ultra-fast” fashion. This is fast fashion on steroids, with even shorter trend cycles and faster production. Among the ultra-fast fashion brands, a stand-out is Shein. Founded in 2008 in China, it is now the world’s largest fast-fashion firm. Its earnings are estimated to have grown a staggering 60% from US$9.8 billion in 2020, to $15.7 billion in 2021. The company does not disclose its sales data.

Shein’s chief marketing officer revealed that they release 700-1,000 new styles daily. It is astonishing to hear that. As you know, in the capitalistic and linear economic system, the faster the product cycle gets, the more waste we dump.

Customers these days are not unaware of the environmental impact of fast fashion, but at the prices offered by a brand like Shein, it is very hard to resist buying just one or two items, at least. With a huge range of attractive products and designs, prices typically range from just $5 to $20. The clothes are so cheap and replaceable that there is little incentive to repair and maintain them.

Pricing is key to sustainability. Between 1996 and 2018, clothing prices in the EU dropped by more than 30%, relative to inflation. And since 2000, Europeans have purchased more pieces of clothing, but spent less money doing so.

Can Japan buck the global trend?

In Japan, Shein seems to have garnered consumers’ attention in the last couple of years. The brand is already well-known in the US and Europe, after entering those markets about five years ago, its valuation is estimated to have jumped from US$5 billion in 2019 to $47 billion in 2021. Now, in the world’s third-biggest economy, Shein has already adopted its signature marketing technique of using social media and influencers wisely. A number of influencers with millions of subscribers in Japan have been reviewing a bunch of products from Shein since the beginning of this year. Its sales in Japan are expected to grow.

But at least one Japanese commentator predicts that Japanese people’s respect for quality means they will not be as adoring of Shein’s products as other countries have been.

Ultimately, this vicious cycle of capitalism can only be stopped by consumers. So, before you click on the “buy” button, consider whether that online purchase is really worth it. While it may suit your style, does it really suit your lifestyle and your values?

There are many ways to enjoy fashion without continually buying from fast fashion brands and ending up, over time, spending a small fortune. Check out this article, “Circular economy shortcuts to make your fashion habits more sustainable,” about them.