The mass production of too many cheap garments, many of which will never be worn or even purchased, has made fashion a “monstrous disposable industry”, in the words of designer Phoebe English.
This problem is only set to worsen if you believe the most recent Pulse of the Fashion Industry report, which claims global apparel consumption will rise 63 per cent to 102 million tonnes by 2030.
One widely-touted prediction - recently disproven - was that COVID-19 would have the inadvertent positive of slowing down the sector and offering a much-needed reset. Instead, the cheapest online fast fashion has surged while firms in the squeezed middle fall by the wayside.
