BBC News: UK wardrobes stuffed with unworn clothes, study shows
Posted on 19th October 2022
In the words of Bill McRaith on LinkedIn, “With many retailers reporting DC’s and/or supply chains loaded with more product than they need, this issue will only get worse. Heavy discounting can drive frivolous purchasing.
Many of us, including me, have product in our closet we haven’t worn, or only worn once, we bought because it was a bargain we couldn’t resist.
Before we start making better product that lasts longer we need to do a much better job of matching supply and true demand. If we don’t we will only make our climate impact worse.
We have the capability and most of the tools required, we just need a change in our mindset.
My prior comments refer to the environmental impact of the current model, but what is always missed, and never reported but a direct consequence, is the devastating impact the current models has on the suppliers and workers in the apparel supply chains.
It was only 6 months ago that retailers were reporting they were chasing product, supply chain delays, many reporting $10’s of millions in incremental airfreight. Today the opposite, excessive inventory and order cancellations or forecast reductions.
We need to also consider the human consequences! At the supplier level this resulted in max overtime 6 months ago. Today suppliers with empty production lines, associates not making the income they should or, even worse, being laid off.
It’s one big ecosystem that currently generating waste and income loss for suppliers, their workers, retailers and brands.
We have to work together to fix this, it’s broken, it’s not getting better but it can if we collectively choose it to.”
Click here to view the BBC article which Bill McRaith discusses.
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