FMP FINAL

Final Major Project Portfolio

Cont

ribut

ing

he to t

change.

By Tatum Smith

..

Contents

Executive Summary03-04 The Concept 05-06 What is Sustainability?

07-08 The Circular Economy 09-10 The Need for Change 11-12 I Saw It First Success Stories 13-14 What They Do Now For Sustainability 15-16 I Saw It First Sonsumer 17-18 Introducing I Saw It First Contribute 19-20 Step One 21 Step Two 22 Step Three Trend Research 23-24 Fabric Board 25-26 Range Aesthetics 27 Range Overview 28 Digital Range Plan 29-34

Critical Path 35 Sourcing Strategy 36 Garment Costing 37 Price Architecture 38 Quantity and Allocation 39 Core, Fashion Trend 40 The Unit Buy Boston Consulting Martix 41-42 Range Ratios 43-44 Mark Down Strategy 45 Key Financials 46 Step Four 47 Step Five 48 Step Six Marketing 49-59 Summary 60 Bibliography 61-64

Executive Summary

This creative portfolio is a glimpse of how fast fashion brands can become more sustainable and start to lose their stigma of being both unsustainable and unethical. Completing the research for this final major project opened my eyes massively and allowed me to understand that this is not going to be an easy fix. The problem we face is that generation Z consumers are unaware of how their actions effect the environment, therefore when brands such as I Saw It First are still receiving millions of orders a week, they have no intention to stop mass producing. Now is time to change.

I have conducted endless research to suggest how we can tackle this enormous problem and begin to slow fast fashion down. This includes speaking to both conscious shoppers as well as fast fashion shopaholic consumers in small focus groups. As well as asking a sustainability expert their opinions. Secondary research has assisted me in understanding the continuity of the situation at hand.

I have proposed a 5 year plan for I Saw It First to contribute towards changing the way in which they operate, in the hope other brands imitate their efforts and we see a shift in the fashion landscape in the future.

I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

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tHE

Concept

This forever growing industry is getting increasingly competitive as new, upcoming fashion brands are working towards achieving full transparency in their supply chains, whilst producing garments woven from biodegradable, natural fibres.

Sustainable brands are slowly shaping the future of retail, which can only be perceived as a positive; since our shopping habits are slowly killing the environment. This leads us to the question, "is there a future for fast fashion?"

I believe that answer is yes, but only if actions are starting to take place now. Sustainability needs to stop being normalised as a trend to these fast fashion establishments, they need to help educate consumers on the severity of the situation at hand. These pureplay, trend absorptive brands are the main cause of a developing number of environmental issues, it’s time for them to make the change. The main problem is that the generation that shop fast fashion do not understand the damage it is doing so unless they are educated there is no reason for them to stop.

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I Saw It First is a budding, threeyear-old brand striving competitively towards the top of the fast fashion industry, they often make bold moves that are imitated by their competitors.

This project is going to introduce a 5-year vision to the company on how the future looks for them providing they closely follow recommendations set. It needs to be acknowledged that the brand will not become sustainable overnight, but they are recognising the problem and the need for change. We will introduce an initial range demonstrating how I Saw It First can contribute to this immense problem and educate generation z consumers on being more conscious.

We can only hope larger brands begin to replicate these actions in order to slow fast fashion down.

‘How can fast fashion brands, such as I Saw It First, become more sustainable in their practices?’

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Fast fashion

is like fast food after the sugar rush

it just leaves a bad taste

in your mouth (firth, 2016)

What is Sustainability?

The dictionary definition of the term sustainability is ‘The avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.’

(Oxford, 2020). This connotes a product must not use more natural resources than the world can naturally replace. We should also try to avoid producing anything that the planet cannot naturally absorb. Fashion that is sustainable will have been made in a way that is both considerate and mindful towards the environment. (34, 2018). There are two important factors to help decipher whether a garment is sustainable, these include looking at the longevity of the product as well as it’s end of life use.

Being sustainable should be implemented in the fashion industry, but instead is being exploited as a trend for brands to better themselves. When discussing what the word sustainability meant with a group of conscious generation z consumers, I came to terms with the fact many link the word sustainable with ethics.

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One said, ‘If we continue in the rate in which we are currently operating, it is not sustainable in the long term, it will do more negative damage. So, it means slowing that damage to a point at which we can keep going at a steady pace.’ (Appendix A, 2020) She also touched on it being unfair to pay middle eastern workers poor wages and that sustainable to her meant being ‘transparent across the board’. (Appendix A, 2020) A definition that sums this up impeccably is ‘The design, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal of apparel with respect and consideration for the health and longevity of our natural environment, and the welfare of the animals and humans involved. It aims to limit the socioenvironmental cost of fashion while maximising its lifetime value and positive impact.’ (Leemann, 2018)

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The Circular Economy

'An economy that puts back what it takes out, that is sustainable by design’ (Bishop, 2018)

- Circular Design - produce

- lease or buy

At present the fashion industry is prominently a very linear economy.

This is usually defined by a ‘take, make, dispose’ model. Following this model leads to single- use products which end up in landfills alongside 350,000 tonnes of other used but still wearable clothes (Aid, 2020). The textile industry uses one of the most resource-intensive supply chains which impacts industry workers who have lengthy working hours, risking their lives, working in dangerous conditions all to produce clothes that will quickly become textile waste (Muthu, 2018).

The industry is slowly starting to focus on enabling their systems to develop into a more circular economy. Understanding the need for change has persuaded brands to change not only their products so they have a more meaningful end of life use but also the way in which they are made. It is all about designing long- lasting, timeless pieces and applying the ‘RE’s’, for example, reuse, repair, recycle or refurbish (Khusainova, 2019).

- Use & RETURN

- UPCYCLE & RECYCLE I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

‘In the circular economy, there is no waste, as it becomes a new source of resources, which should, add value to the new product. Today, the emergence of the circular economy is a need rather than an alternative.’ (Muthu, 2018) PAGE 9

tHE NEED FOR Change

Fast fashion is one of the main detriments to the environment. 80 billion garments are produced each year and on average we only wear a garment 7 times before throwing it away; which encourages fast fashion brands to create cheap, poor quality clothing since they know it won’t be staying in our wardrobes for long (Thomas, 2019).

We are made to feel out of date and un belonging to a social group without keeping up to date with these trends which persuades us to keep buying more.

Water Pollution and Consumption

At least 20% of industrial water pollution comes from textile treatments and dying. Not only can contact with these toxic dyes cause allergic reactions and severe skin irritation for the workers, it can also increase the risk of cancer. Over 90% of wastewaters in developing countries is discharged into rivers without treatment which is extremely dangerous; it is particularly harmful for the aquatic life and the health of millions of people that live by the rivers.

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This wastewater then travels to the oceans which pollutes on a much wider scale (LaRose, 2018). Another thing to take into consideration is our water consumption when producing garments. According to WWF half of the worlds textiles are all made from cotton, cotton is the most water absorptive fibre there is, using 20,000 litres to produce just one kilogram, that is equal to one cotton t-shirt and a pair of jeans (WWF, 2020).

At present 2.6% of the global fresh water is being used to produce cotton. ‘A 2015 U.N. report predicts that the world is on track to face a 40 percent shortage of fresh (including drinkable) water in the next 15 years. If current usage habits don't change, the world will have only 60 percent of the water it needs in 2030.’ (Newell, 2016). In addition to this, every time we wash a synthetic garment, for example nylon, polyester or spandex, we release roughly 700,000 individual microfibres into the water, subsequently these will make their way to the oceans.

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It is proven that small aquatic organisms then intake those microfibres. They then travel along the food chain as the organisms are eaten by smaller fish, which are then eaten by bigger fish. These bigger fish may end up on our dinner plates, which introduces plastic into our diets (SustainYourStyle, 2020).

Not only do synthetic fibres release microfiber plastics into our waters, a study by the University of Plymouth suggests that wearing these materials can release more microfibres into the air. ‘The results show up to 400 fibres per gram of fabric could be shed by items of clothing during just 20 minutes of normal activity.’ (Williams, 2020) This is a massive problem since nearly 52% of our clothes contain polyester. We need to stop over washing our clothes, and wash them at lower temperatures when we do, using semi synthetic fibres or natural fibres will severely reduce these harmful statistics.

Most of our clothes are produced in middle eastern countries for example, China, Bangladesh or India, to name a few which are countries mainly powered by coal.

In regard to carbon emissions this is the dirtiest type of energy. ‘A family in the western world throws away an average of 30 kg of clothing each year. Only 15% is recycled or donated, and the rest goes directly to the landfill or is incinerated.’ (SustainYourStyle, 2020). An average of one garbage truck of waste is deposited every second. This connotes we need to buy less but buy better and learn to recycle our garments rather than throw them away.

Land and Waste The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of our global carbon emissions. The reason for this is because they produce a lot of greenhouse gases.

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We are killing our planet

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i saw it first Success Stories

The reason I Saw it First has been chosen to be the first pureplay fast fashion brand to educate the generation z consumer on how to be more sustainable, is because they already recognise that the consumption habits of this consumer is becoming overwhelming but continue to fuel the addiction. Brands often imitate I Saw it First as on several occasions they are the first company to make bold movements, therefore if brands see their competitors making the change, it will encourage them to as well.

I Saw It First was established in 2017 by Boohoo’s co-founder Jalal Kamani. With a number of successful competitors also on the market, I Saw It First managed to secure a spot as the official sponsor of reality show Love Island since 2019. As a result of this they have had a 67% increase in sales month on month. As well as this the brand had a massive 254% increase in Instagram followers just after the first episode of Love Island, they currently have a 1.1million active followers. Leanne Holmes, brand director at I Saw it First, said: “This has proven to be a fantastic opportunity for us to gain direct access to our target audience as we’ve had a quarter of a million new customers shop on site since the first episode aired. The Love Island live TV show, app and associated social media, allows us to make [affordable fashion accessible]

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as we showcase what’s been worn in the show with an option to purchase. Our audience can see a look on the show and make it theirs the very next day. This is exactly what I Saw It First strives for: delivering affordable, high fashion, fast.” (Geoghegan, 2019). Since the show the e-tailer launched a click and collect service meaning customers can pick up their orders from over 7,000 stations across the UK. Just a Group have just been appointed I Saw It First's global agent, as they launch wholesale.

Key global retailers will be targeted including, Asos, Next, Very and Zalando where they will sell their goods at wholesale prices. These prices will range from £2.25 for a graphic T-shirt to £10 for a maxi dress. There will be drops once a month from June to make the brand more exclusive on these websites.

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I Saw it First v Coronavirus

Through the Covid 19 pandemic the brand is offering 40% discount to frontline NHS workers, as well as this I Saw It First produced three exclusive tshirts in honour of Captain Tom Moore’s 100th birthday.

A number of brands imitated this move however I Saw It First was the only pureplay brand to give 100% of its profits from these t-shirts to the NHS. They also gave away over 400 stay at home t-shirts to promote staying in and saving lives. Hand sanitisers were given to over 1000 customers when they placed an order which is both a clever marketing technique and considerate for the cause. Another successful marketing technique I Saw It First used in the pandemic involves a TV advert.

The brand launched a competition where you could win the chance to say hello to family you’re missing during the crisis via a short video, which was aired before numerous popular shows.

Not once did the advert promote any of the brands clothing or even acknowledge who’s advert it was, which actually gets viewers talking more.

'If fast fashion starts to boom during this time, this is a big problem for the planet. Fearing exactly this, last month experts called for a total abandonment of fast fashion to prevent an environmental disaster.'

(Anon., 2020) I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

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WHat they do now for sustainability

Currently I Saw It First have two models in place to increase how sustainable they are as a brand but neither work efficiently, instead they could be seen as models which greenwash the company and are only in place to adhere to what seems to be a trend. The first practice in place is a blog written in October 2019 named ‘Doing Your Bit for Sustainability, a Girl’s Guide.’

The first sentence of the blog reads ‘In 2019 we’re all trying to be more ethical and sustainable.’ One of the problems with fast fashion is how transparent they are, or for better words, their lack of transparency within the supply chain, so to suggest they are being more ethical in their practices is a bold statement.

When further researching it is apparent the brand fails to even state where each garment is produced, which is basic practice.

However, they do have some helpful tips for those generation z consumers who don’t know anything about sustainability. They advertise the 30 Wears Challenge which was created by Livia Firth.

This is where you think about if you will wear the item 30 times before you purchase it.

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This technique could be very beneficial for those that need educating on the topic, although it is hard to determine whether they will wear a garment more than 30 times when they are designed to be trend items and the brand drops hundreds of these trends each season. They also encourage ‘share/repair/upcycle’ sharing their tips on how to give the garments they sell a second lease of life. This leads us to the second model, ReGain x I Saw It First. They say they believe in giving back to the environment and therefore have teamed up with ReGain to persuade their consumers to donate old clothing in exchange for a next day delivery code. The minimum number of clothes you can donate is 10 items in order to receive the code, this is a good way to educate generation z on being more sustainable however, more often than not a free next day delivery coupon gets dropped into our inbox’s or are advertised on the website if you spend over a certain amount. Therefore, the offer is not very tempting for the consumer and may not sway them and it is unclear where the garments end up once donated.

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I SAW IT FIRST Consumer

Anyone born between 1981 and 1996 is considered a millennial (23 to 38). ‘Therefore, anyone born from 1997 onwards is part of a new generation.’ (Dimock, 2019). The brand claims their consumer are millennials as on their website it states ‘With new styles added daily, we are constantly serving the millennial girl with all she needs to be inspired, feel like an icon and keep her look on point on all occasions. For everything from glam party dresses, celebrity-inspired offduty looks, poolside perfect swimwear, on-trend footwear and all the finishing touches, we’ve got our girl covered!’ Consumers that shop from I Saw it First are mostly generation Z consumers and their website is more aimed towards this generation as it offers student discounts and the majority of its models fall under the age bracket a generation z consumer would.

The aim of the new I Saw It First collection is not to change the consumer that already shops with the brand but educate this customer in the hope they would learn and understand more about the effects their consumption habits have on the planet. The consumer will then change their views on how frequently they shop and how environmentally unfriendly it is to keep up with the latest trends. When speaking to a group of conscious generation z consumers in a focus group they commented on not being convinced to shop with a fast fashion brand that is slowly becoming more sustainable until they can see a difference in the supply chain and full transparency. This indicates that the consumer of I Saw It First may broaden over time as the newly proposed 5-year plan comes into play.

I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

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Customer Profile Moodboard

I SAW IT FIRST Contribute

I Saw It First Contribute is the start of something enormous, not only for the brand but for the future of fast fashion. ‘According to Hitwise data, fast fashion retail (compared to mid, premium, and luxury brands) accounts for 66% of all online fashion.’ (Gilliland, 2019).

That is alarming considering these garments are the most detrimental.

There is only one time to make the change, and that is now.

The culture of fast fashion is to produce millions of trend items a year (I Saw It First state that they drop new garments daily) often imitating catwalk and celebrities’ style at a fraction of the price. The only way this is possible is to put extreme pressure on the factories manufacturing their garments, the only way the prices are so low is because they must pay their factory workers below minimum wages and make the garments out of cheap fabric that is most damaging to the environment. We need to slow fast fashion down.

I have to be completely honest with you and tell you that my journey has not been smooth sailing. I know exactly what you’re thinking, ‘how on earth can a brand that can

I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

imitate a catwalk trend and have it available to order in a matter of days turn sustainable, how can a brand that releases thousands of new items a week be sustainable?’ and I know you’re thinking that because I thought it a thousand times.

My research has shown me that this is not a straightforward process, this change will not happen overnight and I am not claiming I saw it first will suddenly then become fully sustainable, but then again what brand is? Introducing a 5 year plan making small but effective changes will slowly ensure I saw it first contributes towards making a difference. That’s why this movement is named ‘ I Saw It First contribute.’ As they are contributing to the change.

Solution: Introduce 5 year plan

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5 year plan for I Saw It First

1.

2.

Understand the need for change

4.

State where garments are manufactured

5.

New I Saw It First Contribute Range

7.

Produce on demandÂ

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New cardboard packaging reducing the amount of plastic

8.

3.

6.

Group picture of manufactures, details on swing tags

Change the type of materials used to produce the garments look at the processesÂ

Educating and informative advertising techniques

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Step One

State where the garment is manufactured As mentioned previously the I Saw It First website fails to even state where a garment is manufactured from. According to the transparency index produced by fashion revolution, brands should know in themselves the address of the facilities that are manufacturing the garments, they should know the type of product made at each of their factories, they should know the exact number of workers as well as how many of each sex there are working there.

They should know if the factory has a trade union and an independent worker committee and this is only to name a few.

supporting exploitation.

The contribute logo will also be next to every garment that has contributed so consumers can decide for themselves what they want to buy into.

So, for the brand to not even take responsibly for informing their consumers of where the goods come from is appalling and a change that will be happening instantly.

Fast fashion brands make themselves seem less ethical by not stating this already meaning consumers may lose faith if they cannot automatically see transparency. It is important for us as customers to know where our clothes are coming from at the very minimum, so we can have the confidence we are not spending our hard earned money I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

Country of origin: Made in Sri Lanka

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Step two

details on manufacturer on swing tag Not only is it essential to see where the garment is made, it would be a nice addition to know who made the garment. This is simply because publishing this reassures us that the person making them has been treated with dignity. On the swing tag we will now see the country of origin, the name of the factory worker and a link to the section of the I Saw It First website which will display a map with highlighted sectors explaining where factories are located.

I understand from primary research that once a competitive brand such as I Saw It First has established an efficient working relationship with a factory that they may be reluctant to state exactly what factory makes their garments as it takes away their competitive edge and in the long term could damage their bond with the factory once other brands start using them too.

Therefore, in the short term there just needs to be confirmation of the country the clothes are made. As well as a group photograph of all the factory workers to give consumers peace of mind that they are happy and safe. 64% of brands publish direct contact details of the sustainability responsibility team and only 14% of brands disclose direct contact details of the person who is primarily in charge. I Saw It First do neither, meaning on the link you will also gain access to an email of who is in charge.

Contribute

This garment was made by Abdul In Bangladesh Visit www.isawitfirst.com/csr for more

FRONT

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Back

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Step three Trend & Product Research

Step three of the 5-year plan consists of introducing a new range.

This new range will be made up of wardrobe staples. Some will be outfit building pieces that can be layered, and others will be adaptable, seasonless items. The range will be launched on the 29/01/21, this is in line with consumers setting new year resolutions to be more considerate in the way they buy.

Finding trends was a complex process since the whole concept of the range is to create timeless pieces that will not age. WGSN assisted me as I researched what colours would be most appropriate to use for this particular range. I wanted to make sure I had a blue to ensure there was room for denim garments in the collection as well as a variety of colours to allow the clothes to be seasonless. I also knew I wanted to include a leafy print to give the feel of the environmental issues being negotiated. Pastel colours seemed like a suitable solution to provide seasonless pieces and after exploring how much textile dye effects our waters, I wanted to achieve more sustainability in the supply chain by using undyed textiles. Three colours in my range will be used in their purest form I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

and in the future the indigo dying technique can be popularized once again as an authentic more sustainable way of colouring garments. I found a colour story on WGSN named ‘mindful pales’ which describes pastel tones taking on a new meaning in a post Covid 19 world. ‘They will be associated with calm, comfort and the desire for a balanced body and mind. These gentle pales add warmth and tactility to minimalist spaces. Apply to natural silks, organic cottons and wool.’ (WSGN, 2020). As for the garments themselves I didn’t want them to adhere to trends like all of the items currently on the I Saw It First website. Therefore, when deciding what items was going in my range I was thinking of timeless classics that will not date to ensure they can be in the consumers wardrobe for the foreseeable future and neglect the trend of throwaway fashion.

My primary research helped me decide what garments these would be. I have ensured that each item in my range was a predicted CAD on WGSN in 2021 and a similar shape has been used previously.

Throughout the digital range plan I will explain the way in which I researched which products to use.

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Trend & Product Research Moodboard

FABRICS USED Factfile

Organic Cotton: There is a lot of speculation about whether organic cotton is in fact a sustainable material, it is a plant-based fibre with low environmental impact.

‘Growing organic cotton rather than conventional cotton reduces levels of water pollution by 98% as pesticides and fertilisers aren’t used.’ In 2019, according to Vogue Australia less than 1% of all cotton produced is organic, this connotes that there is massive potential for improvement when it comes to how we make the garment (Chan, 2019).

Econyl: This is a fabric introduced

by Aquafil, it uses synthetic waste such as plastic and fishing nets from oceans and regenerates them into a nylon yarn. Now since this is not currently very common it is more expensive; it is worth paying more for as a company, since prices will normalise when the material becomes more popularised. The Econyl is stretched massively to increase its strength and elasticity before being treated with dyes or used in its natural state (Hodakel, 2020). It is most commonly used in stockings, tights, form-fitting apparel, yoga pants, swimsuits, sportswear and sweatpants.

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Recycled Wool: Recycled wool is one of the greatest fibres there is.

Wool products have a particularly long life cycle which means the garments will not deteriorate quickly. Wool is recyclable and biodegrades both on land and in water therefore doesn’t contribute to the massive problem of water and microfibre pollution.

Recycled Denim: Denim is a rather environmentally unfriendly material therefore using recycled denim to give it its second lease of life is crucial in reducing water consumption and the carbon emissions involved in making cotton. Recycled denim can come from throwaways of old jeans or scraps from cloth production mills.

Silk: Although silk does have a mixed environmental impact it is a natural fibre that will biodegrade. It is a high-quality fabric that will ensure the clothes produced with this fibre will last a long time reducing how many garments need to be purchased. The tree that sustains the most silkworms need next to no pesticides or fertilisers.

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Fabric Board

Aesthetics

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I saw it first Contribute

range Justification Sleep

= 1.Green Plain Pj GP98575 Bangladesh 75% Silk 15% Viscose £35

Big brands such as Gucci have announced they are turning seasonless! ‘Spring/Summer, Autumn/Winter, “I think these are stale and underfed words … clothes should have a longer life than that which these words attribute to them,” the CEO of Gucci states (Michele, 2020) . These pyjamas follow in this high-end brands footsteps as they are adaptable according to seasons.

The pyjama allows you to roll up and button both the arms I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

2. Green Printed Pj GP98576 Bangladesh 75% Silk 15% Viscose £35

3. White Plain Pj GP98577 Bangladesh 75% Silk 15% Viscose £35

and legs to order to make them short sleeved and shorts.

Sleepwear has seen a 143% rise in sales since April (Thomas, 2020).

The CAD has been available on WGSN since 2014 and is a template for next year’s trends;the product will never date. More often than not individuals become more sustainable by shopping second hand on platforms such as depop but in my focus group one said: "We try to be sustainable with nightwear but realistically who wants second hand pyjamas."

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Swim

= 4. Green Print Bikini GP98578 Bangladesh 100% Econyl £50

5. Green Plain Bikini GP98579 Bangladesh 100% Econyl £50

Despite the range being released in January, I thought it was important to include swimwear in this initial range as those who are catching the last of the winter sun do not want to be limited for options!

These bikinis are mix n match meaning you can get 4 bikinis out of just 2. This again reduces the amount of waste at their end of life.

The swimsuit is a multi tie costume, meaning you can do it up round the neck, and waist to achieve different desired looks, again reducing the amount you will have to buy.

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6. Green Print Swim GP98580 Bangladesh 100% Econyl £60

I am aware printed swimwear fabrics have high minimums which is another factor as to why I introduced the swimsuit. Again, I have heavily researched the swimwear market to understand what garments will be classics that people will intend to keep for years.

I have chosen a classic underwire cupped bikini and high waisted bottoms as they have proven to be the most adaptable in terms of body types.

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range Justification 2 in 1 Jackets

= 7. Denim Wool Jacket GP98581 Bangladesh Lining- Recycled Wool, 80% recycled denim, 20% organic cotton. ÂŁ70

The next two garments part of the I Saw It First contribute range are denim jackets. A denim jacket has been a wardrobe staple for decades therefore having it was crucial. The first jacket you can see has a removable recycled wool lining making it seasonless and adaptable depending on the weather, and the bottom with removable sleeves turning the item into a gilet. Both of them consist of recycled denim after I

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= 8. Gilet removable Jacket GP98582 Bangladesh 80% recycled denim, 20% organic cotton. ÂŁ65

explored heavily how Levi produce their jeans. I have done extensive research to suggest these two types of denim jacket are the most popular among the gen z consumers and the colour block assets are timeless.

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Cuffed Tracksuit

9. Cuffed Hoodie Pink GP98583 China 100% Organic Cotton £30

10. Cuffed Hoodie Olive GP98584 China 100% Organic Cotton £30

11. Cuffed Hoodie Green GP98585 China 100% Organic Cotton £30

12. Cuffed Hoodie Blue GP98586 China 100% Organic Cotton £30

When speaking to a participant in my focus group conducted with conscious shoppers one said "I can never find fashionable sustainable tracksuits, so end up wearing my PLT ones until they have holes in."

(Appendix A, 2020) This is a prime example of how consumers can be more sustainable with how they dress by increasing a products life cycle. If the garment was made out of better-quality material the longevity of the product would be increased.

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13. Cuffed Jogger Pink GP98587 China 100% Organic Cotton £30

14. Cuffed Jogger Olive GP98588 China 100% Organic Cotton £30

15. Cuffed Jogger Green GP98589 China 100% Organic Cotton £30

16. Cuffed Jogger Blue GP98590 China 100% Organic Cotton £30

The colour pallet of these tracksuits was carefully chosen to target trendy tones that wouldn’t date. To ensure we, as a brand are still contacting the correct consumer, these colours will change every three months to ensure the product sells the best it can in that specific period.

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range Justification Basics 17. Colour Block Tee Blue GP98591 China 100% Organic cotton. £25

21. Colour Block Ruched Vest Blue GP98595 China 100% Organic cotton. £22

18. Colour Block Tee White GP98592 China 100% Organic cotton. £25

22. Colour Block Ruched Vest White GP98596 China 100% Organic cotton. £22

I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

19. Colour Block Tee Pink GP98593 China 100% Organic cotton. £25

23. Colour Block Ruched Vest Pink GP98597 China 100% Organic cotton. £22

20. Colour Block Tee Cream GP98594 China 100% Organic cotton. £25

24. Colour Block Ruched Vest Cream GP98598 China 100% Organic cotton. £22

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Basics 2

25. Colour Block Cami White GP98599 China 100% Organic cotton. £20

26. Colour Block Cami Pink GP98600 China 100% Organic cotton. £20

The basic core range consists of a plain tee, a cami and a ruched cami. When purchasing a staple item like these items you fall in love with the fit and never want to have to throw it away. These high-quality garments are ones in which you can layer accordingly with the trend pieces still currently on the website and will last in your wardrobe for years and years. This ensures I Saw It First are still targeting the correct consumer. Often, I Saw It First receive numerous Twitter complaints regarding the quality of the garments and how after the I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

27. Colour Block Cami Blue GP98601 China 100% Organic cotton. £20

28. Colour Block Cami Cream GP98602 China 100% Organic cotton. £20

consumer has worn it once it has holes in. This secondary research demonstrates the need for high quality staple items as consumers do not plan on throwing items like these away after just one wear.

Similarly to the tracksuit, the colour of these basics will change according, asides the white, every three months. This ensures the products will sell and the correct customer is being targeted.

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Critical Path China-21 Weeks Week 1 4/09/20

Week 2 11/09/20

Order 1st Confirmation Fir/Approval Sample

Week 6 09/10/20

Week 10 06/11/20

Week 3 18/09/20

Week 4 25/09/20

Lab Dip, 2nd Fit Approval Approve Colour and Print

Week 12 20/11/20

Week 16 18/12/20

Week 21 22/01/21

Sealer Test Report/Cut Production Ex Factory Arrive at Sample Garments, Sample by sea DC Production Sent for Starts Approval The infographic above displays the different steps in the procedure required to make an organic cotton t shirt, from China. China has a 21 week lead time, which includes 5 weeks travelling by sea.The goods arrive at the DC a week before they are due to launch on the website. It is inevitable that some problems may occur along the way, therefore, as demonstrated by the weeks, there is spare weeks in between in case the factory needs chasing or a third fit is needed. A good working relationship is critical, especially when working with sourcing locations as far away as China, and good communication skills are crucial from both sides.

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Sourcing Strategy Two sourcing locations are being used to source from for this collection, China and Bangladesh. This is important because certain factories will be better at manufacturing different types of product. The two most important factors fast fashion currently evaluate their sourcing locations on is cost and time. Having timeless fashion frees up any implications on time, since we are not looking to turn around quick trends. What is important is how sustainable and ethical these factories are. I Saw It First compose direct sourcing, meaning the factory themselves liaise directly with the brand using a CMT service. This means the factory requires ‘specifications, tech packs, fabrics, patterns and stitching requirements before production.’ (Hodakel, 2020) The factory will work with a fabric supplier to ensure the best quality, sustainable fabric is produced.

China

Pros: China caters for all product areas Skilled Workforce Efficient Infrastrucure Increasing wage costs Cons: Duty on all EU imports Major environmental issues.

Yangtze river is 'dead' Shrinking Workforce

PEST

P-Strict government regulations regarding advertising.

E-$13.61 trillion USD GDP, performing at an all time high, due to take over the USA. S- Cultural values dictate a lot of social trends. Current wave in urbanisation .

T- 450 million internet uses.

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PROS AND CONS OF SHIPPING VIA SEA

Low freight charges Shipping containers can be used further along the way.

Cheaper since you can transport more garments.

You have to pay duty fees.

Tracking goods across the sea is difficult.

A lot slower than other transportation; China takes 5 years by sea, if there is no complications.

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Garment Costing for one product

Buyers pack for Denim Wool Jacket

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Price architecture Best Better Good Fast fashion is typically known for its low-priced garments that students on a budget adore.

Creating a sustainable range comes with expense, therefore the price of this range is obviously going to be higher than I Saw It Firsts’ current pricing strategy. The range consists of entry price points which represents the bulk of the collection. The products in the ‘good’ category are lightweight organic cotton basics therefore are priced at just £20-£25. These are core consumer pieces as they match a variety of other products.

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£50-£75

£30-£35

£20-£25

In the better category the quality of the garment heightens, the products range from £30-£35. The consumer is likely to want to spend this as they are tired of their clothes becoming tatty quickly. In the best category we have denim jackets and swimwear, these products are made out of materials that are not currently widely used so are more expensive, this is justified since both garments are adaptable and subsequently the amount of products a consumer would have to purchase reduces drastically.

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Quantity and allocation

The I Saw It First Contribute range will be released online alongside the original I Saw It First collections as they currently do not have any existing shops. The primary aim of the range is to introduce a sustainable range to the website to encourage generation Z shoppers to be more conscious in the way that they shop.

I thought about introducing this range in concessions to generate hype for the consumers and encourage publicity. However, the range is already a big risk to the company therefore introducing this in store scheme would also be too much of a gamble.

To maximise profit when the range first launches on the 29/01/21 it will only be online and the brand can monitor how well this does, if it is a success the second range can be introduced to bricks and mortar.

The whole collection will launch online at the same time.

This should create maximum impact, as well as allow consumers to choose from the wide selection of 28 garments at once.

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Volume drivers (basics) make up the largest percentage of the volume buy as consumers are more likely to buy into these first. The trend items will be introduced in lower quantities and will be changed out every three months to ensure the correct consumer is being targeted.

It is appropriate to have a number of the garments in store for an entire year, since they are seasonless pieces that have been specifically designed to last forever in your wardrobe rather than adhere to I Saw It Firsts usual throw away fashion culture. Edited research has been conducted to suggest the design elements used will not date and are suitable for generation Z consumers.

Number of stores: Online Only Launch Date: 29/01/21 No of Weeks in store: 12 Weeks and 52 Weeks Total Buy Units: 36,568 PAGE 39

Core, Fashion and trend

Deciding the mix of core, fashion and trend was complicated, as previously discussed it does not make sense for the collection to consist of ‘trend’ pieces as the concept of the range is to create timeless garments that will not date in the consumers wardrobe. Therefore, to show how I have categorised the product I have named the items that have print on them trend and these print items will be the ones that get swapped out a few times annually. The fashion items are the tracksuits as they are currently in high demand due to staying at home. The reason that there is a higher ratio of core items is because the brand will expect to sell the most of these items since they have a broader appeal. It is important that with not only a new collection but with a new concept for the brand, limited items fall into the high-risk category as the majority of the products are on sale 52 weeks of the year.

Core

50% I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

Fashion

29%

Trend

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The Unit buy Boston Consulting Matrix First Dropped: 12/07/20 First Sold Out: 12/08/20 Replenishments: 0

First Dropped: 26/03/2020 First Sold Out: 14/04/20 Replenishments: 4

Boston Consulting Matrix

From creating a Matrix (Henderson, 2020) from I Saw It First’s existing range it has made it easier to understand which of the new collection is going to perform in line with these sectors. The slogan tshirt in the rising star category demonstrated it was performing exceptionally well, therefore in the new range I have included plain tshirts of the same shape, to ensure cash cows are part of the new range.

It is evident that hoodies are some of the brands best sellers, since the hoodie demonstrated in the picture above is not the only hoodie to be replenished a number of times. The reason they are now in the rising star group is because this particular colour way is yet to be tested with the consumer.

-Products in high growth markets -Products in high growth markets with low market share

-Products guaranteed to do well -Products with low growth I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

Lastly the items in the question mark section for I Saw It First’s existing range are print items that the brand haven't exploited before, therefore having them could be considered high risk, therefore my print items are in the same category.

The same concept applies with the newly shaped cardigan they brought out and the new denim jacket. Although it is a basic it is not something that has been done

by I Saw It First, or any fast fashion retailer infact so does come with risk.

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Range Ratios The purpose of the range is to give an insight into what the future at I Saw It First could look like; therefore, the range consists of a variety of product areas to ensure the customer can shop from a large number of item categories sustainably. Tops make up 57% of the total range, this is a reflection of consumers in my focus group conducted with fast fashion shoppers stating that ‘I Saw it first have the cheapest quality tops, I would be interested in seeing improvements in this as I wouldn’t need to buy so many.’ (Appendix B, 2020) The lowest percentage is jackets since there is only two options in the range, this is because the two options are adaptable and season-less, meaning no more are essential.

China and Bangladesh are the two sourcing locations that have been chosen to manufacture the garments. 71% of the garments have been sourced from China as they have a broader knowledge on manufacturing multiple types of product.

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The highest percentage of colour is blue at 35%, this can be justified by the 2 denim jackets in the range therefore increasing the amount of blue from just the basics. The number of products which are multi coloured is reasonably high at 32% since there are 5 options in print. The I Saw It First consumer is used to print items since over 60% of the garments on the website are patterned, so this reflects how well the consumer has been targeted.

The graph below demonstrates the buy by size mix based on findings from I Saw It First and other high street retailers collating a general pattern.

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Mark down strategy

It is essential that with all products the rate of sale of the items is monitored closely whilst on sale. This is done so that adjustments can be made to online consumer offers should the garments fall short of their expected ROS. Competitors also play a key role for a brand to decide when they are going to discount their garments to ensure they upkeep their competitive edge.

Should those products with an online presence of 12 week sell out they will not be replenished, this is so the products remain exclusive and hype is generated around the next launch. If we over replenish the items, we could risk having too much stock remaining therefore diminish the idea of reducing the amount of waste. Should the 12week range not sell according to its ROS we will mark down in the 11th week by 50% to ensure the garments sell.

Similar actions can be followed for those items that will be on the website all year round. 52 weeks after the launch date brings us to January 2022, where January sales will help clear remaining stock.

Examples of I Saw It First's existing discounts.

If I Saw It First are still faced with remaining stock it will be donated to charity shops or sold on the companies Depop to increase the products lifespan.

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Key Financials The total spend for the range is ÂŁ296,860, this is reasonable since the items are either online for 12 or 52 weeks. It is evident from the graph below that 32% of the total spend is on tops and the lowest is on bottoms at 4%. This may seem unusual, but the consumer stated it would be more beneficial having tops in the initial contribute range as this is what people would like to buy more of. Also, the bottoms percentage is particularly low since all bottoms in the range are being swapped out every three months to adhere to customer wants and needs regarding colour.

Another reason the total spend is so much higher for tops is because they have a higher rate of sale, therefore the unit buys will be higher; this is justifiable since from Edited research beneath dresses, tops generally sell out quickest on I Saw It First. 9% of the total spend for the collection is on swimwear, which seems low considering they are one of the most expensive items in the range, however, they are only in store for a total of 12 weeks, and we only plan to sell on average 8 a day. Information on Edited suggests that swimwear does not completely sell out very frequently so it is wise to limit the spend on these. In addition to this, the lowest number of units bought for a category is swimwear and the highest tops.

A likely profit of ÂŁ786,110 is provisional and may be subject to some additional costs. This represents a profit margin of 73%, this is a significant return on investment and does justify the overall spend on the range.

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Step four

Change the packaging Step 4 of my 5 year plan is reducing the amount of plastic waste in the packaging. In the past I have ordered from I Saw It First and had 4 plastic bags for just 2 single tops.

Packaging waste amounted to 87 million tonne in 2016 which was the last recorded statistic (Anon., 2020). I have chosen cardboard since it is an eco-friendly recyclable material. With minimal printing on the box means more can be recycled and the tissue paper will be biodegradable. I know that the packaging will be more expensive, and I am aware printing on the tissue paper will cost more, but I believe it is still important to keep the brand image.

The cost of the packaging will eat into the ranges profit and long term will cost the company more, but it can be justified by the overall turnover being higher and more profitable in the long run.

The 5-year plan will ensure that all packaging in the contribute range is packaged in the new eco-friendly manner immediately, throughout the next year the whole of the range will be converted this way to ensure that they are contributing in ways to reduce the amount of plastic consumption and waste.

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Step five

Material dying, produce on demand The 5-year plan consists of putting in place more dying techniques to enhance the brands ability to produce sustainable garments. At the end of the 5 years I would like at least half of the garments on the I Saw It First website to have road maps of their materials, detailing the full journey the material has been on. Road map’s ensure customers see that materials are sourced in a responsible and transparent

manner. I’d like the brand to explore more into natural dying techniques and contact natural dye suppliers in order to explore more into this growing industry. The contribute range will consist of three colours which will be used in their purest form. New sustainable companies are working with restaurants to turn food waste into dyes, and I Saw It First could be part of upscaling this process.

The company will have received specific data on purchasing habits of the contribute range and can therefore predict how many garments will sell and produce on demand rather than in quantities.

This means they will buy the fabric and make the garments accordingly to reduce the amount of waste.

I would like science-based targets set for example ‘we will eliminate 40% of carbon emissions for our own operations’ for consumers to see also.

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Step six

Educating within Marketing Launch Video and Social Media

Arguably the most important stage in the 5-year plan, is educating the generation Z consumers on the subject of sustainability and ethical sourcing through specific marketing strategies. Only 1 out of the 4 consumers in my focus group, proposed with fast fashion avid shoppers, understood that the way they shopped was causing problems to the environment. If this demonstrates a bigger reflection of the generation Z consumers, we have a massive problem on our hands. I Saw It First are going to release a campaign video upon the launch of the Contribute range, displaying statistics regarding the damage our consumption habits have on the world as well as tips on how to help contribute to the change the retailer is making.Â

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I have made a mock-up of this video, which is attached to watch.

As well as this, effective social media marketing will be used in order to alert the consumers who are uneducated. These posts will also work for consumers to acknowledge I Saw It First are changing their ways. 87% of generation Z consumers use Instagram as there first choice of social media, therefore on the opposite page there are examples of the types of captions the posts will have. The pictures are ones which I have taken in a mock-up photoshoot to display how certain garments would look.

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Marketing launch and Advertisement

Marketing Launch

A marketing launch is a credible way to expose the range before its release date and get consumers excited. The range launches on the 29/01/21, therefore 6 days before this date on the 23/01/21, an exclusive online masterclass will be held, allowing consumers to chat to both sustainability experts and I Saw It First employees. This is a way for potential customers to set their new year’s resolutions with the help of experts and get a sneak preview of the product, this opens up the chance for consumers to ask questions about the supply chain as well as garment details themselves. It will be more beneficial to hold this masterclass online as we are still in an area of unknown regarding Covid-19. The class will be accessible to sign up for from the beginning of the year and will be advertised on all social media platforms.

Photoshoot I created a photoshoot in order to not only shoot the launch video but also give my mock-up campaigning and social media a more realistic feel. The opposite page demonstrates how the mix and match bikinis could be photographed and displayed on bill boards etc. The image below is how the website would look shortly after the launch of the Contribute range, Buy less, buy better, is a quote loyal I Saw It First Shoppers will become familiar with. The next pages establish what types of photos will be used as well as slogans that the adverts may propose.

Contribute: BUY LESS BUY, BETTER I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

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Sleep peacefully Knowing you're contributing to the change

swim freely Knowing you're contributing to the change

IN SUMMARY Contribute In conclusion, completing my final major project on an issue such as sustainability, especially collaborated with fast fashion, proved tricky at times. Especially since it is something completely new. However, I think this shows individuality and demonstrates I have explored a taboo subject with understanding it is not an easy process.

It was my intention at the beginning to develop a range for the consumers to buy into to ensure they would be more aware of their habits, without processing the fact this wouldn’t change the brand and show sustainability or transparency. This required extensive research, in order to gain a real insight into how we could begin to move the brand forward.

Having completed this research and analysed my findings I believe I have successfully given recommendations to the brand and taken into consideration the way fast fashion consumers shop, to ensure they would be willing to shop in this new considerate way. I am proud that I haven’t taken away the whole aspect of fast fashion, but I’ve developed a range that can be paired with trend items. Fast fashion is never going to disappear as it is far too accessible and convenient, so we have to try and make it better.

'Fashion can still be the future, and the future is still fashion.'

Tatum Smith 2020

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Bibliography 34, S., 2018. What does 'sustainabilty' mean?. [Online] Available at: https://www.study34.co.uk/pages/what-is-sustainablefashion [Accessed June 2nd 2020].

Aid, C., 2020. Facts on clothes recycling. [Online] Available at: https://clothesaid.co.uk/about-us/facts-on-clothesrecycling/ [Accessed 14th June 2020].

Anon., 2020. BOOHOO BOOMS AND PRIMARK PLUMMETS - HOW HAS CORONAVIRUS REALLY AFFECTED FAST FASHION?. [Online] Available at: https://www.euronews.com/living/2020/05/23/boohoobooms-and-primark-plummets-how-has-coronavirus-really-affectedfast-fashion [Accessed 7th June 2020].

Anon., 2020. Good On You. [Online] Available at: https://goodonyou.eco/eco-friendly-packaging/ [Accessed 16th July 2020].

Bishop, M., 2018. [Interview] 2018.Chan, E., 2019. How sustainable is organic cotton, really?. [Online] Available at: https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/news/howsustainable-is-organic-cotton-really/imagegallery/fb482e3c60f8278705a7b76f2fafd069 [Accessed 25th May 2020].

Dimock, M., 2019. Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins. [Online] Available at: https://www.pewresearch.org/facttank/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/ [Accessed 5th May 2020].

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Bibliography

Dictionary, O., 2020. Meaning of sustainability in English:. [Online] Available at: https://www.lexico.com/definition/sustainability [Accessed 15th June 2020].

Firth, L., 2016. Eco- Age. [Online] Available at: https://eco-age.com/livia-firth [Accessed 2nd June 2020]

Geoghegan, J., 2019. Love Island boosts sales at I Saw it First. [Online] Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/news/love-islandboosts-sales-at-i-saw-it-first [Accessed 1st June 2020] Gilliland, N., 2019. Four factors fuelling the growth of fast fashion retailers. [Online] Available at: https://econsultancy.com/four-factors-fuelling-thegrowth-of-fast-fashion-retailers/ [Accessed 29th May 2020] Henderson, B., 2020. The History of Boston Consulting Group. [Online] Available at: https://www.bcg.com/en-gb/about/ourhistory/default.aspx [Accessed 2nd April 2020].

Hodakel, B., 2020. What is Econyl Fabric: Properties, How its Made and Where. [Online] Available at: https://sewport.com/fabrics-directory/econyl-fabric [Accessed 12th August 2020] Khusainova, G., 2019. Why The Circular Economy Will Not Fix Fashion's Sustainability Problem. [Online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/gulnazkhusainova/2019/06/12/whythe-circular-economy-will-not-fix-fashions-sustainability-problem/ [Accessed 29th June 2020] I SAW IT FIRST CONTRIBUTE

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Bibliography LaRose, D., 2018. To Dye For: Textile Processing's Global Impact. [Online] Available at: https://www.carmenbusquets.com/journal/post/fashiondye-pollution [Accessed 6th July 2020].

Leemann, M. P. &. L., 2018. SUSTAINABLE FASHION BLUEPRINT 2018. [Online] Available at: https://mamoq.com/blogs/the-journal/sustainablefashion-blueprint-2018 [Accessed 1st June 2020].

Michele, A., 2020. [Interview] (4TH June 2020).Muthu, S. S., 2018. Circular Economy in Textiles and Apparel: Processing, Manufacturing, and Design (The Textile Institute Book Series). 1st ed. s.l.:Elsevier .Newell, A., 2016. Quenching Cotton's Thirst: Reducing the Use of Water in the Cotton Lifecycle. [Online] Available at: https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2016/quenchingcottons-thirst-reducing-use-water-cotton-lifecycle/57196 [Accessed 3rd June 2020].

SustainYourStyle, 2020. What's wrong with the fashion industry?. [Online] Available at: https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/en/whats-wrong-withthe-fashion-industry [Accessed 14th July 2020].

Thomas, D., 2019. The High Price of Fast Fashion. [Online] Available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-high-price-of-fastfashion-11567096637 [Accessed 3rd June 2020].

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Bibliography Thomas, L., 2020. Comfort is en vogue during coronavirus: PJ sales surge 143%, pants sales fall 13%. [Online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/12/what-shoppers-arebuying-comfort-is-key-as-virus-keeps-people-home.html [Accessed 2nd July 2020].

Williams, A., 2020. New study suggests wearing clothes could release more microfibres to the environment than washing them. [Online]Available at: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/wearing-clothes-could-releasemore-microfibres-to-the-environment-than-washing-them [Accessed 16th June 2020].

WSGN, 2020. Mindful Pales. [Online] Available at: https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/86346/page/8 [Accessed 2nd June 2020] .WWF, 2020. Overview Cotton. [Online] Available at: https://www.worldwildlife.org/industries/cotton [Accessed 4th June 2020].

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Appendices a Focus Group- Conducted on 23/06/20 Conscious Generation Z Shoppers.

Amy, Tasha, Emma.

Transcript What does the word sustainability mean to you?

I'll go first, so to me when I think about sustainability in the fashion industry obviously sustainability means that it can go on for a significant amount of time. The rate in which that we are currently operating in the fashion industry isn't sustainable in the long term, in the long term it's going to do some really negative damage. So, it means, slowing that damage to a point at which we can keep going at a steady pace. And also, it means like sustainable for the workforce as well not necessarily just in the garments, but like, we can't keep paying Bangladeshi workers 2p a day. That's not sustainable and it's not fair. So, it's like sustainable across the board of the fashion industry, not just the clothes themselves.

Yes, that was my one of my questions actually, ethical sourcing, is that as important to you as sustainability itself so it's not just what it's made from and when it goes to the landfills, etc. It's actually who's producing the garment that is important to you? Yeah. Yeah. Does anyone else think of anything different?

Yeah. Yeah.

Does anyone else think of anything different?

I would also say if it is made out recyclable materials and there's no hazardous waste going into like the waters and stuff and it doesn’t use loads and loads of water to make one item of clothing and stuff I guess that’s what I would add to Amy’s.

It needs to do more good than detriment. So, if the fashion industry pays workers more, creates more jobs, helps contribute to the environment more, then that’s sustainable to me.

Sounds good. Thank you. So, in one point in your life, well this is a bit of an assumption that you probably bought something from Primark or something like that. So, was there a turning point for you when you decided to buy more sustainably or? What encouraged you to change the way you shop is there a documentary you've seen?

I was just gonna say there was a Stacey Dooley documentary which is the thing that started for me.

Yeah, see I'd say like, when we're uni, like it was very much you buy stuff, it doesn't matter where it came from, it was cheap, like you need a cheap body suit to wear on a night out and then, if it fell apart, it doesn't matter. It was six quid, it was very much like oh it was just something to wear and I wasn't thinking about like the long term, so I say for me it was more gradual once I left uni, thinking actually I want quality pieces and I want pieces that are going to last me, that aren't going to be; I'm going to wear it three times wash it and it's going to be destroyed. I want something that's going to last, and while I have something that's a good quality, I also want something that's, like, almost having like a positive impact or even if it's not something that's super high quality is there somewhere else that I can get it like a depop or something, can I get something fast and that someone has worn once and then I can like make the life of that piece longer.

When you start working full time and you can spend 60 quid on a pair of jeans they last like a year or two years, instead of spending a tenner at Primark.

Like, that's what stopped it for me, I wouldn’t go to Primark for anything now, if I want something I don’t mind spending 30, 40 quid on it because it will last me twice as long.

That was my next question so it's if for example like you said Amy, you did have a quick night out and you wanted the next day delivery would you shop fast fashion, or are you completely against it? Would your shopping habits change slightly or are you very consistent.

Well, I'd say that mine changes so like for staples, so like, the Zara body suit. I'll go and buy that because I know that I'm going to wear this again and again and again, I'm not going to wear it just once and throw it away, I'll shop fast fashion I'll shop Zara, Uniqlo, things like that, for staples, because, if you get them from sustainable fashion, they can be really expensive, I don't want to spend five times the amount, because I'm still going to get really good use out of this I'm probably going to wear it until it falls apart. So to me that's sustainable I’m not buying it once to throw it away I'm still buying it to wear it loads of times, and actually, now I've kind of moved to either like stealing things from like Laura or going on, Depop and buying things for like, if I was doing like an event or something, or I've got loads of weddings coming up. I went bought loads of dresses in a charity shop, I'm going to take them to the tailors to be fitted and to change the shape of them because what's the point me spending 250 pounds on a Ted Baker dress. When I found it for 30 quid in a charity shop. And it's going to cost me 20 quid to alter the length, and you know someone's worn that once, and given it away so why can't I extend the life of like a piece that. So for that one occasion, I think also it is way more accessible to do the borrow my dress things or, go to the hiring your dresses

and stuff so, yeah, I don't really do it so much anymore but I still will shop fast fashion for like, basics and things that I know I'm gonna wear a lot.

Yeah, so your wardrobe staples as in your basic items you wouldn't, just because it's made of polyester, be completely against it.

No, because I know I'm going to use it again and again and again, so in my mind that makes it worth.

I would say yeah when went fast fashion shopping the other day, well not the other day, but before lock down, I wanted quite basic stuff so I went into H&M, but like looked in there Conscious collection, to see if I could find the stuff I needed there first before going into the proper fast fashion areas but yeah I kind of any go to like sustainable ranges in brands compared to completely sustainable brands, as its more affordable.

For me its defiantly an accessibility thing. It's trying to figure out what brands are, there's so many things, like even the H&M conscious range, there was so much stuff when it first come out I remember about it not actually being sustainable, or conscious. So, it is actually really difficult to like pinpoint what is actually sustainable, and what isn’t.It is really difficult to try and pick those things out. I definitely do still shop fast fashion, but I don't always mean to.

Yeah definitely I know what you mean because, for example because Topshop’s clothes are slightly more expensive, you would just assume that they're almost more ethically sourced or more sustainable just because of the price of them I guess, which is one of the points so I will skip a bit and ask, so what kind of price points would you be willing to spend on a garment that is from a fast fashion brand, but it is made out of organic cotton and it is a wardrobe staple? Because it's from a fast fashion brand, if the prices were up would it put you off buying it, because it’s supposed to be cheap, that’s what its known for, or would you be willing to spend more because it is better quality?

I think if I need to spend more I will, if I know their cheap stuff is okay I wouldn’t mind spending more on there more expensive things.

Okay. Yeah so for example, have you heard of the brand I Saw It First, I'm sure you have, so basically my whole project is, because Love Island isn’t going ahead this year, and they have strived so well throughout the pandemic, and now it’s kind of like what are they going to do next. So this is why I’m introducing the sustainable range. But to put it bluntly if their quality is rubbish already would it stop you shopping the sustainable range?

Yes. Yeah, I don't tend to shop like the online brands anymore after buying like a couple of things and they're just so disappointing I'd rather spend double and get something good, and also the thing is, even with a sustainable range, if I know that the quality of the brand is already shocking, then that has already put me off and also, I guess, then I am concerned because it's, well you're putting out a sustainable range but then still you're still having unsustainable parts of your brand, like, you're still under paying workers or using unsustainable things, and still pushing out that very throwaway, need a new outfit for everything culture throughout the rest of your brand but you have one bit that's oh yeah but this is this is like organic and it's like, okay, but what about the rest of it.

What I'm trying to get across is that the range is a turning point for the brand so obviously fast fashion they say in five years fast fashion won't be, well 85% of generation said consumers shop fast fashion and they recommended 2026 so six years, that will drop to below 40% So, as such, it's trying to introduce the sustainable range slowly and then range by range hopefully the whole brand would become more sustainable, but is there anything that you would really like to see in a sustainable range that would encourage you to shop it from a fashion brand or to be completely off limits.

I think as long as the quality is there and they have like a backing of this is our accreditation from the safe water thing this is the accreditation from the, like, good, whatever it is for like proving that you're good to your workers. This is our sustainability, as long as they have it. It has to be super transparent especially with a fast fashion retailer, and it being a turning point they have to have almost 100% transparency the entire way along and going, we have been accredited by XYZ at all points. Because otherwise they could be like, oh yeah it's organic cotton, but it's still being made by unethically.

Do you feel like you're able to keep up with the latest trends, shopping sustainably, or does that really not bother you when you're shopping resale?

So for me, I kind of just go by what I like and what I know suits my frame and stuff like that. I don't really hugely look into fashion, like fashion trends and stuff, I think that is why every thing is so throw away, it's like the trends come and go so quickly you're just short if you're trying to keep up, you're just continuously like throwing stuff away or keeping it shoved in the back of your wardrobe until, hopefully eventually it comes back.

That comes with age definitely like when I was younger I was constantly in New Look and in Topshop, trying to get like those embroidered jeans that didn't look good on everyone, things like that. And like now I'm older, and I just, I'm happy to wear staples all the time. I might get like a jacket if that's more in style but, like, that's an if, but it's I think it comes a lot of that comes with age and with having more money.

Yeah I would say when you're younger you care a lot more about being fashionable but then the whole point is that you encourage them, say you can still be fashionable but you can do it in this way, and there's always going to be like this massive fashion powerhouse that promotes, you need to buy new you need to buy new but if fast fashion retailers start going-yes, this is new, but you can make this last or it's adaptable or you can wear it for loads and loads of different things, then it'll encourage those younger generations to then be more thoughtful.

Yeah, because at the minute I feel like the reason I'm doing this as well is because sustainable options aren't really very widely available for generations Z consumers who don't know a massive lot about it so all. So, bearing in mind that the generation Z consumer consists of a large amount of students like you said, what kind of prices would you be willing to spend on these staples.

I think price is a really difficult thing because so many sustainable fashion brands are so expensive, like I looked at a pair of trousers the other day that I had seen a sustainable influencer advertise but they were £300 for like collates.

And I was just like, I can't afford that. But it's still going to be more expensive because you're going to have to start paying people and sourcing more expensive materials. But it's you know like, for example like a T shirt. I'd probably pay about 25 pounds for a T shirt if I knew if it if it was like transparent and I knew what had gone into it and like that. And I know it's good quality, and I know it's going to last me because like I buy what t shirt from Primark it lasts me a month. If I know it's going to last me like a year or more yeah, I'm willing to spend 25 quid on a T shirt.

It’s all about trying to get the generation to care because it's almost as though, if we're on this one website and we're on the sustainable range button, and we're seeing a T shirt it's 25 pounds and then we're on the normal section and we're seeing a T shirt 12 pounds. It's almost like why should they care like that one purchase isn't going to affect the environment in their heads. So, I guess it's going to be a lot about the campaigning as well behind it to show why they should spend it I guess. And so, as well as this, and I think there needs to be kind of a section to give you tips on how the products could last longer. So, is there anything that you guys do that would increase the lifespan of your clothes at all.

I don't do it but they say you can freeze jeans don't need to get rid of the smell like if they're physically dirty wash them but if they just are a bit smelly, you can just put them in the freezer and it will kill the bacteria they won't smell anymore. And you'll keep the elastic good in them or something.

Is there any clothes you would be interested in seeing in the range?

I say, loungewear, like joggers and stuff like it's so hard to find like sustainable joggers I don't want to buy someone's second hand joggers. I just end up wearing my PLT ones until they have holes in. I know I'm going to wear it until they rip at the seams that's what happened to my last pair, also everywhere is sold out joggers, so if there was a sustainable option on the website that would definitely more appropriate.

Is there anything else that you feel would benefit me?

Actually I will tell you something that I use a lot, it is an app that's called Good on you, and you can type in the names of like your favourite brands and they'll tell you all about it, they've got a sustainability scale that tells you like not good enough, working on it, good, great, so then it can kind of guide you and it'll say, oh this is really bad but here's another option.

So, it's like, not the most intuitive thing to use but it's good for like a quick like just especially for people that don't know, as well because obviously that's the whole point. And it's broken down into like manufacturing, water, cotton, or whatever, different categories.

Appendices b Questions Fast Fashion Shoppers Eden, Molly, Alice Transcript Hello, thank you for joining the focus group, I have put this together as I know we are all fast fashion shoppers and wanted to get more of an insight on this. How many times do you buy new clothes roughly? Once a week, once a fortnight, once a month?

Once a fortnight easily.

Once a week to once a fortnight.

Once a fortnight as well.

Are you ever reluctant to buy a new product if you don’t know where it has come from, for example if you don’t know what country it has come from?

No, I don’t check ever, I will just buy it.

A little, but would still buy it, I just wouldn’t have high hopes for the quality so would just wear it on a one off, maybe a night out.

No, never.

Do you ever purchase a garment and worry about the quality of the garment?

Yes, if it is cheap I do not have high hopes, in fact I am surprised if it is good quality.

Yes if it is from a not well known shop or is cheaper than usual, but I never have high expectations about quality.

Not particularly, actually I would worry if something was very cheap that the quality would be bad. I Saw It First are the brand you’re studying? They have the cheapest quality tops ever, if we saw improvements in this we wouldn’t buy so many.

Do you have any idea of the effects your shopping habits have on the environment, if so please explain?

Only recently I have started to realise. Fast fashion is bad for the environment with the amount of plastic that is used and some fast fashion brands use sweatshops.

No, no idea No, I never realised this If sustainable, better quality clothes were more accessible for our generation would you be likely to buy?

Yes, for sure, I would rather pay a lot more and have a better quality item if I know its going to be better for the environment and will last me longer.

Yes, I would definitely reconsider my shopping habits and buy less so I could afford to buy a little more expensive items that are more sustainable.

I would definitely be happy to pay more for something better quality that would last me longer.

Appendices c As part of my primary research I asked Guido Dal Pozzo, a fashion and supply chain specialist, a series of questions in order to gain an insight into his opinion on fast fashion and sustainability together.

I asked him, in your opinion is there any solutions to slow fast fashion down?

He commented on brands having specialist software to predict demand based on previous seasons. He said producing on demand was key to reduce waste and gave advice to use a material that is going to last, 'less is more.'

How can you achieve full transaprency in the supply chain?

He mentioned that we will never be 100% sustainable. He suggested we need a law in place for a minimal working wage when sourcing from western companies and that we should have a central auditing system that is part of a legal requirement in order to gain more transparency.

Guido's lecture was a turning point for me as he made me understand in depth that sustainability reflects all aspects including the design, production, distribution, consumption and disposal.