Analysis and future perspectives of the opposite poles of fast fashion and sustainable fashion in Japan

Abstract

By comparing and analyzing the two opposite concepts of fast fashion and sustainable fashion, with a focus on Japan’s case, the aim of this thesis is to highlight the damage fast fashion is causing to our environment and to reflect on sustainable fashion’s potential to become a valid alternative in order to change consumers’ behavior towards more ethical practices that better respect the environment. In the first chapter, the topic will be introduced, and the concepts of fast fashion and sustainable fashion will be analyzed at a broader level. Subsequently, in the second and in the third chapter, the two concepts presented in the first chapter will be applied to Japan’s specific case, starting from how it used to be in the past, passing through how it is the present and finally, considering potential future scenarios. Finally, in the last chapter, the future of fashion will be considered. Focusing on the upcoming future, the closing chapter will concern the role of new technologies and innovation in the fashion field and the challenges that await the sector in the years to come. In the hope of providing the reader with a global picture of the current state of the fashion industry, globally and in Japan, given today’s situation, the ultimate aim of this thesis is to reflect on the future of fashion, and whether it will remain the same as it is today, or it will be able to reinvent itself and adapt to a world where sustainability has started to play a more significant role.