Consumers Lead Change in Backlash Against Fast Fashion

As a young girl living in a small town outside of Normandy, Germany, Sanni Baumgärtner’s love for clothing and apparel developed first with vintage fashion. She fondly remembers rummaging through her mother’s closet and borrowing her grandfather’s coat. Baumgärtner also frequented flea markets in search of pieces like ’70s-era leather jackets.

Though she no longer lives in Germany, her love for fashion still runs strong through Community, a shop Baumgärtner opened in 2010 to offer an alternative—with often more sustainable options—to conventional, fast-fashion retail.

Some experts predict the global fast-fashion industry will face considerable consumer backlash due to its negative environmental impacts. Consumers are driving this change to force brands to acknowledge their ecological footprint and become more transparent with their ethical practices or lack thereof.