Knitting a Way to Sustainability : an analysis of the slow fashion principles’ implementation in Lithuanian slow fashion design and production
(2017) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20171LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Many scholars agree that current fast fashion system is highly unsustainable and causes many environmental and social challenges worldwide. Given this, the main aim of this thesis is to explore the concept of slow fashion and understand its potential benefits, contributing to sustainability within the current fashion system. On one hand, slow fashion represents an alternative production and consumption path, challenging the unsustainable model of fast fashion. Slow fashion is based on environmental and social consciousness towards the life-cycle of garment, including design, production, distribution and consumption. On the other hand, slow fashion is also criticized because of the high costs of items, resulting from its social and... (More)
- Many scholars agree that current fast fashion system is highly unsustainable and causes many environmental and social challenges worldwide. Given this, the main aim of this thesis is to explore the concept of slow fashion and understand its potential benefits, contributing to sustainability within the current fashion system. On one hand, slow fashion represents an alternative production and consumption path, challenging the unsustainable model of fast fashion. Slow fashion is based on environmental and social consciousness towards the life-cycle of garment, including design, production, distribution and consumption. On the other hand, slow fashion is also criticized because of the high costs of items, resulting from its social and environmental prerequisites.
To evaluate the sustainability of the concept, a set of slow fashion principles and practices was gathered upon the revision of academic literature. The principles collected were related to both environmental and social aspects of sustainability and included: environment, waste strategies, functionality, localism, authenticity, exclusivity and equity. These principles constituted to the analytical framework, summarizing the processes intrinsic to slow fashion production. Based on this framework, I analyzed how the theoretically defined slow fashion principles correspond with the real practices employed by the slow fashion designers and producers.
The analysis was done for the selected case of Lithuania, as a representation of Western society, showing signs of interest in slow fashion production. Eight qualitative interviews were conducted with Lithuanian slow fashion designers and producers to evaluate the practical implementation of the slow fashion principles.
The findings suggested multiple discrepancies between the theoretical slow fashion principles and practices and the actual slow fashion production in Lithuania. Some principles were applied very well, while few principles were omitted. Findings also suggest there were certain internal and external barriers for successful slow fashion production implementation, such as foreign material sourcing, equitable processes, the nonapplication of low-impact materials, its availability and price.
Based on the obtained results, the sustainability of the slow fashion production processes were evaluated in terms of the three dimensions of justice and fairness in relation to the broader context of sustainability goals (SDGs). The slow fashion production processes appear to be compatible with intergenerational and
intersectional justice and related to sustainability goals. Yet, the aspect of international justice needs improvement. This suggests that slow fashion production could be considered sustainable only to some extent. The ideological impacts to sustainability are visible, however the actual impacts meet certain boundaries, which slow fashion production has to overcome in order to be fully sustainable. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8914212
- author
- Zilinskaite, Ieva LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MESM02 20171
- year
- 2017
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Lithuania, slow fashion production, Slow fashion, sustainability science
- publication/series
- Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
- report number
- 2017:016
- language
- English
- id
- 8914212
- date added to LUP
- 2017-06-18 16:14:48
- date last changed
- 2017-06-18 16:14:48
@misc{8914212,
abstract = {{Many scholars agree that current fast fashion system is highly unsustainable and causes many environmental and social challenges worldwide. Given this, the main aim of this thesis is to explore the concept of slow fashion and understand its potential benefits, contributing to sustainability within the current fashion system. On one hand, slow fashion represents an alternative production and consumption path, challenging the unsustainable model of fast fashion. Slow fashion is based on environmental and social consciousness towards the life-cycle of garment, including design, production, distribution and consumption. On the other hand, slow fashion is also criticized because of the high costs of items, resulting from its social and environmental prerequisites.
To evaluate the sustainability of the concept, a set of slow fashion principles and practices was gathered upon the revision of academic literature. The principles collected were related to both environmental and social aspects of sustainability and included: environment, waste strategies, functionality, localism, authenticity, exclusivity and equity. These principles constituted to the analytical framework, summarizing the processes intrinsic to slow fashion production. Based on this framework, I analyzed how the theoretically defined slow fashion principles correspond with the real practices employed by the slow fashion designers and producers.
The analysis was done for the selected case of Lithuania, as a representation of Western society, showing signs of interest in slow fashion production. Eight qualitative interviews were conducted with Lithuanian slow fashion designers and producers to evaluate the practical implementation of the slow fashion principles.
The findings suggested multiple discrepancies between the theoretical slow fashion principles and practices and the actual slow fashion production in Lithuania. Some principles were applied very well, while few principles were omitted. Findings also suggest there were certain internal and external barriers for successful slow fashion production implementation, such as foreign material sourcing, equitable processes, the nonapplication of low-impact materials, its availability and price.
Based on the obtained results, the sustainability of the slow fashion production processes were evaluated in terms of the three dimensions of justice and fairness in relation to the broader context of sustainability goals (SDGs). The slow fashion production processes appear to be compatible with intergenerational and
intersectional justice and related to sustainability goals. Yet, the aspect of international justice needs improvement. This suggests that slow fashion production could be considered sustainable only to some extent. The ideological impacts to sustainability are visible, however the actual impacts meet certain boundaries, which slow fashion production has to overcome in order to be fully sustainable.}},
author = {{Zilinskaite, Ieva}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
title = {{Knitting a Way to Sustainability : an analysis of the slow fashion principles’ implementation in Lithuanian slow fashion design and production}},
year = {{2017}},
}