The pandemic has caused various shifts in the fashion industry, such as a rising interest in production closer to markets. While this interest had already been growing before the outbreak of the virus, it was not widespread yet, mainly due to quality and ethical issues. But could the effects of the pandemic finally give sustainable fashion just the push it needs to become the norm?
When the pandemic first began in China, some fashion brands started to struggle as they realized just how dependent their productions were on Chinese manufacturing. However, this was just the beginning. In the following months, the virus spread all over the world, tremendously impacting the industry.
The shutdown of retail venues and the disruption of supply chains revealed the risk of globalized structures to industry players. On the demand side, apparel sales were down to nearly 40% since January 2020, while on the supply side, there was a dramatic realization about the vulnerabilities of globally dependent supply chains.
Onshoring and Nearshoring Making a Comeback
Thus, more brands are now trying to minimize long and complex supply chains that are over-dependent and have instead turned to onshoring or nearshoring. This refers to the relocation of suppliers and manufacturers closer to home or to the home country itself. Multiple sources have suggested that this method, which was previously dismissed as too costly, could be making a comeback.
Instead of production occurring thousands of miles away, with environmental degradation largely unseen or ignored and ethical violations going unpunished, de-globalizing supply chains and relocating them to home countries that have stricter labor laws and environmental regulations can directly serve to advance sustainability. A closer supply chain also reduces the carbon footprint of garments, as finished pieces are shipped shorter distances from the manufacturer to the stores.
A Traceable Supply Chain is an Opportunity for Sustainability
Most significantly, onshoring lays the foundation for fashion sustainability as it provides better oversight and requires accountability. Problems that were previously overlooked will become impossible to ignore. Once brands have access to better visibility of their production processes, they will begin to see their shortcomings and implement protocols to promote better environmental practices and ethical treatment of workers. Visibility also creates new channels for transparency and allows brands to work with their communities to innovate and improve production practices.
In short, a supply chain you can trace is a supply chain you can improve. Though it is not guaranteed that all companies will engage in onshoring or nearshoring as a response to the pandemic, this moment in time creates an opportunity for sustainable fashion, which can be further improved as consumers pressure brands to take on more social and environmental roles.
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