Attending to the Abstract: The Environmental and Social Implications of Fast Fashion

46 pagesThis thesis seeks to frame fast fashion, an abstract social and environmental issue, as concrete to reduce the public's psychological distance and promote pro-environmental behavior. Fast fashion is the current business model of fashion, characterized by fast-moving trends that are mass-produced with low-quality materials and sold at low prices. By employing a theoretical framework of Construal Level Theory (CLT), this thesis aims to provide an accessible and comprehensive account of the social and environmental implications of fast fashion revealed through tracing the life cycle of a prototypical polyester garment, one of the most common and extractive fabrics in fast fashion production. This analysis marks a movement forward from past life cycle assessment (LCA) studies, typically communicated in a highly scientific and convoluted manner while failing to integrate social implications. Similarly, because of a lack of accountability in fast fashion, brands rarely disclose the full details of their garments' environmental and social impacts. Thus, a prototypical life cycle integrating these fragmented sources offers a representative and concrete portrayal of the issue. Following this, I created an alternative life cycle based on the prototypical life cycle, demonstrating where social and environmental sustainability can improve. This thesis also includes an interactive infographic of each life cycle, providing a visual overview for readers to aid their comprehension while simultaneously providing an alternative, pointing to where action can be taken and encouraging pro-environmental behavior