Sustainable Fashion: What's Holding Women Back?

Fashion's dark side has been under the spotlight for years. The industry's rapid pace and cheap prices have led to a lot of waste and harm to the environment. As a result, sustainable fashion has become a trend. But what drives women to choose sustainable fashion? And what stops them? A recent study looked into this by comparing university teachers and students. The study found that while women know about sustainable fashion, they don't always make it a priority. This is especially true for students. Teachers, on the other hand, try to balance quality and price. Students, however, often go for the cheaper option. Both groups shop at fast fashion retailers, but students do it more often. Teachers prefer swapping and redesigning clothes as a way to be more sustainable. Students, however, lean towards second-hand shops and apps like Vinted. So, what motivates these women to be more sustainable? Awareness, uniqueness, personal style, and extending the life of an item are some of the drivers. But there are also barriers. High prices, low income, personal restrictions, and lack of knowledge are some of the main obstacles. The study also found that there's a gap between what women think and what they do. They might know about sustainable fashion, but that doesn't always translate into action. This gap could be closed with the right changes. But what are those changes? And how can we make them happen? That's a question for another day.