Whatever we buy, every purchase leaves a trace. In fashion, one out of every five articles of clothing ends up in landfills without being worn even once. Most of these trashed items are unsold or defective pieces of clothing. And that's not even accounting for fabric waste during the process. Last year, one of the largest fast fashion brands had $4 billion in unsold inventory
Traditional fashion businesses are notorious for over manufacturing, overstocking, poor employee working conditions, and pollution. Most brands still rely on traditional manufacturing and supply chain models, mostly because they're not taking advantage of new technologies and because consumers want their products fast and cheap. But due to the oversupply of quick fashion on the market, many customers now feel like "one of the herd."
Items produced on demand, on the other hand, only begin production when an order has been placed. This means zero inventory so zero waste from overproduction. Generally, there will be a longer lead time between when the garment is ordered and the point at which the customer receives the garment. But this also means each piece can be inspected and handled with care, for higher quality products.
To avoid waste from being produced in the first place, manufacturers can also optimise print product layouts. Milpali's production facilities reduced the leftover fabric to 35%, and use it to make smaller products. The rest is recycled.
Everything is slowly moving in that direction. We, as consumers, are coming out of the fast fashion frenzy and starting to view fashion as an art form again, with it’s capability of self-expression and individualism, made-to-order is embraces all that fashion was meant to be.
So slow down, appreciate the shopping experience and the designs.
Charlotte - Milpali Founder