What Sustainability Risks Are Woven Into Fast Fashion?
Consumers are able to get their hands on new clothes like never before. However, the added convenience of fast fashion comes with some concerning costs to investors in regard to sustainability.
The meteoric rise of fast-fashion players like H&M, Zara (a brand of Spain’s Inditex ITX), and China’s privately held Shein has brought cheap, quickly made clothes to the masses, driving up the number of garments produced globally by more than double over the past two decades. But while the price may be low for consumers, the cost for stakeholders is often high, stemming from concerns like rising carbon footprints and modern slavery in supply chains. These environmental and social issues are critical for investors to consider when evaluating apparel companies. Read more at Morningstar.