The end of the road for fast fashion? The EU hopes so

Could fast fashion finally be running out of steam? The European Union certainly thinks so.

While many consumers, spurred on by the ‘woke’ Gen Z, claim to want to be more sustainable in their clothing choices, the EU might just be thinking wishfully.

Industry leaders Boohoo, Pretty Little Thing and ASOS have indeed seen their profits take a hit in recent years, but Zara and H&M have posted huge gains.

And Shein - despite frequent copyright claims and its now infamous influencer trip - still continues to attract thousands of customers, all champing at the bit for cheap, trendy clothing.

The very fact that the China-based giant is able to add a staggering 6,000 new pieces to its website on a daily basis suggests that the concept of fast fashion is going nowhere fast.

The EU, though, is hopeful the damaging model of consuming clothing could soon be a thing of the past.

Last month, they adopted recommendations for the body’s strategy, including policies to make clothes tougher, repairable and recyclable. They also backed regulations which suggest production must respect human, social and label rights, animal welfare and the environment throughout the entire supply chain.

"Consumers alone cannot reform the global textile sector through their purchasing habits. If we allow the market to self-regulate, we leave the door open for a fast fashion model that exploits people and the planet’s resources”, explains MEP Delara Burkhardt, adding, “The EU must legally oblige manufacturers and large fashion companies to operate more sustainably”.

Burkhardt and countless other MEPs have long called for changes in the fast fashion industry, criticising its cavalier attitude to human beings and the environment.

“The disasters that have occurred in the