Why Are Clothing Brands Still Making so Much Stuff?
Let’s talk about the dirty secret in fashion that no one wants to admit: we’re producing more clothing than we will ever wear or need, much of it using unsustainable fabrics and vile labor practices.
A new report from Source Fashion was released, and the numbers make me queasy. The fashion industry produces between 80 and 150 billion garments every year—and up to 40% of that goes unsold. That’s billions (with a B) of garments either headed for a landfill, an incinerator, or the clearance rack graveyard which is just one stop before the landfill.
99% of brands are doing nothing about their over production.
I read that stat and had to sit with it for a minute. Ninety-nine percent means only 1% of brands are even trying to curb their production.
Social media is not helping. If YouTube recommends one more Shopping Haul video, I will vomit into a Shein bag, tape it up, and ship it to the offending influencer. They probably won’t know the difference.
It is a broken system.
And what’s wild is that most brands don’t even track how much they’re producing. According to the same report, only 11% of the top 250 brands publish their production volumes.
Humans are simple : we pay attention to what we measure. If I start measuring my calorie intake, I pause before eating the second cupcake (only pause, not stop ;). Its the same with businesses: if they are not measuring their production volumes as compared to their sales, they are not paying attention.
But there’s a silver lining: there are ways forward. The report highlighted a few bright spots—brands experimenting with made-to-order, limited runs, resale, and circular design. Turns out, you don’t have to flood the market to be profitable. In fact, producing less—on purpose—often creates more trust, more loyalty, and better margins.
I make fewer pieces, in small batches. Right now the batch size is 30. If a style really takes off, I will increase future color ways, carefully. The majority of my styles are made from limited release fabrics, which naturally curbs my ability to produce large quantities. This is purposeful. My focus is on quality and longevity, and I’ve found that at this point in my journey, high volumes are not sustainable for me or the planet.
Clothing should not be disposable. It should be personal. It should matter.
Fashion does not need more product. It needs more purpose.
Bisous, Elise
