Theme

Fashion is a fundamental part of how people express themselves and is also used to signal membership of a group. How individuals purchase and consume fashion is deeply embedded in these social processes. Each year, UK households spend around £1,700 on clothing, accounting for 5% (£44 billion) of retail expenditure. High levels of consumption, driven by trends towards clothing that is more disposable, worn less, and thrown away more quickly, are at odds with the needs to manage raw materials and resources more sustainably.