From Mass Produced to Made-to-Order: The Evolutionary Leap Fashion Needs
As I navigate the universe of fashion and sustainability, a stark reality becomes apparent. Our industry is at a pivotal moment, faced with the dichotomy of fast fashion's allure and the pressing need for sustainability. According to the United Nations, the fashion industry accounts for 8-10 percent of global emissions, surpassing even the aviation and shipping industries combined. Last year alone, the fast fashion market soared from $106.42 billion in 2022 to $122.98 billion in 2023, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 15.6 percent.
Various solutions are emerging in sustainable fashion, both at the industry and consumer levels. As an industry, we invest millions in carbon emission tracking and offsetting, and strive for greater transparency about our sustainable practices. Numerous organizations champion circular fashion, recycling, and reusing existing garments to create new apparel. Meanwhile, consumers increasingly opt to spend more on brands that are "sustainable" and transparent.
Despite these positive movements, we are far from meeting our sustainability targets, and the numbers reflecting overall outcomes are discouraging.
For instance, McKinsey estimates that out of every five garments produced, three end up in landfills within a year. Globally, just 12% of the material used for clothing ends up being recycled. Much of the problem comes down to the materials our clothes are made from and inadequate technologies to recycle them. If current trends continue, the fashion sector could consume over a quarter of the world's annual carbon budget by 2050.
Photographs byTamara Merino
Addressing such immense and complex issues can be overwhelming. As a process engineer, I prioritize identifying and tackling the highest impact issues first. A particularly alarming statistic stands out: annually, an estimated 30 percent of clothes globally never find a wearer and become waste.
Lets do some quick math. With over 100 billion garments produced annually (a conservative estimate), this means approximately 30 billion garments are wasted. On average, a t-shirt weighs about 50-80 grams, and a pair of jeans about 400 grams, averaging about 200 grams per garment. This equates to 6 million tonnes of garments, at a low estimate, that never reach the consumer. This figure does not account for fast fashion items discarded after minimal use, which contribute to a total of 92 million tonnes of waste each year.
This wastefulness is devastating for both people and the environment. Consider the immense natural resources, the exploited labor, and the extensive logistics involved in manufacturing and distributing these clothes, only for them to end up in landfills.
This situation is not only a sustainability failure but also an economic disaster. Brands are burdened with unsold inventory, which becomes a financial liability. For example, in 2018, H&M reported $4.3 billion worth of unsold inventory. Luxury brands are similarly affected. The Business of Fashion reports that the combined unsold products of major players like Kering and LVMH have more than doubled since 2014, reaching 4.7 billion euros in 2023. LVMH alone reported 3.2 billion euros in unsold goods, constituting 4 percent of the group's revenue, while Kering recorded 1.5 billion euros, equivalent to 8 percent of its revenue. This excess inventory includes raw materials, semi-finished goods, and finished products.
Brands may also destroy unsold items to avoid inventory tax, which must be paid on unsold items at the end of each fiscal year. Another motive for destroying unused textiles is to protect brand exclusivity and prevent market saturation, which is particularly prevalent among luxury fashion brands.
To truly address these issues, we must shift from a mass production model to a made-to-order system. This model, already successful in other industries like automotive, reduces waste and aligns production more closely with consumer demand. In fashion, made-to-order means creating garments only for confirmed buyers, significantly cutting overproduction. This approach does pose challenges such as longer customer wait times and potential production inconsistencies, but these are minor compared to the environmental and ethical benefits. With the right tools and systems, these processes can be optimized to minimize time and errors, enhancing efficiency.
At Morni, we have fully embraced the made-to-order model, taking steps to ensure each piece is crafted with precision and care. Contrary to popular opinion, custom clothing can be a scaleable concept. This idea can only be enabled with the right technology and SOP’s in place. Our process is streamlined and standardized; from vision to design to production, every detail is tracked and transparent. This includes streamlining the customer intake using a streamlined journey, recording every detail from measurements to fabric types, quantities used, dye color codes, and specific embroidery colors. We also maintain detailed sketches and production content of each design and use collaborative tools that give this visibility to the customer, minimizing the guess work and keeping them aware and engaged at each step of the way. This systematic tracking also ensures that if a piece needs to be replicated or produced in small batches, the process is fast, consistent, and retains the high quality our customers expect.
Screenshot from our production management tool: This shows the information we store on each piece from start to finish.
Moreover, Morni is committed to sustainability beyond just clothing production. We creatively use waste fabric to craft packaging for our products, transforming leftover materials into something beautiful and functional. This approach not only reduces waste but also enhances the unboxing experience for our customers, reflecting our dedication to thoughtful consumption.
These initiatives are just the beginning. With the integration of advanced technologies, we are scaling these practices to have a broader impact. By leveraging AI tools for visualization and design, production, and waste management, Morni is not only improving operational efficiency but also setting new standards in the fashion industry. These small changes, combined with our commitment to innovation, are pivotal in evolving the space and demonstrating that fashion can be both stylish and sustainably forward-thinking.
This path isn’t the easiest, but transforming the fashion industry requires bold thinking and innovative technology. Morni's commitment to the made-to-order model and sustainable practices shows a path forward for the industry. As we continue to refine our processes and expand our impact, we invite others to join us in this journey of transformation, proving that fashion can indeed be both beautiful and responsible. Join us at Morni as we rebuild fashion, crafting a future where style and responsibility go hand in han