Sustainable fashion – can we dress well without harming the planet?

We have to recognize that sustainable fashion is, in many ways, a contradiction," says Wennberg, a doctoral student in marketing at Stockholm Business School, specializing in the concept of sustainable fashion. "Fashion as an industry relies on constant change and consumption. It is possible to produce garments with minimal environmental impact throughout the production chain, but if those garments aren't seen as fashionable and end up unused, the resources spent making them are still wasted." 

Fashion is about more than just clothing – it's a reflection of society, a mirror of our identity, and a snapshot of the times we live in.

Malin Wennberg’s passion for fashion began early, she started sewing her own clothes at just five years old. That early spark grew into a career spanning various corners of the fashion world. She has worked with global brands like Marc Jacobs in New York, in fashion PR in Copenhagen, and was part of the management team at Mistra Future Fashion, the world’s largest research program on sustainable fashion at the time. She has also served as an advisor on textile issues for both government bodies and the private sector in Sweden. Today, she is a researcher at Stockholm University, focusing on how society perceives sustainable fashion and how these perceptions influence the market and shape our consumption behaviors.

Malin Wennberg. Foto: Johanna Säll/Stockholms universitet

From chemicals to technical solutions

"The concept of sustainable fashion is constantly evolving," says Malin Wennberg. "Back in the 1990s, the Swedish debate was largely focused on chemicals in clothing, particularly in underwear."

At that time, chemical regulations were far less stringent than they are today, and there were widespread concerns about skin reactions caused by substances in textiles. It was during this period that the first Nordic Swan Ecolabelled T-shirt was introduced, marking a milestone in eco-conscious clothing. 

"In the 2000s, the conversation shifted. Second-hand fashion began to lose its stigma – it was no longer seen as something to be ashamed of," says Malin Wennberg. "Instead, it was rebranded as vintage, a term that helped reframe used clothing in a more positive light."

Today, the focus has moved toward circularity and technological innovation. In 2020, the European Commission adopted the Green Deal, setting a goal for EU member states to become climate neutral by 2050 through the development of a circular economy.

"For the fashion industry, this means new business models built around circularity, encouraging reuse, and embracing the sharing economy, where consumers buy, sell, and trade clothing via digital platforms," Malin Wennberg explains.

Fast fashion and consumerism

Fashion is a clear example of irrational consumption. We buy garments for emotional reasons, influenced by trends and algorithms.

Fast fashion giants such as Shein and Temu are competing for market dominance by producing massive volumes of low-cost clothing often at the expense of the environment, through heavy chemical use, high emissions, and poor working conditions. At the same time, social media is accelerating consumerism.

"We’re seeing trends like 'hauls', where young influencers showcase enormous clothing purchases, often from budget brands," says Malin Wennberg. “This normalizes extreme levels of consumption."

While second-hand fashion is often seen as a sustainable alternative, it too is shaped by trends and market demand.

"Items that don’t sell in first-hand stores typically don’t sell on the second-hand market either," explains Wennberg. "As a result, some second-hand shops only accept garments that are less than two years old. In some cases, you can even find items with the original hangtags still attached. So, if we’re buying almost-new clothes just to justify continued consumption, the sustainability benefit is essentially lost."

"Some new research even suggests that shopping second-hand can lead to increased consumption. The lower prices and the sense of urgency – knowing that there's only one of an item in stock – can push us to buy more than we intended, under the belief that it’s a 'one-time opportunity'."  

However, Wennberg explains, there is still potential for more sustainable consumption when it comes to second-hand shopping.

"If, at the end of the day, you're replacing what would have been a purchase of something newly produced with a second-hand item, especially if it's something you truly love and need, then circular business models can play a role in the solution. The key is that the overall level of newly produced and consumed clothing must decrease." 

Companies need to take more responsibility

Even though the need to consume less is clear, Malin Wennberg is careful not to place the burden solely on individual consumers.

"Not everyone should have to be an expert in order to make sustainable choices," she says. "We should be able to trust that the products we buy are produced in a fair and responsible way."

She believes that companies must take greater responsibility and stop fueling overconsumption.

"Companies know exactly what they're doing. They create campaigns like 'buy three, get one free' and offer free shipping on large orders. As long as success is measured by increased sales, it's hard to genuinely claim that you're working toward sustainability. Fast fashion, in its current form, is simply not sustainable," says Malin Wennberg.

Solving these problems takes more than just companies doing the right thing. Political rules and regulations are also needed. Some steps are already being taken. From January 1, 2025, all EU countries must start sorting and collecting textile waste separately. This is part of the EU’s plan to cut down on waste and encourage more recycling. In the coming years, a new rule called producer responsibility will also be introduced. This means that anyone who sells clothes or other textiles in the EU will be responsible for the entire life of the product, from production to disposal. The idea is to encourage companies to make clothes that last longer and are easier to recycle. Influencers also have to follow new rules. They must clearly say when a post is sponsored or part of a paid collaboration. To create lasting change, these issues need to be addressed from multiple angles, including stronger regulations, more responsible business strategies, and more conscious consumer habits.

"There is no single solution. But by bringing together research, policy, and corporate responsibility, we can move toward a more sustainable fashion industry. Change begins with knowledge, and it’s time we start taking that knowledge seriously," concludes Malin Wennberg.