Brands have carefully chosen where to open up transparency to the public as a marketing tool. Changes made in production and after-market have been broadcasted to the public, declaring that “we get it, the industry needs to change and we’re doing our part.” The opportunity to make environmentally responsible changes to internal supply chains remains completely untapped and therefore, closed off from public view. These changes have been cost prohibitive so far. These internal practices are easy to keep hidden from the consumer even when maintaining an environmentally conscientious veneer with other progressive changes. That strategy has worked so far but the market has progressed to a point where the economic benefit of removing single-use plastic from the supply chain can out-weigh the cost of making those changes. A clothing company with full transparency from manufacturer to consumer will ingratiate themselves to the market. That level of environmental responsibility will become expected by the fashion consumer by 2020 and the companies that can demonstrate it will have a competitive advantage over their rivals.
*Note: I am not an expert in supply chain logistics or retail allocation, these are the musings of someone who works adjacent to these systems and wants to see progressive change in the Fashion Industry.
For interested in doing volunteer work or donating money to help clean up our oceans and waterways of plastic waste, I recommend Surfrider Foundation. I’ve worked with them before and they are genuine people passionate about protecting the environment. They operate local chapters all over the United States so anyone can find one working on locally important causes.