Can fast-fashion brands go the sustainable way?

Instead of trendy, disposable clothes, consumers now looking for durability

Apparel chains such as H&M, Zara and Forever 21 conquered the retail world by promising fast fashion: cheap, trendy and disposable.

Yet there’s a growing number of consumers this holiday season who want just the opposite. Data shows that shoppers — especially millennials, the target market for fast-fashion companies — are increasingly looking for clothes made of higher-quality materials or they’re keeping their existing clothes longer. Some are even seeking apparel that’s been reused or recycled.

More than 14 per cent of US consumers looked for apparel and accessories made from natural materials in 2016, up from 12.9 per cent