Yes, ASOS is a fast fashion brand.
With over 22 million clients annually, ASOS is one of the biggest online apparel retailers in the UK. Nick Robertson, Andrew Regan, and Quentin Griffiths, three white British men with combined net worths of over £100 million, created the company.
Due to the rapidity of production and the quantity of clothing it sells, ASOS is a fast fashion business.
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WHAT IS ASOS?
The mission of British online fashion retailer ASOS is to help customers “feel, look, and be their best,” as shown by their distinctive selection of items. With over 22 million clients a year, it is one of the top online clothing stores in the UK.
Whether you’re looking for a dress for a night out, a wedding guest costume, a swimsuit to enjoy the warm weather, or some cozy jeans and hoodies for days when oversized clothing is required, ASOS has the capacity to meet all of your clothing needs.
Have you ever forgotten about adding a dress you adore to your ASOS shopping cart and then returned a few weeks later to discover the garment was gone? If you’ve experienced this, there are a few things you should know before making an ASOS purchase.
For ASOS, keeping trendy things in stock is of the utmost importance. Roughly 40% of their inventory is less than three months old. In contrast to other brands, ASOS is known for introducing multiple apparel lines all at once to create a “trend story” rather than gradually adding the items on their website.
This strategy has established ASOS as an authority on-trend. It’s best to get your hands on that dress you’ve been eyeing for a while before it goes out of stock or is taken offline to make room for the launch of more recent pieces.
WHAT IS FAST FASHION?
Fast trend manufacturers produce a excessive extent of garments at some stage in the year, with their choice continuously altering and being up to date so that frequently there are new gadgets each and every week.
The garments made are very cheap, making them famous with customers. If offered on line they generally arrive inside a day or two which is additionally a draw for customers as they can replace their wardrobes for any event quickly.
The substances used in these apparel objects are regularly very low quality, which saves on ordinary rate however additionally skill that they put on out quickly.
This traps clients in a cycle of shopping for as they occasionally want to change what they sold after solely a few wears.
Fast trend affects the whole lot from the surroundings to character people’s fitness and wellbeing.
This is due to the fact agencies frequently use questionable labor insurance policies on their workers, making them work lengthy hours in unsafe stipulations for very little pay.
With this in mind, it’s clear that ASOS is a speedy trend brand. Read on to discover out greater about the company’s have an impact on on the surroundings and their workforce, and what they’re doing to strive and make high quality adjustments to their manufacturing processes.
Environmental Impact
Currently, simply 34% of all the fibers used in ASOS manufacturers come from sustainable sources, which whilst higher than some agencies nevertheless is a very low number. The blame for this can’t be positioned totally on ASOS’s shoulders though.
As they are a retailer promoting thousands of brands, it’s these manufacturers themselves that want to make nice adjustments to their very own manufacturing procedures to elevate this number.
The ASOS manufacturer itself does use extra eco-friendly substances in their products, however it’s no longer ample to offset the injury executed by way of the different manufacturers who promote thru the company.
One of the largest approaches that quickly trend influences the surroundings is thru the big quantity of water that is used in the manufacturing process. Water is regularly redirected to glide via the factories, which can motive droughts in the neighborhood area.
If the water is launched after being used then it can be damaging to any human beings or animals who drink it as it can incorporate harsh chemical compounds from the factories.
To attempt and offset their environmental impact, ASOS launched the Responsible Edit apparel line in 2010. These merchandise are made from 50% recycled or sustainable materials, and a minimal of 20% recycled cotton.
This procedure makes use of a lot much less water than usual manufacturing methods, reducing the hazard of droughts. So whilst this is a step in the proper direction, ASOS ought to nonetheless do extra to attempt and get all their merchandise to be made in this way.
In an strive to decrease their carbon footprint and enhance their practices, in 2017 ASOS signed the 2025 Sustainable Sources Challenge, which calls on manufacturers to use one hundred percent sustainable cotton with the aid of 2025.
As stated above, presently simply 36% of fibers used in ASOS are sustainably sourced, so they have very little time left to reap this goal.
All around, ASOS appears to be making an attempt to enhance their sustainability levels, and are even discovering some success.
But till each and every manufacturer they promote follows go well with and additionally makes significant adjustments to their practices, ASOS as a total will proceed to be an environmentally negative brand.
Labor Conditions
Another difficulty with quickly trend is that the human beings who make the garments are frequently dealt with horribly.
Usually, they’re underpaid and compelled to work long hours in soiled and risky conditions, however they have no different way of making an earnings and so are compelled to stay.
Though for their Responsible Edit series portions are made in accordance to honest labor practices in Kenya, the equal can’t be stated for the relaxation of their apparel lines.
Almost none of their furnish chain is licensed with the aid of labor standards, which make certain employees get a residing wage, have fitness and protection measures in place, and have a number different labor rights.
ASOS additionally is no longer very obvious about its furnish chain in general, which is a massive difficulty when it comes to employee safety.
There is no proof that they pay their people a honest and dwelling wage, and very little has been posted about gender equality or freedom of affiliation in their factories.
ASOS desires to be tons greater obvious in its labor practices for any effective adjustments to be made in the company.
Unfortunately, a entire average of the practices would be very costly for ASOS to conduct, making it much less probably that they’ll even hassle trying.
IS ASOS FAST FASHION?
ASOS is a fast-fashion retailer, yes. It received this designation as a result of the rapid manufacture and quantity of clothing produced. The Changing Markets Foundation found that 89% of ASOS’s green promises were false in 2021. According to the Fashion Revolution Transparency Index 2021, ASOS is becoming less transparent, falling from 55/100 to 47/100.
When comparing median hourly pay, ASOS’s UK offices have a huge gender pay disparity, with women making 110p for every £2 that men make. The business ceased paying its garment factories in 2020, citing a drop in demand brought on by COVID-19 as its justification (despite having contracts in place).
The brand started paying after being under pressure from outside sources. It is not breaking news that this company does not guarantee the safety of its employees. In terms of sustainability, ASOS acknowledges using only 34% of fibers that were sourced sustainably, and they only provide minimal supply chain transparency.
The fashion titan unveiled its Responsible Edit brand in May 2019, which is essentially an updated version of their Eco Edit clothing line. However, given that they are more expensive and created using the better cotton program, it is regrettable that it did not feature a number of independent sustainable options on the website.
TAKEAWAY
How fast is ASOS fashion? Because it relies on speedy turnaround times, ASOS is typically regarded as a fast-fashion firm. Although you have the final say in what you buy, shopping elsewhere might pressure companies like ASOS to alter their production methods.
Customers are switching to more ethical products as more individuals become aware of how their purchasing habits affect the environment.
Despite being aware of all the harm that ASOS causes, it can be simple to fall victim again thanks to their low prices and the convenience of online shopping. It’s feasible that ASOS will carry on with their damaging tactics as long as consumers continue to shop there.
