The summer sale has begun; it’s the perfect time to snap up a great summer outfit at a discounted price. Whether it’s a summer dress for ten euros or a pair of swimming trunks for five euros, the deals are there for the grabbing. But behind those low prices lies a global industry with a long history. Historian Ben Wubs investigates how the fashion industry came to be so huge and why, despite concerns about pollution and working conditions, we continue to buy in huge quantities.
Fashion may seem to be all about trends and seasons, but according to Wubs, clothing is also a reflection of the economy. In his research, he examines the development of the global fashion industry since 1850. 'Fashion is more than just a business. It is also culture, symbolism and identity. Everyone engages with fashion in their own way.'
An industry that has been interconnected worldwide for centuries
The rise of fast fashion is often seen as a phenomenon of recent decades, with companies producing cheap clothing at lightning speed and selling it worldwide. But its history goes back much further, the historian explains.
Around 1850, the clothing industry underwent a radical transformation. The sewing machine made it possible to produce clothing more quickly and cheaply. At the same time, global trade networks began to emerge. Cotton from the United States, for example, was processed in factories in Europe, after which the clothing was sold all over the world.
According to Wubs, many people think that such international supply chains are a recent phenomenon. Yet this has always been the case. Raw materials from one country, labour from another, trade across borders: this is how the fashion industry has operated for almost two centuries.
From Paris to Asia
The history of fashion also shows how production is constantly shifting. For a long time, Europe was the centre of the clothing industry, with cities such as Paris playing a key role. However, more and more production moved to Asia, where clothing could be made more cheaply.
We see this trend today in companies such as SHEIN, which grew enormously in a short space of time by selling extremely cheap, mass-produced clothing. According to Wubs, this is not an entirely new phenomenon either. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, too, clothing was often produced in so-called sweatshops, where working conditions were poor.
'There’s a lot of continuity in that story,' he says. 'The way in which cheap clothing is produced has a long history.'
The race to ever lower prices
The low prices in the fashion industry are not without consequences. These range from poor working conditions to overconsumption. The industry is often cited as one of the most polluting in the world.
At the same time, Wubs has noticed that companies are increasingly presenting themselves as sustainable. 'You see major brands publishing sustainability reports on their websites and trying to improve their production processes. But it remains complicated. Competition between companies is fierce.'
According to Wubs, this creates a sort of "race to the bottom". Brands try to produce as cheaply as possible, which often leads to a decline in quality and means that clothes are thrown away more quickly.
Is there another way?
Nevertheless, according to Wubs, the story is not all negative. He sees opportunities to transform the clothing industry. For example, by exploring new production techniques and the possibility of bringing certain production back closer to Europe.
According to the historian, Rotterdam may well play a role in this. 'The city has a large port and a strong industrial history. I see opportunities for new forms of textile production that are less reliant on long supply chains and polluting shipping.'
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