Over the last few decades, the industry has been reliant on ever-expanding production volumes to achieve continued sales growth. Although a few super-fast-fashion giants are often criticized for their overproduction contributions and low prices, the general mass manufacturing trend across the fashion landscape has collectively led to excess. For 8 billion people, the industry is creating upwards of 80 billion pieces per year.
Suzanne Ellingham, director of trade show Source Fashion, made the case for tamping down on overproduction and adopting a “post-growth” strategy. This leaves margins and profit intact by right-sizing inventory, reducing discounting and waste.
“What we should be looking at doing is producing how much we can actually sell,” Ellingham said. “[There’s] this constant need to be producing more and more and more. The reality is volume doesn't do anyone any favors, apart from continuing to drive the profits at the cost of people and planet.”
Listen to the fireside chat, with Ellingham in conversation with Jasmin Malik Chua, climate and labor editor at Sourcing Journal, to learn more about why the current production and pricing models are so harmful to people and the planet and what post-growth actually means for operations and profitability.

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