Attending to the Abstract: The Environmental and Social Implications of Fast Fashion

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dc.contributor.advisorSmith, Hollie
dc.contributor.authorO'Connell, Riley
dc.date.accessioned2023-10-24T20:14:59Z
dc.date.available2023-10-24T20:14:59Z
dc.date.issued2023-04
dc.descriptionThesis consists of 46 page pdf and 2 archived webpages. See README for instructions on viewing WACZ files.en_US
dc.description.abstractThis thesis seeks to frame fast fashion, an abstract social and environmental issue, as concrete to reduce the public's psychological distance and promote pro-environmental behavior. Fast fashion is the current business model of fashion, characterized by fast-moving trends that are mass-produced with low-quality materials and sold at low prices. By employing a theoretical framework of Construal Level Theory (CLT), this thesis aims to provide an accessible and comprehensive account of the social and environmental implications of fast fashion revealed through tracing the life cycle of a prototypical polyester garment, one of the most common and extractive fabrics in fast fashion production. This analysis marks a movement forward from past life cycle assessment (LCA) studies, typically communicated in a highly scientific and convoluted manner while failing to integrate social implications. Similarly, because of a lack of accountability in fast fashion, brands rarely disclose the full details of their garments' environmental and social impacts. Thus, a prototypical life cycle integrating these fragmented sources offers a representative and concrete portrayal of the issue. Following this, I created an alternative life cycle based on the prototypical life cycle, demonstrating where social and environmental sustainability can improve. This thesis also includes an interactive infographic of each life cycle, providing a visual overview for readers to aid their comprehension while simultaneously providing an alternative, pointing to where action can be taken and encouraging pro-environmental behavior.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1794/29020
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Oregonen_US
dc.rightsCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USen_US
dc.subjectFast Fashionen_US
dc.subjectEnvironmental Justiceen_US
dc.subjectLife Cycle Analysisen_US
dc.subjectInfographicsen_US
dc.subjectScience Communicationen_US
dc.subjectConstrual Level Theoryen_US
dc.titleAttending to the Abstract: The Environmental and Social Implications of Fast Fashionen_US
dc.typeThesis / Dissertationen_US

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