Consumer colour and style preferences: A new approach to tackling the textile waste conundrum

Many researchers who view fast fashion as being detrimental to the environment infer that the established fashion system is central to the sector’s sustainability challenges, and a barrier to a more sustainable and accountable fashion industry. The author has previously acknowledged the colour forecasting sector’s role within the fashion system as being a formidable driver of excessive consumer consumption. The continuation of fashion trends ultimately contributes to the textile waste issue. Contrary to the indicative meaning of the term, neither the colour forecasting process nor the fashion trend forecasting process provide systems of prediction, rather they are processes ultimately for the marketing change. Colour trends in particular are used as a powerful means for planned product obsolescence, in order to encourage a continuation of apparel sales and excessive consumption. While there are many factors contributing to the textile waste situation, the author has previously proposed a solution. By providing a colour forecasting system that reintroduces style rivalry as a strategy over the prevailing price rivalry approach, excessive consumption could be drastically reduced. This chapter now takes that original thinking a stage further. In essence, the improved system would require consumers to invest more money in higher quality apparel and accessories. For this to happen, consumers would need to become more confident in their own style, colour preferences and fashion needs. The concept of the capsule wardrobe is discussed in relation to colour and style analysis to further model a new approach to managing textile waste.