Exploring the Garment Fit paradigm from a Sustainability Perspective and its Meaning for First-Cycle and Second-Cycle Fashion Retailers

Since the societal and industrial move away from tailored clothing to ready-made garments, it has been suggested that the need for an optimal sizing system has being a constant challenge for the mass-production fashion industry sector and for consumers to acquire well fitting garments Ashdown [1]. However, despite inconsistencies in garment sizing among retailers, which some say serves to confuse, and in some cases infuriate consumers Brown [2], and despite the current economic downturn, clothing remains a high priority for women. In theory, fit can also be considered a barrier to purchase decisions in the second-cycle retail sector though some vintage consumers are prepared to alter clothing or to pay to have it altered to fit Cassidy & Bennett [3]. As the online shopping habit increases for both first- and second-cycle products, for fashionretailers operating mail order and on-line shopping channels fit in particular is considered to be a challenge as consumers cannot take advantage of trying garments on before buying, which is believed to be a fundamental part of the purchase-decision process and contributes to reducing the risk of high levels of product returns Nellis [4]. This study examines garment fit from a sustainability perspective to conceptually re-think the fit paradigm and debate