Extended Producer Responsibility in Fashion: A Focus on Fabric Selection

Abstract

Prior to the Industrial Revolution, when production and consumption were significantly less
rapid than today, the concept of sustainability was not widely recognized. However, the evolution of
clothing from a basic necessity into a fast fashion trend—alongside the resulting consumer surge—has
markedly accelerated the depletion of natural resources. This resource depletion and the accompanying
environmental pollution necessitate proactive measures. Among the principles guiding environmental
mitigation, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) holds manufacturers throughout the commercial
supply chain jointly and severally liable for the waste generated at the end of a product's life cycle. The
primary objective of EPR is to encourage production models that minimize raw material consumption and
waste generation, thereby reducing environmental impact. In this study, the durability of raw materials,
such as fabrics and accessories intended for sample collections, was evaluated through various performance
tests. The results were compared against customer expectations and analyzed in accordance with specified
quality parameters.