Introduction
The concept of fast fashion has gained massive popularity in Ireland and around the world. According to Stanton, A. (2021), fast fashion refers to “a design, manufacturing, and marketing method focused on rapidly producing high volumes of clothing.” It leverages low-quality materials such as synthetic fabrics and replication to bring to the market affordable and stylish products. The goal is to ensure that clients have trendy products at a price that they can afford. The replication of styles and the use of synthetic materials is meant to ensure that the product is made as affordable as possible while at the same time meeting the expectations of the market. Over the past two decades, the concept of fast fashion has gained massive popularity in Europe and other parts of the world (Thomas, 2019). It seeks to eliminate the traditional business model of having fashion as only being a preserve of the rich.
Fast fashion has gained massive popularity among young adults in Ireland. According to Bravo (2021), fashion shoppers in the age group of 18-24 constitute the largest share of the market. These young adults are sensitive to their dress code, but they have a limited budget. They want the trendiest dresses, but they are also conscious of the fact that they cannot afford expensive products. Some of them have just left college, while others are in their first jobs with relatively low pay compared with their older colleagues. However, fast fashion has also become popular among the older generations.
In this paper, the focus was to determine how Irish women aged 40 to 50 years choose fast fashion and why they do so. Studies have shown that middle-aged women are highly conscious of what they wear. A significant number of them experience midlife crises and want to appear as young as possible (Barber, 2021). One of the ways that they feel they appear young is to remain as trendy in their dress code as possible. Like the younger generation discussed above, they find fast fashion to be an effective way of remaining trendy. It allows them to identify with the young adults at favorable costs. Although some of them can afford some of the most expensive brands in the market, fast fashion remains one of their best alternatives. As the size of the fast fashion market continues to grow, fashion retailers in Ireland such as Prada, Primark, Zara, New Look, Dunnes Stores, and River Island are focusing on this industry.
Literature Review
Fast fashion is an area of study that has attracted the attention of scholars for many years. Bailey, Basu, and Sharma (2022) also note that the decision-making process is another area that has been widely researched. When one plans to make a purchase, there are always numerous factors that have to be put into consideration. One has to consider the price of the product against their purchasing power, the quality of the product, the quantity that is offered at a given price, and the ability to meet the specific need, among other factors (Bedat, 2021). In this section of the paper, it is necessary to review the information that has been presented by others scholars who conducted studies in this field.
The Growth of Fast Fashion
The fashion industry has been evolving over the years as the players seek to find ways of maximizing their profits. According to Thompson (2021), the industry had for a long time maintained a tradition of Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer collections. It took time to present a new style in the market, which meant that a given design would remain relevant for some time. Although this strategy worked for the industry back then, it became apparent that it limited the sales volume of the players in the industry. As long as there was no new fashion in the market, people were rarely motivated to go back to the shop to make another purchase. Leading fashion manufacturers had to find a way of increasing their revenues and profits. The concept of fast fashion was developed by these players to help increase their revenues and profitability. Figure 1 below shows the rapid growth of the global apparel industry.
Fast fashion has received massive support from manufacturers, retailers, and consumers around the world. For manufacturers and retailers, this was an ingenious idea that made it possible for them to make more sales while at the same time lowering their costs. This is so because it involves producing new fashion designs within a relatively short period. It means that a new design may not last long in the market before a new one is introduced. Customers always want to have the latest trends in their wardrobes. It means that instead of purchasing a dress at an interval of three or four months, these clients will be buying clothes at shorter intervals of one or two months. It means that there will be a massive increase in sales for both manufacturers and retailers.
Fast fashion has also made another major shift from traditional fashion in terms of quality. Wren (2022) explains that traditionally, it took a long for fashion houses to design and finally develop a new product. Emphasis was placed on quality at every stage of production. Designers were also committed to remaining as authentic and original with their production as possible. However, that is no longer the case with the emergence of fast fashion. It is common for fast fashion houses to steal designs, use computer technologies to make minor changes, and then claim ownership of designs that they did not develop. Once a design has been modified, these fast fashion houses would then use cheap materials to develop the final product.
The goal of these manufacturers has changed from meeting the needs of their clients in the best way possible while making a profit in the process to making as many profits as possible while trying to meet customers’ expectations. While the industry traditionally placed the interest of its clients ahead of profits, the new concept currently places the interest of customers second to profitability. The industry has mastered the art of dictating how and when customers make their purchases. The manufacturers and retailers are aware of the fact that many consumers, especially young female adults, are addicted to fashion. They know that such clients will always visit the local outlets and make purchases whenever a new fashion is introduced. It makes it possible for these firm to achieve their goal of maximizing their profits.
Consumers of fast fashion have fallen into the trap of fashion houses. According to Stringer, Mortimer, and Payne (2020), it is worrying that sometimes consumers fail to be rational in their purchases. Some of these consumers no longer buy clothes because they need them. Instead, they make these purchases to prove a point. They want to appear as trendy as possible, especially the young adults. Nguyen et al. (2021) observe that consumers appear to be comfortable with the current trend, especially because of the significant cost reduction. Traditionally, fashion was expensive because of the time it took to produce and the quality of materials used. However, that is no longer the case as companies are using cheap materials, making it possible to set low prices. It has made the products affordable to the larger middle-class consumers around the country.
How Women Choose Fast Fashion
Fast fashion is currently gaining massive popularity in different parts of the world, Ireland included, especially among women. It is important to understand how women choose fast fashion. It makes it possible to explain the growth of this new trend in the fashion industry and how it may impact consumers and other sectors of the economy. Defining these factors also helps in determining how some of the negative trends in the industry can be mitigated.
One of the factors that define how women choose fast fashion is misinformation from social media platforms. Traditionally, women would visit fashion stores and select products that they considered met their tastes and preferences in the best way possible. That strategy has been changed by the new media platforms. The emergence of the picture and video sharing platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Tik Tok, among others, have created a perfect marketing platform for fashion companies (Mosca, Casalegno, and Gallo-Martinez, 2021). Figure 2 below shows how these products are promoted on social media platforms. It has enabled them to influence how women make critical purchasing decisions. When a consumer sees a friend wearing a new clothing design, it creates the urge and pressure for them to make a similar purchase. It means that instead of consumers making a decision based on a genuine need for the product, they do so because they have seen a friend or someone on social media platforms wearing the same. As Cline (2019) puts it, the trend has changed from consumer-driven purchases to social media-push purchases. Customers are forced to change their preferences based on the new products made available in the market.
The lack of a clear understanding of the impact of fast fashion is another factor that defines how women choose fast fashion. Niinimäki et al. (2020) note that fast fashion involves producing new trendy products in large quantities, allowing consumers to use them within a very short period before a new trend is introduced to replace the existing one. In essence, it creates a trend where consumers buy numerous clothes than they need. It means that they have to dispose of the clothing that is considered out of fashion. When they are unable to donate the untrendy clothes, they burn them, or these items end up in landfills. The impact of this behavior, if left unchecked, may have a serious impact on the environment (Mosca, Casalegno, and Gallo-Martinez, 2021). The problem is that consumers, who are responsible for sustaining the practice, are not even aware of the negative effects of their actions because they lack awareness about the same.
Why Women Choose Fast Fashion
It is equally important to understand why women have decided to embrace fast fashion despite the economic and environmental consequences. According to Mcgovern (2020), peer pressure remains one of the main reasons why women choose to use fast fashion, including those in the corporate world aged 40 to 50 years. Because of the desire to earn the acceptance and admiration of peers, women often try to be as trendy as possible (Bravo, 2021). Every time a new product is availed in the market, they want to be the first users. They constantly focus on consuming these new products as a way of demonstrating their status in society.
Women around the world have embraced fast fashion because of its significantly lower prices compared with traditional fashion. For a long time, people have associated fashion with high prices. However, that is no longer the case in the fast fashion market. The materials used to develop these products are of low quality and cheap. As such, the manufacturers and, subsequently, the retailers can afford to charge lower prices without compromising on the quality. They compensate for the low prices with large volumes of sales, enjoying economies of scale (Neumann, Martinez, and Martinez, 2021). As the products become more affordable, their popularity in the market increases significantly.
Accessibility is another factor that has defined the decision of women to consume fast fashion. According to Barber (2021), traditional fashion was only available at specific specialty stores. Some of these fashion stores were so exclusive that only those in their registers or those referred by specific clients could be allowed to shop around. It meant that only the richest members of society could visit them and make purchases. Fast fashion has changed such rigid and restrictive sales strategies by making it possible for every client with the purchasing capacity to visit numerous outlets (Bravo, 2021). Fast fashion uses a wide range of sales outlets to reach the masses. It has also embraced online marketing and sales on numerous digital platforms. Consumers can now view a product on these online platforms, get the quotation, and make payments before receiving their purchases in their offices or at home. The convenience created by these new platforms has made these products highly popular among middle-class consumers.
The changing dress code in many offices is another factor that is driving the demand for fast fashion among women. Cline (2019) observes that fast fashion is taking different designs, some of them being half-casual and half-official dresses, as shown in figure 3 below. It means that a woman can wear these dresses when going to work and appear to be decently dressed. Large firms are also abandoning the strict traditional dress codes, prioritizing comfort for their employees. It is based on the belief that the output of employees is partly driven by the comfort that they enjoy when they are in the workplace. It means that the same dress can be suitable for both official and casual settings.
The Future of Fast Fashion
Currently, fast fashion has gained a strong foothold in the apparel industry. It is unlikely that the current trend will change any time soon because the manufacturers and retailers of these products have perfected their trade. They have made these products readily accessible and at affordable prices. These firms have also developed a strategy to create an insatiable demand in the market by constantly introducing new products when they realize that sales for the existing ones are approaching or has hit their peak. Customers are satisfied with the current trend because they get products that they need at a price that they can afford (Bick, Halsey, and Ekenga, 2018). The mutually beneficial relationship that has been created between consumers and manufacturers/retailers of fast fashion is an assurance that it has a bright future.
The current trend in fast fashion and its impact on the environment poses the greatest threat to its future. Fast fashion companies have created a trend where consumers are under constant pressure to discard their current clothes and purchase new ones (Brewer, 2019). The practice is working well for both the consumers and the business entity because of the low prices and economies of scale. However, the same cannot be said of the effect of the practice on the environment, as it has negative effects that can be assessed in two ways. First, it creates massive pollution as these clothes, which are often in good condition, find their way to landfills or have to be burnt. Secondly, there is constant pressure to produce more cotton to facilitate the production of new garments. It means that land that would otherwise be forested or used to grow crops have to be used to cultivate cotton. As such, the practice is becoming environmentally unsustainable. The unsustainability of the practice means that it threatens the future of fast fashion. Picture 4 below shows the level of pollution that is associated with fast fashion.
Theoretical Framework
When assessing how and why women choose fast fashion, it is necessary to use theoretical models to help in understanding the current situation. Mcgovern (2020) explains that sometimes the decisions that consumers make can be considered irrational. For instance, it is not expected that a rational person would discard a dress that is in perfect condition just to purchase a new one that is considered fashionable. It would be more reasonable to spend such resources on other more economically important investments. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is one of the theories that can help in assessing this unique behavior of women when purchasing fast fashion.
Maslow’s theory of needs has gained popularity when classifying consumers based on their social class. At the lowest level of the pyramid are the psychological needs, which include water, food, rest, and warmth (Bravo, 2021). Without these needs, life becomes unsustainable. The poorest members of the society only have these needs, and at this level, fashion had no meaning at all. They are contented with basic clothing that can provide them with warmth and cover their nakedness. At the second tier are safety and security needs, still falling under the basic needs. Once psychological needs are met, a person will focus on security and safety concerns. Individuals at this level are equally less concerned with fashion than those in the first tier.
Psychological needs set in when one has met the physiological ones. These are individuals in the middle class who are keen on protecting their image. It starts with love and belongingness needs, such as friends and intimate relationships (Bedat, 2021). These individuals are focused on having a social class that cherishes who they are. It is at this stage that fashion sets in as they try to please others and earn their admiration. The next tier in this class has esteem needs of prestige and a feeling that one has accomplished success. They believe that they have achieved success in their careers and deserve the best that life has to offer as an appreciation for the effort that they have made. They form the main target market for fast fashion companies because of their purchasing power and the constant desire to have the best image among peers. At the apex of the pyramid is self-actualization, where one feels that they have achieved their full potential. Kaufman (2020) explains that the few who reach this level are the richest and most successful members of society in the business sector or the political class. They are less attractive to fast fashion companies because of their small number and the fact that they rarely buy low-quality products. Figure 5 below shows Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Hypothesis
The review of the literature conducted above makes it possible to understand some of the factors that define how and why women consume fast fashion in the United Kingdom. The need to gain social acceptance, both at work and in other social settings, has been identified as one of the main reasons that have driven many women to fast fashion. They want to protect their image, and one of the best ways of achieving such a goal is to embrace fashion. Some of them even believe that remaining fashionable is one of the strategies for climbing the career ladder. The review has also revealed that cost is another major driver that has facilitated the growth of the fast fashion industry. As the cost of these products becomes affordable, the number of those who consume them has been increasing considerably. The following are the hypotheses that were developed based on the review of the literature conducted.
- H1. Women aged 40 to 50 years in Ireland are driven to fast fashion by the desire to be socially accepted and appreciated.
- H2. Women aged 40 50 50 years in Ireland choose fast fashion because of the affordability.
Research Questions
The consumer decision-making process is a field that has attracted the attention of many scholars over the years. As such, it is important to be specific when planning to conduct a study in this field. Developing research questions makes it possible to narrow down to a specific aspect of the field and to define the nature of data that one seeks to achieve. The following questions were developed to help achieve the aim of the study.
- RQ1: How do Irish women aged 40 to 50 choose fast fashion?
- RQ2: Why do Irish women aged 40 to 50 choose fast fashion?
Research Objectives
It was necessary to define specific objectives that define what the researcher sought to achieve in the study. According to Hennink, Hutter, and Bailey (2020), research objectives are essential in a study because they help in defining the focus when collecting data. The following are the objectives that the researcher sought to achieve based on the research questions above:
- Objective One: To determine how Irish women aged 40 to 50 choose fast fashion
- Objective Two: To explain why Irish women aged 40 to 50 choose fast fashion
- Objective Three: To assess the trend in fast fashion and determine its future in Ireland.
Methodology
When conducting research, it is essential to define the method that is used to collect and process data. Fashion, in general, is a topic that has attracted the attention of many scholars over the past several decades. There has been a need to understand how and why consumers make decisions in specific ways. In this case, the researcher was interested in a specific segment of the market, which is women aged 40 to 50 in Ireland. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources, as Denscombe (2021) recommends. Secondary data was obtained from scholarly articles, books, and reliable online sources. The literature review primarily focuses on the data obtained from these secondary sources. This chapter explains how data was obtained from primary sources and analyzed to help respond to research questions.
Participants: Sampling and Sample Size
Secondary data obtained and reviewed in the previous section helps to understand what other scholars have found in this field. In this paper, the researcher narrowed down the focus to women aged 40 to 50 in Ireland. It meant that data had to be collected from primary sources to specifically meet the goal and objectives of the study (Howitt, 2019). Ireland has a population of about 5 million people, and a significant number of them are women falling in the above age group. It was not possible to collect data from an entire population in the country. As such, sampling was essential sample develop a reasonable sample to represent the entire population, as Dawson (2020) advises. The sample should be large enough to represent the entire population while at the same time being small enough for the researcher to collect and process data within the time available for the study.
The researcher used judgmental sampling to select participants in this study. The sampling strategy was chosen because it allows the researcher to select those that met specific inclusion criteria. For one to qualify for the study, they had to be women aged 40 to 50 years who are currently using fast fashion. It means that men and women outside the age bracket selected and those in that age bracket but are not using fast fashion did not meet the inclusion criteria. The availability of the individuals sampled was another important criterion when selecting participants (Connaway and Radford, 2021). The researcher was keen on sampling individuals who stated that they would be available for an interview. A sample size of 20 participants was considered adequate for a detailed primary data collection. It was possible to collect data from them within the limited time to support secondary data that had been made available through the review of the literature.
Method of Collecting Data
When a sample has been identified, the next step is to collect data from them. Deplano and Tsagourias (2021) advise that when selecting an appropriate method of collecting data, care should be taken to ensure that the needed information can be obtained in its purest form. To this end, a face-to-face interview is always recommended because it minimizes the possibility that a respondent will provide a misleading answer (Luigi and Robert, 2020). It is also possible for the data collector to ask for clarification when the answer provided is unclear. Although this method of data collection is often considered effective, it is a time-consuming process, as Thanem and Knights (2019) observe. The data collector has to physically interact with each of the participants. In this era of COVID-19, some people may be uncomfortable with physically interacting with others for fear of contracting the virus. Despite these shortcomings, the researcher considered it the most appropriate strategy, especially when conducting qualitative research using open-ended questions where participants may be expected to provide a detailed explanation of their answers.
Time was of the essence, and as such, the researcher had to use an effective strategy of collecting data from participants using the method mentioned above. It was decided that data should be collected at selected fast fashion outlets in the country. The researcher decided to interview shoppers at these outlets right after they had made their purchases. Prada, Primark, and Zara outlets in Dublin were selected because of the ease of moving from one store to the next within a short period. It made it possible to collect the needed data from the right sample within one day. The study did not focus on collecting data from employees of a specific company. As such, it meant that there was no need to seek the consent of the management of an organization. The researcher only needed to identify the shoppers, determine if they meet the inclusion criteria, explain the relevance of the study, and seek their approval to participate, then take a few minutes to interview them.
Instrument of Data Collection
Having a standard instrument for data collection is an essential requirement when collecting data. It ensures that information is gathered in a standard format for every participant in the study. It carefully lists all the questions meant to achieve specific objectives, which then acts as a guide for the researcher (Crosby and Salazar, 2021). The instrument eliminates cases where a researcher collects irrelevant data while at the same time ensuring that all the necessary information is captured. A questionnaire was prepared before approaching the participants (Klugman and Lamb, 2019). The instrument had three sections, each focusing on various important issues to the study. The first part focused on the demographics of the participants, especially age, gender, and residence, to ensure that they all met the inclusion criteria. The second part of the respondent focused on the academic background and social status of the respondents. The researcher wanted to determine if the academic qualifications of the targeted group influenced how and why they consumed fast fashion. It was equally important for the researcher to determine if the wealth of an individual defined their consumption of these products.
Data Analysis
When data has been collected, the last stage is to process it and respond to the aim of the study and its objectives. The method of analyzing data should often be based on the aim of the research and the specific objectives (Esteban-Bravo and Sanz, 2021). In this study, the aim was to determine how and why Irish women aged 40 to 50 choose fast fashion. The researcher considered the qualitative method as the most appropriate method of data analysis that could help explain how and why these women choose fast fashion. The method allowed participants to go beyond simple statistics to provide a detailed explanation of a phenomenon. When conducting the analysis, the researcher used thematic analysis to present the findings (Troiani and Ewing, 2020). The strategy made it possible to present factors that define how and why women in the selected categories in the country choose fast fashion. The approach allows the researcher to develop the knowledge systematically, from quotes provided to codes that can be identified from them, and finally, themes that directly respond to the research questions.
Ethical Issues
When conducting research, one needs to observe specific ethical requirements. Walter (2019) observes that if data is obtained from primary sources, one of the important ethical concerns is to ensure that the identity of participants remains anonymous. One can be victimized if their views contradict that of the majority of those who are in positions of power (Halperin and Heath, 2019). The study should not be a reason why they should have such undesirable experiences. As protecting the identity of the participants is always highly encouraged. In this study, the topic is not an emotive or controversial issue, and it is unlikely that one may face discrimination because of their personal choices. However, it was still necessary to ensure that the names or any other form of identity of those who participated were kept a secret. Instead of using real names, the researcher assigned participants codes (Participant 1, Participant 2, Participant 3, etc.) that helped in hiding their identity.
It is ethically important to explain to participants the goal of a study, the reasons why they were chosen, and the role that they are expected to play. The researcher had to explain the same to the sampled participants. They were informed that their involvement in the study was voluntary and that if they felt compelled to withdraw at any stage, they were at liberty to do so. The researcher was keen to observe all COVID-19 protocols to assure all participants that their health and wellbeing were a priority to the researcher. As an academic paper, the researcher made sure that plagiarism of any nature was avoided and that secondary data was correctly referenced using the Harvard style of referencing. The researcher also made sure that the document was completed and handed in within the period that had been set by the school.
Findings and Results
Fast fashion has gained massive popularity around the world, and Irish women aged 40 to 50 years have not been left out. They are attracted to the regularly produced designs and the fact that they are affordable. Prada, Primark, Zara, New Look, Dunnes Stores, and River Island are some of the leading fashion stores in the country. Prada and Primark are particularly popular in the country because of their tradition of offering quality products without compromise. In this chapter, it was necessary to answer the research questions using data obtained from primary sources. The following are the hypotheses that had to be confirmed using data obtained from the primary sources:
- H1. Women aged 40 to 50 years in Ireland are driven to fast fashion by the desire to be socially accepted and appreciated.
- H2. Women aged 40 50 50 years in Ireland choose fast fashion because of the affordability.
Thematic Analysis
Primary data obtained from the sampled participants were analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis, as explained in the methodology section. The goal was to determine how 40 to 50-year-old Irish women choose fast fashion and why. The analysis was meant to confirm or reject the hypotheses that were based on the secondary data. Data obtained from the participants during the interview was coded, and themes were developed. Table 1 below identifies the major themes that emerged during the analysis.
Table 1: Thematic Analysis
The analysis of primary data confirms the two hypotheses above. Women aged 40 to 50 years in Ireland are driven to fast fashion by the desire to be socially accepted and appreciated. Data shows that consumers are keen on remaining as trendy as possible, and fast fashion offers them the opportunity. Data also indicates that women aged 40 50 50 years in Ireland choose fast fashion because of the affordability and accessibility. The manufacturers benefit from economies of scale and the use of relatively cheap products. Unlike traditional fashion products that were only available at specialty stores, fast fashion products are available in numerous outlets. Although fashion stores such as Prada and Primark are still considered the main outlets, these products are also available on online platforms.
The study explains why these women choose fast fashion. Information from the participants shows that most of these women rely on information from media platforms. Although traditional media is still powerful, social media platform is a new force that is defining the consumer decision-making process. These women learn about new trends on these online platforms and then develop the desire to purchase them. They are not even aware of the consequences that the trend in this industry has on the environment.
Limitations and Recommendations
When conducting this study, the researcher encountered some challenges, which are worth discussing at this stage of the research. One of the main limitations was that data was only sampled from 40 participants because of the time. The researcher had to ensure that the study was completed within the time provided by the school. As such, it was not possible to conduct the study on a larger sample size. The researcher addressed this concern by integrating secondary and primary data. Primary data in this study was exclusively based on information from participants in Ireland. Although the data can be generalized to the entire population in the country, it may not capture the entire picture on a global scale. The following recommendations should be taken into consideration:
- Fast fashion industry players need to embrace environmentally sustainable strategies to protect the future of the industry;
- Women need to be adequately informed about both the negative and positive impacts of the industry;
- Players in this industry need to fight misinformation that is common in this industry;
- Future scholars should focus on determining the impact of fast fashion on the environment.
Conclusion
Fast fashion has gained massive popularity around the world, especially among women. The study conducted shows that in Ireland, women aged 40 to 50 years regularly use fast fashion as official and casual wear. The majority are influenced by social media platforms. They choose to use these products primarily because they believe it is the best way to protect their image and draw admiration from their peers. Affordability and accessibility of these products have been cited as the main reasons why they have gained popularity in the market. However, the study shows that if the current trend in the industry does not change, its sustainability may be compromised. The massive consumption of raw materials and the associated wastes generated have devastating consequences on the environment and agriculture.
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