Manmeet Dhillon, “Unraveling the Threads of Zara and Fast Fashion through Ethical Principles”
Mentor: Timothy Dunn, Arts & Humanities
Poster #44

In this poster, I will explore how we may apply ethical principles in fast fashion practices. Through technological innovations, the fashion industry has steadily evolved, becoming a global enterprise. Fast fashion companies have grown their customer bases internationally, utilizing trends to manufacture expediently and market clothing inexpensively. Zara is a fast fashion brand that is an exemplar of this growth. Founded in 1975, the Spanish-based retailer has accumulated almost 3000 stores multi-nationally. In their expansion, the company’s practices have come under scrutiny for being ethically controversial. Concerns are concentrated on quality control of products, exploitation of workers, greenwashing, and environmental impacts. Greenwashing is a method that employs misleading marketing efforts to create a false company image of environmental consciousness and sustainability. In business decision-making, ethical principles are an important guide. Determining what is moral is essential for enriching Zara’s practices. Through ethical frameworks such as the stakeholder theory and other contributions from theorists, I will utilize a philosophical perspective to define ethical decision-making and offer viable solutions to the company’s risky procedures. Expected solutions will be directed toward enhanced worker safety, environmental waste control, and transparent marketing, ultimately promoting the long-term sustainability of the business. In determining these answers, the implications for stakeholders in business and the environment are illuminated, providing substantial insight for navigating ethical decision-making and behaviors holistically in enterprises apart from Zara.