Planned obsolescence in fashion: history, effects and sustainable alternatives
Planned obsolescence is a strategy adopted by companies to encourage consumers to replace their products more frequently than is really necessary. Fashion was one of the first sectors to adopt this model, thanks to the creation of seasons and the production of lower quality garments, designed to have a short lifespan. This phenomenon, apparently linked to customs and style, actually has deep historical roots and significant social, economic and environmental consequences.
Historical origins
The concept of planned obsolescence in fashion can be traced back to the 17th century, during the reign of Louis XIV in France. The sovereign, together with his finance minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert, introduced seasonality as a tool to stimulate the economy. At the court of Versailles, the idea that clothes should be renewed annually became established: thus the autumn-winter and spring-summer seasons were born, quickly rendering previous garments obsolete and encouraging new purchases.
This logic was then taken up and amplified in the following centuries. By the 19th century, with the birth of haute couture in Paris, the idea of fashion as rapid and continuous change had become established. With the advent of industrial production and department stores in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the replacement of garments became accessible to an increasingly wider section of the population, paving the way for modern consumerism.
Perceived obsolescence and consumerism
Today, obsolescence in fashion manifests itself mainly as perceived obsolescence: garments do not become unusable, but are perceived as “old” or “out of fashion”. The phenomenon is fuelled by aggressive marketing strategies, influencers and celebrities who dictate passing styles and, above all, by the frenetic pace of collections.
From the two seasonal cycles introduced in the 17th century, we moved on to the four seasonal cycles of the 20th-century fashion houses and, finally, to the extreme acceleration of fast fashion: brands such as Zara and H&M introduced weekly collections, producing up to 52 micro-collections per year. Ultra fast fashion, represented by Shein, has further exacerbated this model, with thousands of new garments uploaded online every day.
Environmental impact
The effects of this model are devastating. Every year, over 100 billion items of clothing are produced, many of which are worn very few times before being discarded. According to the UN, the fashion industry is responsible for around 10% of global CO₂ emissions and 20% of global water pollution.
Intensive production involves:
- massive use of water (up to 10,000 litres to produce a pair of jeans),
- pollution from chemicals used in dyes,
- huge amounts of microplastics dispersed from synthetic fabrics,
- textile waste that is difficult to dispose of, often exported to countries in the Global South, where it creates open-air landfills.
Social and economic consequences
In addition to the environment, planned obsolescence in fashion has significant social repercussions. The pressure to produce at ever lower costs fuels the exploitation of labour, particularly in developing countries, where textile workers receive minimum wages and work in precarious conditions.
Economically, planned obsolescence has drastically reduced the value of repair and tailoring. Crafts such as mending, altering or reusing fabrics have been progressively marginalised in favour of the compulsive purchase of new, low-cost garments.
Towards a circular economy
Faced with these impacts, the transition to a circular economy model is becoming increasingly urgent. This means extending the life of garments through repair, reuse, upcycling and recycling of materials. Some countries are already experimenting with innovative policies: France has introduced the so-called “mending bonus”, which provides financial incentives to repair clothes and shoes instead of replacing them.
The younger generations are also reviving practices such as thrifting (buying second-hand clothes), swapping (exchanging clothes) and renting clothes for special occasions. At the same time, independent brands are emerging that focus on regenerated materials and slow, transparent production.
Conclusion
Planned obsolescence in fashion is not just an economic phenomenon: it is a strategy that has shaped our behaviour and our relationship with material goods. Historically rooted, it is now one of the main causes of unsustainability in the textile sector.
The transition to slower, more conscious and circular consumption models is not only an environmental necessity, but also a cultural opportunity: rediscovering the value of our clothes, considering them as goods to be cared for and passed on, rather than disposable items.
Edited by Cosimo Martucci
