Waste Not Want Not? The Environmental Implications of Quick Response and Upcycling.

This article examines the environmental impact of two major strategies in the fashion industry aimed at addressing overproduction and waste: quick response (on-demand replenishment of finished goods) and upcycling (reusing deadstock fabric to make new clothes). While these strategies are generally promoted for reducing waste downstream, the study reveals that quick response alone can increase fabric acquisition upstream, leading to more total deadstock (both fabric and finished goods) and potentially worsening the overall environmental footprint. Introducing upcycling alongside quick response can reduce deadstock but further raises fabric demand, thereby intensifying upstream environmental burdens. The paper also analyzes policy interventions, finding that subsidies for quick response and upcycling may reduce waste but increase fabric use, whereas regulatory bans on deadstock destruction can reduce both waste and fabric acquisition. These findings highlight a critical tradeoff between downstream waste reduction and upstream resource consumption, suggesting that effective environmental policies in fashion supply chains must consider impacts across the entire lifecycle and supply chain geography.