Stuff They Don't Want You To Know CLASSIC: The Dark Side of the Loom, Chapter I: Hidden Costs of the Fashion Industry
Dec 24, 2025
Explore the hidden, dark realities of the fashion industry. Discover how a few corporations dominate profits. Uncover the staggering scale of global apparel markets worth trillions. Delve into alarming issues like modern slavery in supply chains and the exploitation of vulnerable workers. Learn about legislative loopholes that allow abuse to persist and the emotional costs behind cheap garments. Finally, reflect on consumer responsibility and the impact of fashion on identity and politics.
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Fashion As Social Signal
- Clothing is a multibillion-dollar industry intertwined with identity and social signaling.
- Fashion shapes how people present themselves and can substitute for personality or status.
Profit Concentration In Fashion
- A tiny group captures the vast majority of fashion profits globally.
- McKinsey found 20 companies earned 97% of the industry's economic profits.
Apparel Market Scale And Growth
- The global apparel market is enormous and still growing fast, driven by rising middle classes.
- Sportswear led growth and the market approached about $1.5 trillion around 2020.