Abstract
The fashion industry is a primary contributor to the ecological crisis. Unsustainable industrial practices and consumer habits that emerged in the twentieth century continue to escalate as “fast fashion” gets faster. Efforts to make the industry more sustainable may fail unless they address the gendered aspects of this problem. The majority of apparel production and consumption is driven by the fundamental role fashion plays in the social construction of femininity in the industrialised world. Societal norms and standards for the feminine appearance encourage overaccumulation and rapid turnover of attire that is often impractical, insubstantial, and alluring, rather than utilitarian. Immediate ecological threats posed by feminine fashion stem from materials and production methods, the volume and pace of consumption, and the waste generated. More profoundly, feminine fashion may be ecologically hazardous because it can be a barrier to women’s nature-embedded experiences, thus disrupting women’s sense of connection to nature—a psychological variable that is positively correlated with ecological concern and pro-environmental behaviours. Second-hand and vintage apparel can provide a partial remedy to the unsustainable status quo but may do little to facilitate women’s nature-connectedness.