WT2- BEFORE CLASS - Shopping reading material

Vocabulary
1. Shopping: the activity of buying goods from stores or online. Example sentence: Many people prefer
online shopping to avoid crowds during the pandemic.
2. Fast fashion: inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest
trends. Example sentence: Fast fashion has been criticized for its negative impact on the environment
and for exploiting workers in developing countries.
3. Resale: the act of selling previously owned items to another person. Example sentence: I sold my old
clothes on a resale website to make some extra cash.
4. Circular economy: an economic system that aims to eliminate waste and the continuous use of
resources by ensuring that materials are reused and recycled. Example sentence: The fashion industry
is shifting towards a circular economy to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
5. Rented items: items that are borrowed or leased for a specific period of time in exchange for
payment. Example sentence: Instead of buying a dress for a special occasion, I rented one from a
clothing rental service.
6. Consumerism: the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of goods and services. Example
sentence: Many people are starting to question the negative effects of consumerism on the
environment and society.
7. Sustainability: the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs. Example sentence: More and more people are becoming aware
of the importance of sustainability in their purchasing decisions.
8. Secondhand items: previously owned items that are being sold or donated. Example sentence: I
found a great pair of jeans at a thrift store for a fraction of the cost of buying them new.
9. Inventory: the total amount of goods or materials that a business has in stock. Example sentence: The
clothing rental service has a large inventory of designer dresses for customers to choose from.
10. Pre-loved: a term used to describe previously owned items that are being sold or given away.
Example sentence: I love shopping for pre-loved items because they are often unique and have a
lower environmental impact than buying new.
Fill the gap with the words above
With the high street and the fashion industry brought to its knees by the coronavirus pandemic, the ‘buy less,
buy better’ ideology of generation Z – those aged 18 to 24 – could see the beginning of the end of
…………………….., new research suggests.
If generation Z’s habits are adopted by the population as a whole there could be a shift to consumers with a
“divided wardrobe” – featuring ………………. and others bought from resale vendors – becoming the new
normal.
The research, carried out on behalf of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and
Commerce (RSA) found from polling that during the pandemic, 28% of people are recycling or reusing more
clothes than normal and 35% of women intend to buy fewer clothes in the future. The RSA is calling on the
government to invest in sustainable fashion and manufacturers to be more responsible, following the research.
The RSA are also asking for enforced standards around how durable clothes are, plus a push towards a more
………………………….. localised economy within fashion.
This emphasis on ………………..., non mass-produced goods and uniqueness mirrors the consumer values of
the younger generation whose attitude towards fashion has been shaped by the “Blue Planet effect”.
“Generation Z is discerning,” says Jeff Froom, co-author of Marketing to Gen Z. “[They’ve] grown up with
more access to information from more sources than ever before. Inequality, climate change and LGBTQ+
rights are topics they’ve heard about for years.”
Kati Chitrakorn, retail and marketing editor at Vogue Business, said: “For today’s kids fashion is less about
fitting in and more about making choices that reflect their own identity.”
Before the pandemic two-thirds of clothing was purchased in stores, but the 18+ group had already found
alternatives to bricks and mortar (their sophisticated modes of consumption often outpacing what the high
street could offer) shopping through online ……………….. sites such as Poshmark, Grailed, Vestiaire
Collective and clothing rental sites, all of which have seen a sales boost during lockdown. “Being able to ‘do
something’ – upcycling, customising or reusing rather than discarding – lets younger people feel like they’re
part of a movement,” says Chitrakorn “and that mindset has been popular even prior to the pandemic.”
“Young, values-oriented [shoppers] are looking for more responsible ways to consume,” explains Ceanne
Fernandes-Wong, CEO of COCOON a luxury handbag rental service. “The pandemic has amplified this.
More and more consumers will be comfortable with variety in their consumption choices - from buying new
to circular options including rental and resale. A ‘divided wardrobe’ is inevitable.”
Sonia Lapinsky of retail consultants AlixPartners said: “Rental will continue to expand, given consumer
sustainability consciousness and a reset in ………………….. We have all made do with a lot less for many
weeks – enough to form new habits.”
Depop – a peer-to-peer shopping app that allows shoppers to buy ……………………. from each other – has
seen a 90% increase in traffic since 1 April. In contrast, retail sales fell by a record 18.1% in the same month.
“Generation Z want individuality and to reduce waste, Depop allows them to do both,” said a spokeswoman
for the company.
“We definitely believe that this unique moment will encourage people to reconsider resale as an alternative to
shopping ‘new’,” she says. “Our community has access to a vast inventory of ……………… streetwear,
vintage designer, one-of-a-kind creations and more that allows them to build their own identity and create
their own story all as a sustainable choice. They have the financial incentive to buy and sell garments, rather
than leaving them unused in a wardrobe or sending them to a landfill.”
But it’s not that simple. With retailers still working out what a re-opened store would look like (socially
distanced shoppers in store, sales assistants behind plexiglass, compulsory masks, the question of changing
rooms), post-corona resale and rental outfits will have the same issues. “Are they communicative and
transparent regarding product handling processes and cleanliness?,” asks Lapinsky “If not, the consumer will
likely remain skittish to pre-used garments and accessories.” However, e-commerce is still considered by
many to be the safest way of …………………….
The future of fashion and retail is under debate. The RSA’s calls follow similar requests from fashion bodies
calling for social and environmental sustainability.
On Thursday, the British Fashion Council and the Council of Fashion Designers of America released a
statement requesting a reduction in the number of seasonal collections, clothes produced and travel. The
sentiment was echoed in an open letter from designers and retailers led by Dries Van Noten that appeared
early last week.
Answer these questions based on information from the text
1. What is the "Blue Planet effect"?
2. According to the article, what percentage of people are recycling or reusing more clothes during the
pandemic?
3. How are younger people changing their attitudes towards fashion?
4. What is the RSA calling on the government and manufacturers to do?
5. Which peer-to-peer shopping app has seen a 90% increase in traffic since April 1?