TOPIC 1

Production Concept & Clothing

Objectives:
At the end of the discussion, the learners are expected to:
 Define what production concept and clothing is.
 Determine the advantages and disadvantages of production concept.
 Differentiate the product concept and production concept.

Introduction
What is the production concept in marketing?
Production Concept is a theory in marketing concept that says the consumers will
always procure goods and services which have lower prices and are readily accessible
in the market. This assumption believes in the idea that the greater the number of
products, the more people would buy them.

What is clothing?
Also referred to as clothes, apparel or garments – are typically items made from
fabric and other materials that are worn on the human body. There are clothing 'types'
based on setting: Business attire – worn for work purposes. Casual wear – worn as
standard clothing.

Advantages of the production concept

 Customers can benefit
The production concept relies on making maximum volumes of products. This
lets economy of scale lower the price of the products. Moreover, since products
are made on a large scale, there is little chance of shortage as well.

 Reduced Prices
The low prices of a product have a massive impact on the customers’ buying
choices.

 Draws Investors
 Producing goods at a large scale will help the firm in making more profits. Along
with profits, the price of shares also goes up. This eventually brings investors to
the firm.

 Builds a Community
An economic cycle works thus: People earn money by working in firms that
produce goods.

 Attracts suppliers
Large manufacturers usually attract suppliers. This is because if agreements are
honored, then there is a steady supply of business, leading to better
relationships.

 Benefits Employees
Employees get a share of the profits from large-scale manufacturing in the form
of bonuses.

 Benefits the Entire Society

Steady salaries and job opportunities increase employment. Mass-producing
goods mean there is no shortage of products. So, the individual constituents and
the entirety of society receive benefits from the production concept.

If there's an advantage, there is also disadvantages.

 Reduced Quality
Lacks of alternatives usually motivate people to buy mass-produced goods. The
manufacturing efficiency is the result of long-term efforts. This means, initially,
the products are not up to the mark.

 Does not Cater to Customers Needs

The companies employing the production concept do not cater to any special
segment but meet the needs of the majority. So this means that the production
concept companies do not look after the needs of customers.

 Lack of Personalized effort

Goods are produced in bulk, and then they enter the market. Lack of choices
forces customers to choose these existing products. So personalization is
compromised. Personalization is not adopted for marketing efforts, either.

 It has gone out of vogue

Business and marketing strategies nowadays tend to cater to specific segments
of the population. This is because there are many players now in every part of
 the market. Competition is at an all-time high. So personalization is the need of
the hour. This has led to the rising popularity of other concepts and the decline of
the production concept.

Difference between Production Concept and Product Concept

Production concept as marketing concept believes customers will lean towards
products that are easily accessible and low priced while Product concept, unlike
production concept, assumes customers will be drawn to high-quality products.

References:
1. https://digiaide.com/production-concept/

Learning Activity
Name:
Date:

Directions: Identify the correct answers that corresponds to the following questions.
Choose your answer on the box presented below.

Attract suppliers Reduced Prices Reduced Quality

Production Concept Benefits Employees Product Concept

Benefits the Entire Society Increased Prices Concept

1. Large manufacturers usually attract suppliers. This is because if agreements are

honored, then there is a steady supply of business, leading to better relationships.

2.The low prices of a product have a massive impact on the customers’ buying choices.
3. Lacks of alternatives usually motivate people to buy mass-produced goods. The
manufacturing efficiency is the result of long-term efforts. This means, initially, the
products are not up to the mark.

4.It is the theory in marketing concept that says the consumers will always procure
goods and services which have lower prices and are readily accessible in the market.

5. Employees get a share of the profits from large-scale manufacturing in the form of
bonuses.

TOPIC 2
Ethical Issues in Fashion Industry

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:
 Determine the different ethical issues in fashion industry.
 Understand how ethical issues affects the fashion industry.
 Familiarize on different ways that can support ethical fashion.

Introduction
Until a few years back, ethical practices in the fashion industry were never a hugely
spoken issue. But in today’s world, ethical issues in the fashion industry have come into
the limelight, and how! The fashion industry always puts someone or something at stake
if you look closely. It could be humanity, or it could be nature’s resources, or worse,
nature itself. When one decides to pursue success and popularity, then come what may,
no practice or deed seems right or wrong.

As soon as the Rana Plaza disaster took place, worldwide clothing manufacturers were
forced to reevaluate their manufacturing procedures and how they affected their
workers, the kind of communities they were located in, and their environment. Activists
from all walks of life, including environmentalists, animal rights advocates, and
philanthropists, began taking a stand against the unethical practices in the fashion
industry.
You may have heard about child labour at factories that manufacture clothes, and you
may have also heard about leather being produced by imbibing pain to the poor
animals. As you may have heard that Not all that glitters is gold, similarly, the fashion
industry may look very attractive and glossy from the outside, but when you venture
deep into it, you will realise that a lot is wrong, unfortunate. Let us discuss and highlight
a few of the main ethical issues in the fashion industry.

7 Main Ethical Issues In The Fashion Industry

 Low Wages
There is a reason why influential fashion brands depend on developing countries
to fulfil their labour requirements. In the name of the employment generation,
these fashion brands are the ones that are benefitted the most due to this setup.
It’s true that employment indeed is generated. However, the employees don’t
receive the remuneration that they deserve.
Employment generation has no impact if annual salaries and working conditions
for sweatshop workers are considered. In many of these nations, the wages paid
by contractors employed by the big fashion corporations are so low that they
don’t even meet their necessities, let alone allow them a budget for emergencies
and unexpected expenses.

 Child Labour
Brands usually hire cheap labour to earn as must as possible. How do they do
this? First, they started concentrating on the developing and underdeveloped
countries for their production purposes. Next, they hire children to work for them
because parents in these countries need money to survive and don’t choose to
send their children to work. Poverty and unawareness do that to people.
These prominent fashion brands take advantage of that and start the whole era
of unethical practice. And notably, these children work under bad working
conditions and are also denied their fundamental rights, such as studying or
being educated.

 Environmental Concerns
In the yesteryears, the clothing manufacturers paid little to no attention to
environmental damage. This was because the fashion industry was not as
massive back then as it is now. But over the years, the industry has evolved and
 expanded, and the damage to the environment and natural resources has
increased hugely.

 Animal Cruelty
This is the worst to see in them all. Animals are tortured directly for their skin,
hide, and fur to produce the fancy belts, wallets, and bags you go ga-ga for.
Another indirect form of animal cruelty is polluting the habitat of these animals so
severely that they die a slow death. The beauty of this world is the peaceful
ecosystem, but the fashion industry has disrupted even that- and that too is a
part of animal cruelty.
During cotton farming and the dyeing of clothes, the discharge released into the
water bodies kills many aquatic animals because of the toxic nature of the
residues.

 Body Shaming
Yes, this too is an unethical practice in the fashion industry. If you had observed
closely, almost all the models that represent a particular fashion brand or those
who walk on the ramps are abnormally slim, which frames a picture in people’s
minds that beauty is equal to being thin and skinny. This makes society believe
that being fat or healthy is a matter of shame, where body-shaming begins. The
same society also blames extremely skinny women for being malnutrition. Body
shaming has led to severe issues such as suicides too.

 Health and Safety Risks

As workers are exposed constantly to toxic pesticides, poisonous dyes, and
chemicals, it is evident that their health is at considerable risk. They typically
have health issues such as headaches, vomiting consistently, memory problems,
breathing diseases, seizures, and even death.
Where the well-being of the workers should be a company’s priority, it is
heartbreaking to witness how these fashion brands compromise with the health
and safety of their employees just to maximise their profits and reduce expenses.

 Demand for Blood Diamonds

There are quite a few fashion houses that need diamonds for their fashion
purposes. These blood diamonds are mining illegally, making significant older
 adults work under horrible working conditions. After the mining is done, some
powerful people use these diamonds for illegal occupations, making this aspect
extremely unethical.

How you can support Ethical Fashion?

When we decide to purchase an item of clothing we are voting with our wallets and
are helping to drive trends, which encourages ‘fast fashion’. There are several things
that you can do as active consumers:

 Research companies to see how ‘ethical’ they are before deciding to purchase
from them or not.
 Support companies who show transparency in their supply chains via their
marketing efforts such as their blog or on social media.
 Purchase clothing made using organic and natural fabrics instead of synthetics.
 Shop at charity shops to help recycle the vast amounts of second hand clothing
caused by ‘fast fashion’.
 Shop at vintage clothing shops to help re-use old clothing.
 Shop locally so your money helps support small businesses in your community.
 Attend clothes swop events with your friends; trade in your old clothes that you
don’t wear anymore for new items.
 Buy less, choose well, make it last. Buy high quality clothing less often.
 Repair, mend and customize old clothing items to make them brand new again. If
you don’t know how to sew, ask a friend, relative or use a local seamstress.
Prevent garments from going to landfill!
 Buy a reusable bag to reduce the need for plastic carrier bags and unnecessary
packaging.
 Ask brands who made your clothes and support the Fashion Revolution
campaign throughout the year.

References:
1. https://fashinza.com/textile/tips-for-fashion-brands/the-main-ethical-issues-in-
the-fashion-industry/

Learning Activity
Name:
Date:

Guess Me!
Guess the correct Ethical Issues in the fashion industry based on the picture and
definition clues presented below.

1.
There are quite a few fashion houses that need diamonds for their fashion
purposes.

2.
 They hire children to work for them because parents in these countries need
money to survive and don’t choose to send their children to work.

3.
They typically have health issues such as headaches, vomiting consistently,
memory problems, breathing diseases, seizures, and even death.

4.
During cotton farming and the dyeing of clothes, the discharge released into the
water bodies kills many aquatic animals because of the toxic nature of the
residues.
 5.
The employees don’t receive the remuneration that they deserve.

TOPIC 3
Clothing Humidity

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:
 Define the word “Humidity” and how it works.
 Define how humidity affects the clothes.
 Determine the best clothes for humidity.

Introduction:
What is Humidity?
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Humidity indicates the likelihood
of precipitation, dew or fog. When we experience humidity, the temperature becomes
warmer.

How does Humidity affects the clothes?

 Deterioration of Garments
 No matter the type of fabric,from linen to synthetic fibers and from cotton to
artificial leather, garments will deteriorate when moisture builds up within your
closet.This occurs, as fibers naturally expand and contract in response to relative
humidity levels causing fragmentation of the fabric.

 Musty Clothing
Humid air carries a musty odor that will cling to your garments. Even if you wash
your clothes with lavender scented detergent, if you have a high humidity in your
closet it won't come out smelling like a rose.

 Mold Growth
Where there is excess moisture, there is a chance for mold growth. If your closet
has a lot of nooks and crannies, and you are worried about your indoor humidity
levels, pull your clothes out and check your closet walls and drawers. If you spot
mold, immediately have it removed, as this can jeopardize your indoor air quality
and your family’s health but also your clothes.

The Best Clothing for Humidity

Here are four tips for dealing with humidity by choosing the right clothing:

 Wear Clothing that Hangs Slightly off Your Body- The single most important thing
you can do to improve your comfort in high humidity is to wear lightweight
clothing that won’t cling to your skin. Woven fabrics or those with some texture,
and a looser fit.

 Choose Fabrics that Move Moisture Away from Your Body- Find garments that
advertise moisture-management features like absorbency or wicking. Moisture
management or ''wicking” called out on many clothing items made from
synthetics, like polyester and nylon, but merino wool and cotton can also be good
options.

 Wear Quick-Dry Clothing- The faster your shirt or pants dry when soaked with
sweat (that won’t quickly evaporate on hot, humid days), the less time you’ll
spend in swampy clothes. Quick-dry clothing won’t eliminate humidity, but it will
 at least dry a bit faster than clothing with a long drying time. The lighter the fabric,
the quicker it will dry.

 Open Up Vents- Technical clothing built for outdoor recreation and travel often
has vents and/or mesh panels built-in. These features, plus a looser fit, help to
increase airflow on hot, humid days, and even the smallest amount of airflow can
greatly improve drying time and aid in evaporation. So make sure to open vents
wide when the humidity is high.

References:
1. https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/how-to-dress-for-
humidity.html#:~:text=The%20single%20most%20important%20thing,usually
%20do%20a%20good%20job.
2. https://www.theairconditioningspecialist.com/blog/2020/august/how-humidity-
affects-your-clothing/#:~:text=No%20matter%20the%20type%20of,causing
%20fragmentation%20of%20the%20fabric.

Learning Activity
Name:
Date:

Directions: Arrange the letters to form the correct answer that corresponds to the
following questions.

1. It is the amount of water vapor in the air.

DTHMIUYI

2. Humid air carries a musty odor that will cling to your garments.
YSMTU NICOLHTG

3. If we experience a HUMIDITY the temperature becomes

RERMWA
4. If there is excess moisture, is there a chance for
OLMD TORGWH

5.The single most important thing you can do to improve your comfort in high humidity is
to wear ______________ that won’t cling to your skin.
TIGLHTEIHGW GLOINTCH

Answer Keys
Topic 1- Product Concept and Clothing
1.Attract suppliers
2.Reduced Prices
3.Reduced Quality
4.Production Concept
5.Benefits Employees

Topic 2- Ethical Issues in Fashion Industry

1. Demand for Blood Diamonds
2. Child Labour
3. Health and Safety Risks
4. Animal Cruelty
5. Low Wages

Topic 3- Clothing Humidity

1.Humidity
2.Musty Clothing
3.Warmer
4.Mold Growth
5.Lightweight Clothing