How to influence consumer behavior

The hyper-commercial fashion system and the consumer behavior associated with it cannot be easily changed. Ultimately, as a brand or retailer, you have to sell in order to survive. However, there are ways to organize it differently. This article highlights the made-to-order principle, a production and sales technique that is the norm in many parts of the African continent.

This article was written by Carmen Hogg.

Our clothing consumption has an impact on the world

It is no news that the clothing industry is one of the most polluting in the world. A main cause is enormous overproduction. Worldwide, 92 billion kilograms of clothing are thrown away every year, which is equivalent to a full truckload every second. This means that at least ten trucks have already been unloaded since you started reading this article. On average, we only wear a piece of clothing seven times before we get rid of it.

This discarded clothing is burned, exported or recycled if the materials are natural. Since most of our clothing is made of synthetic materials, it simply ends up in the trash. The clothing we export to countries like Ghana gets a second life there. Our fast fashion becomes their fast fashion: a quick and cheap alternative to locally handmade clothing. But what happens to our clothing when it has had its day?

Back to the past?

Everything used to be made by hand. Those who were rich went to a tailor’s shop, while the common people made their own clothes. With the advent of the industrial revolution and the sewing machine, consumer behavior changed as the supply of clothing also changed. It was discovered that the human body fits into standard sizes. This was the beginning of ready-to-wear: standardized, fashionable clothing became affordable and accessible to the masses.

The Dutch retail chain C&A was the first to recognize the growing middle class’s need for ready-to-wear clothing. Although the Brenninkmeijer brothers opened their business in 1841, they did pioneering work from 1860 onwards. They offered clothing that was comparable in quality to made-to-measure clothing, but could be purchased directly from the store. This formula remained at the core of their success in the decades that followed. V&D and De Bijenkorf followed at the end of the 19th century. They introduced the French concept of “Grand Magasin” to the Netherlands: large department stores with different departments and fixed prices.

The Briton Charles Frederick Worth is considered the father of haute couture. He revolutionized the industry by showcasing his clothes on live models instead of mannequins. He was also the first to add labels to his designs. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, his somewhat aggressive self-promotion made him the first true couturier in history.

The industry has changed significantly over the last few centuries. We rarely repair or change clothes anymore, but throw them away when they are broken or “out of style”. Clothing has become a consumer good. But while the masses rely on quick consumption, there is also a countermovement. More and more wearers and manufacturers want to do things differently and are returning to the basics: clothing that fits the body and lasts a lifetime.

Fashion on the African continent

One place where made-to-order has been the norm for centuries – and seems likely to remain so – is Africa. Even before colonization, fashion, or clothing, was, as here, a way to express one’s own identity. It served to “communicate” status, religion and stage of life. She told personal stories about why mass production was unthinkable.

Specially made clothing is worn for ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. This is made from a specific fabric that is made specifically for this occasion. There was also a lively local textile industry in the various countries. Kente has been made in Ghana for centuries, Adire in Nigeria and Bogolan in Mali. These fabrics are made into clothing that conveys a message.

The import of so-called African prints and batik by the Dutch company Vlisco allowed the local tailoring industry to continue to flourish. The pieces of fabric were processed by local tailors into the most beautiful outfits for young and old. The patterns on the fabrics acquired local meaning and became part of the wearer’s culture, especially in West Africa.

During colonization times, people had to wear western clothing. This was part of the so-called “civilizing mission”: those who were considered civilized citizens dressed like the Western colonizers. By forcing the local population to wear Western clothing, Africa became a new market for many European manufacturers. Due to the industrial revolution, they had enormous overproduction.

This civilizational advance was of great economic interest to Europe. Local materials were displaced and destroyed by the colonizers in order to promote the import of European clothing. But that’s not all: by taking away people’s own clothing, they also took away a piece of their identity. The colonizers thereby signaled that the costumes of the local population were inferior. Western clothing was the norm. And anyone who wore a stiff, warm Western suit in the hot climate was reminded daily of living under European rule.

After colonization, made-to-order clothing became a political statement, particularly by independence fighters such as Kwame Nkrumah and Thomas Sankara from Burkina Faso. The message was: Get rid of Western dominance and return to your own clothing and identity. The local made-to-order industry flourished and is now an integral part of the African continent.

Made to order

Made-to-order is not just the answer to individual clothing requirements. Many brands and stores on the African continent now work according to this principle.

In Abidjan, capital of Ivory Coast, Kader Diaby from Olooh Concept is pursuing a hybrid model. He keeps a small inventory for direct sales in his studio to be accessible. However, he makes his high fashion pieces custom-made to avoid overproduction. “I believe that mass production as it takes place in Europe no longer makes sense,” he explains. “Perhaps for decades there was insufficient historical data or inadequate awareness of the consequences of mass production on the environment, the economy and our natural resources. But today we have the data, research and understanding to understand the impact on climate change, overconsumption and waste.”

He finds it paradoxical that African designers are often presented as role models for sustainability, even though they are not the main cause of overproduction. “We are often inherently sustainable because we do not produce based on trends, but rather on a structure basis: small runs, demand-oriented and with local craftsmen who master local techniques.”

Youssef Idrissi of Late For Work from Casablanca, the largest Moroccan city, works exclusively to order. He makes upcycled office clothing. “Traditional European production still has its place in the industry. It helps increase brand visibility and support retailers, but I see it as less of a limitation. I believe that made-to-order creates a dialogue between the designer, the garment and potential wearers.”

Papa Oyeyemi from Maxivive in Lagos, Nigeria also uses pre-orders to stay sustainable and directly finance his production. He launched his ready-to-wear collection earlier this year and sent out an email for pre-orders. “This means I can finance production with the money from orders and only produce what is actually sold,” he explains.

According to his own statements, his pre-order campaign was not very successful. “You need more marketing to really get the word out about something like this.” He didn’t have the budget for a major campaign. “On the one hand, I would like to work with inventory and produce more than what was ordered because that really helps a small brand like mine with visibility.” Nevertheless, he opts for the sustainable option and only produces to order. “The risk of remaining stocks and tied up capital is simply too great.”

Last summer, Ghanaian brand Jermaine Bleu held a pop-up in Amsterdam. There were relatively few items hanging in the store; there was hardly any inventory. “I work with pre-orders,” says Jermaine Jason Asiedu. His new collection consists of pieces made by artisans in Ghana. The designs are primarily made of Kente, a locally woven fabric, and its iconic batik.

“I have some pieces from previous collections, but for my new collection I only work with pre-orders,” he explains. The customers reacted extremely positively by pre-ordering in large numbers and having Jermaine take their measurements. “And if someone wants a piece in a different Kente color, that’s possible too.”

“We are used to waiting for things that are important to us. This waiting creates value for us,” says Jomi Bello, founder and creative director of Waffles n Cream (WAF), Nigeria’s first homegrown skateboard brand. “We’ll still do it the way you used to do it.”

This may be the key to change. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We only have to look south to see that a different rhythm is possible. Made-to-order is not a step back into the past, but a step forward towards a fashion industry that becomes human again. One in which we not only consume, but actually wear again.

Carmen Hogg is a freelance author and cultural consultant and has been working with contemporary fashion from Africa for around ten years. She travels to different countries on the continent to research local industries and speak to designers. Two years ago she opened a shop in Amsterdam with photographer Coco Olakunle. There she sells clothing by African designers and illustrated books. With her work she aims to expand the prevailing Dutch view of fashion from Africa by adding new stories and broadening the visual offering.