Shanghai is a cosmopolitan city, China’s hub where the East meets the West for culture, open to foreign ideas, and none more-so than clothing.

Shanghai’s interest in fashion began in the 1920s, and by the 30s, the city was nicknamed “the little Paris of the Far East”. Some styles of the period have remained, like the famous “qipao” (a traditional Chinese dress in silk satin), which has influenced plenty of modern high-end designers like Gucci, Chanel, and Ralph Lauren. During the 50s and 60s, Shanghai became China’s industrial centre in the textile field - Now, it’s one of the biggest in the world. 

China’s textile industry accounts for more than a half of global fibre production. Textiles pose a major climate threat, especially for developing nations in Asia, where manufacturing is concentrated. The rush to cut carbon emissions has been overshadowed by pressure to meet basic everyday needs. Consumption drives increases in energy depletion associated with textile production,  leading to marked increases in textile waste, inefficient sorting systems and low recycling rates. Carbon emissions associated with end treatment are problematic, and about 26 million tons of used apparel are sent to landfills in China each year.

But what is the Shanghainese perception on clothing today? Well there are a few factors to consider. First, it’s interesting to note that China has the largest number of billionaires in the world ahead of the United States. And interestingly enough, compared to other nationalities, they’re young, and big on fashion. This inclines them to keep up to date with the latest trends, purchasing new luxury clothing, and investing heavily in the fashion industry. In Shanghai, the average spending on luxury goods is on average higher and more recurrent than that of New York. The middle-class in Shanghai is also growing, people have more money and prefer to buy new apparel instead of recycled apparel.

But why? Well, sustainable apparel purchases such as second-hand in Shanghai are still seen to categorically be a “need”. Consumers who buy recycled apparel do it for a specific reason - for example because they need to have winter clothing when it gets cold and they can’t afford to buy new clothes. Shanghai is and has for a while, been a fast fashion city. The ‘trendiness’ of second-hand apparel and sustainable fashion is yet to hit the city. One reason is thought to be that nowadays, what is most appealing in the Shanghai fashion scene is innovation. But mainly, it is because the conversation over fast fashion in Shanghai is still yet to truly shake the city’s perception on consumerism. 

So what does that mean for the city? 

Well, in 2012, a report from a team of UK and Dutch scientists declared Shanghai the most vulnerable major city in the world to serious flooding, based on factors such as numbers of people living close to the coastline, time needed to recover from flooding, and measures to prevent floodwater. According to Climate Central projections, 17.5 million people could be displaced by rising waters if global temperatures increase by 3C.

Projections show the vast majority of the city could eventually be submerged in water, including much of the downtown area, landmarks such as the Lujiazui skyline and the historical Bund, both airports, and the entirety of its outlying Chongming Island.