Ethical Fashion Unraveled: The Role of Moral Theory

Exploring moral theories in ethical fashion is important because it holds profound implications for the industry and, by extension, our broader society. This exploration allows us to decipher right and wrong in the fashion industry, further delving into ethical issues that need to be addressed. As humans, we wield the power to shape the moral frameworks that govern the systems we operate within. These frameworks serve as the compass guiding our decisions and actions. ​​To make the fashion industry more ethical, we start by understanding that we all have a different sense of what's right and wrong. This means carefully thinking about what are our own reasons and arguments when making fair and sensible moral decisions. These judgments are often informed by moral standards, which are principles or rules we’ve been exposed to on what is right and wrong, good and bad. However, relying solely on established moral standards does not always provide adequate guidance. It is important then to take genuine sincerity to introspective and scrutinize the integrity of our internal moral compass. This self-reflection will serve as a rigorous examination of the moral principles we affirm as valid and virtuous. In this blog article, we'll learn about moral theory, why it's important, and how it connects to ethical fashion. This will help us make fashion better for the environment and people.

Unpacking Moral Theory: A Framework for Ethical Decision-Making in the Fashion Industry

Moral theory is like a guide that helps us figure out what's right or good in a big picture sense, rather than just looking at specific actions or people. It helps us have a deeper understanding of the core principles that guide ethical decision-making within the industry. But we can't not simply assess the ethical implications of our individual actions as consumers, we must also assess how the whole industry operates. Delve into moral theory to obtain a broad framework to evaluate the industry holistically, and to consider the goodness or value associated with fashion. This will further help us explore the unethical production processes, materials and overall practice within the fashion industry. And whether certain actions are inherently right or wrong based on their underlying properties or characteristics.

A moral theory provides us with general norms and standards that can help us make sense of our moral experiences, judgments, and principles. (Some moral theories feature only one overarching standard.)

And, since moral theories help lay down what makes a good decision good (and vice versa), this framework and knowledge can address systemic issues in the fashion industry, including the making and disposing go clothing. Within the disposal phase, the fashion industry grapples with issues of waste and pollution. Many clothes end up in landfills, contributing to environmental degradation. By employing moral theories, we can develop strategies to promote recycling, reusing, and responsible disposal of clothing items. Also, moral theories offer a way to hold both businesses and individuals accountable for their actions within the fashion industry. And, if anything, they are a tool to assess whether practices align with broader ethical standards and societal values. This can lead to a more transparent and responsible industry that also prioritizes the well-being of workers and the environment.

The Process of Moral Theorizing in Ethical Fashion 

To really understand moral theory, we must engage in the process of theorizing, which means using, creating, and/or refining moral theory, or a component of one. And, whether we like it or not, we cannot escape morality. We engage in moral reasoning all the time since it influences how we act, feel and choose to be guided in our best moments. So, we must sift through our reasoning and weigh different arguments we hold true and use to further justify what we think is right and good in the world. Deeper reflection can help yield more plausible moral judgments to respond to life through credible assessments of what is right and good. And, by making these arguments, we are better able to create moral principles that further acknowledge the complexity of ethical issues found in the fashion industry. 

However, unlike mathematical axioms, moral theories do not provide strict, universally applicable solutions to real-world problems. Instead, it offers general and theoretical principles that can guide our ethical reasoning. Moral theories are still indispensable, given their limited applicability, but are still insufficient in specific cases and issues. As we know, the world and humans are far from perfect, and we are full of contradictions. It is quite natural to believe in different moral judgments that can conflict with each other or lack adequate justification. Yet, moral theories can still provide overarching standards that can help reconcile conflicting judgments and offer a more robust foundation for ethical decision-making.

Navigating Moral Theories: Consequentialist vs. Non-Consequentialist Perspectives in Ethical Fashion

Theories of morality can be grouped into two major categories: consequentialist and non-consequentialist. Consequentialist moral theories are based on the consequences, where the rightness of the action depends on the amount of good it produces. Something being good can be defined in different ways in this category, which includes happiness, pleasure, well-being, flourishing and knowledge. However, the results must be a favorable balance of good and bad. The most common consequentialist theories are utilitarianism and ethical egoism. Utilitarianism is when morally right actions produce the most favorable balance of good over evil, where everyone is affected is considered. The right action should maximize the net good, no matter how good is defined, versus any alternative action. Utilitarianism can be further broken into two types: act- utilitarianism and rule- utilitarianism. Act- utilitarianism is when the right actions directly produce the greatest overall good, everyone considered. Rule- utilitarianism is when morally right action produces the most favorable balance of good and bad, everyone considered. 

On the other hand, non-consequentialist theory explains that the rightness of an action does not depend entirely on its consequences. Instead, it depends primarily or completely on the nature of the action itself. The balance of good and bad is not important, the only, primary concern is the kind of action in question. An action can be morally right even when it produces less good than any alternative action. An influential non-consequentialist theory comes from Immanuel Kant, who came up with Kant's theory: the view that the morally right thing to do is based on the categorical imperative. His principle, called categorical imperative, asserts a single principle from which all additional maxims can be derived, given that we are acting only on that maxim that you think should be a universal law. This imperative should be self-evident and founded on reason, and applied to everyone with no exceptions.

These theories are important to understand given the issues we face in the fashion industry. Some theories are only focused on the rightness of an action based solely on the results the action produced from the individuals involved. For others, some people believe that what happens after an action isn't important. They only care if the action itself makes sense and doesn't have any conflicting ideas. This can be significant when someone says they're doing something good, even if it doesn't lead to clear results.

The Critical Importance of Moral Theory in Ethical Fashion 

As we face a climate crisis and explotation across the globe, results matter. However, according to the natural law theory, another non-consequentialist view, what is morally right is one that says the morally right action is one that follows nature. It alludes that the natural world exhibits a rational order where everything has its proper place and purpose, a role given by God. It expects people to fill their rightful, natural purpose as designed by religion and their ability to reason. So, when we study these theories, it's important to consider if they're good enough, also known as "moral criteria of adequacy." There are three ways to check: if they agree with what most people think is right, if they match with our own experiences of what's right, and if they help us solve moral problems.


​​Next time you think about what's right or wrong in the industry, think about the different moral theories that influence our thinking. Learning more about them will help you understand how we decide what's right and will also help you make better moral arguments. Right now, it's really important because there are a lot of problems in fashion. We need to think about why we do things, who benefits, and what it's all for. Take the time to explore what you personally think is right in the fashion industry, and ways you can move forward to make it more ethical and sustainable. As custodians of the fashion landscape, we hold the power to effect change. By engaging with diverse moral philosophies and charting a course by our collective efforts, we are able to forge a future where fashion is not only an expression of artistry, but a testament to our shared commitment to a better world.

Giselle Magana