Analysis of the Impact of Fast Fashion on Fashion Competitiveness in Cúcuta

Abstract

This article exposes the impact of the fast fashion business model on the competitiveness of the textile and fashion design sector in the city of Cúcuta, identifying the main reasons, challenges, and strategies that local microenterprises adopt to maintain their differentiation against this global phenomenon. Adopting a qualitative approach through a descriptive multiple case study, a convenience sample of local microenterprises and sewing workshops was selected as the main data collection instrument through Google Forms surveys. The results confirm that fast fashion generates a negative impact on local sales, driven by the high price sensitivity of the border buyer that gives fast fashion a competitive advantage based on cost leadership. In this situation, local companies manage reduced staff with good remuneration and dignified treatment, prioritizing quality, made-to-measure customization, ethical traceability, and direct customer service. The sustainability of fashion in Cúcuta depends on how exclusivity and conscious consumption are managed to differentiate from fast fashion's obsolescence and low prices, aligning with initiatives like Cúcuta Moda (CUMO) and circular economy pioneers such as Proditextil Moda SAS and Fabricato.