Small Changes, Big Impact: The Implications of Nearshoring on Latin America

The twenty-first century exemplifies chaos theory, in that the emergence of COVID-19 has changed and will further change how the fashion industry is operating. Currently we find ourselves at a crossroad, with two opposing ways forward: business as usual or actively honing in on the positive outcomes of the pandemic. Latin America already sees a striving fashion industry that nurtures sustainability not only in terms of production practices but also from a consumption side. This chapter outlines the opportunities and challenges Latin America is facing and might face in the future, especially with nearshoring becoming an increasingly viable option, that might be further enhanced after the COVID-19 pandemic. The chapter concludes by providing a potential outlook on how to continue to stimulate sustainability throughout the industry.