Is Your Style Sustainable? Let's Talk About Fast Fashion
- glmussal
- Mar 10, 2022
- 4 min read
What is Fast Fashion? In the world’s instant gratification-driven economy today, fashion seems to be one of the many industries that comes at an evident cost (and I’m not just talking about money). Broadly, “fast fashion,” inspired by high-fashion, can be defined as cheap yet effortlessly trendy clothing brought to retail stores at lower prices. While yes, fast fashion easily makes it possible to have a new article of clothing or outfit for each event you may need to go to, its image of convenience and affordability comprise a much larger mask that hides the exploitation of workers overseas and environmental devastations.
(Credits of https://www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image?phrase=sustainable+fashion)
Did you know that humans are now consuming 400% more clothing compared to 20 years ago?
We're buying more clothes than ever, but wearing them a whole lot less. Think of your local Forever 21 or Zara in the mall (do people even still go to malls?!) and all of the perfectly lined shelves of clothes that somehow convince you they need to come home with you. Or is that just me who always buys before needing any sort of justification to do so? I get it, I’m a college student and feel like there is always something new to be had–whether it be a dress for sorority date night, an orange trucker hat for tailgates, or black leather pants. The reality is that after one wear, it’s either going in the trash, a giveaway pile, or hanging in my closet untouched for the foreseeable future. We use and use and use, for whatever our immediate needs may be, yet we do not take the time to step back and consider where these clothes are coming from and that the potential effect that they have on our world around us surpasses our own instant gratification.
(Credits of https://www.sustainably-chic.com/blog/fast-fashion-brands-to-avoid)
If you’re up to date with what the news and other brands are saying about fast fashion, they’ll tell you that its rising popularity feeds into the idea of shopping as a form of entertainment, rather than a mindful way to spend one’s money. With online shopping, it’s mindless clicking and buying without fully knowing what you’ve done until it reaches your doorstep. Brands like Shein, Zara, H&M, and Brandy Melville, among many others, all qualify as fast fashion brands in popular culture right now. Our universal over-consumption of these brands and the high volume of clothes they produce, is now creating social problems in a very loud way that we can no longer ignore. Such issues are matters of human rights and environmentalism, as it takes sweatshops and harsh working conditions to meet the high demand of consumers, as well as intensifies the amount of waste and toxins polluting our already-struggling outdoor natural environment. Of course, I, too, am guilty of buying from all of these brands at one point. But, understanding the very human cost at the other end of what you're buying may shift your perspective a bit and inspire you to check out some more sustainable brands that aim at providing on-trend clothing in ways that don't damage the world around us. Wouldn't it feel good to buy and know that you're helping people and the environment around you? I think at this point, our future relies on this.
(Credits of https://www.businessoffashion.com/tags/organisations/fast-fashion/)
Gen Z shows great promise to support sustainable brands and the ethical fashion movement, as more and more brands continue to be exposed and called out on wide digital scales on social media by their consumers. With that being said, below are a few easy ways to spot fast fashion:
Most fast fashion brands are constantly updating their websites and social media to reflect the most recent trends. They are traditionally incredibly fast with this–almost a bit too fast. Instagram and Facebook marketing ad techniques are used to spam customers no matter how often/not often they have shopped at the store.
Fast fashion brands are not often transparent with their mission/vision/values, as it is not easily accessible on their website. Trendy clothing and promotions are thrown at the consumer instead, to distract and covert visitors (whether physical or digital) to buyers. A brand working towards sustainable goals will almost always have such reflected on their company website, in an easy to consume and access manner. Check out Reformation's by clicking here.
The price is another great indicator of whether the product you're eyeing would fall victim the the fast fashion category. Items priced between five and 10 dollars, tell you all you need to know. As we know, it still takes an incredible amount of resources, human work, and labor costs to produce these items even if they are being yielded at a high volume and fast pace. Think twice before you add to cart!
While I know that it takes longer than a few minutes to change your spending/buying habits, the push for sustainable fashion and invalidation of fast fashion remains incredibly important to the future of our planet and the rights of all humans who reside on it. Linked below are a few of my favorite sustainable brands to shop–I hope you are inspired to at least start to make the shift too!
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