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The Disarray of Fast Fashion

by Vaishnavi Kuppa

On average, many of the clothes in our closets are said to be used about seven months before they end up in landfills. Either they aren’t trending anymore, too big or too small, damaged, not useful or just hoard up closet space that we want to clear out so we can buy new clothes. The cycle then continues; wear and throw, wear and throw almost like single use plastics. 

It isn’t that different, considering the majority of our clothes use polyester which is a type of plastic. 

This unsustainable cycle that takes place in our everyday lives is called fast fashion. Fast fashion is cheap clothing that is mass produced and styles that mimic luxurious brands and the latest trends. They tend to appeal to a larger group of consumers, who cannot afford luxury branded clothing but would all want the illusion that those clothes offer. However, the end results from mass produced retailers end up being of low-quality clothing which fuels throwaway culture. 

Social media plays a big role in why people partake in fast fashion. Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter have driven people to share their glow up or haul videos, which have led consumers and followers to splurge on outfits to make themselves appear trendy, and to match their favorite idol or influencers. The emergence of many online retailers such as Shein, 

Amazon, YesStyle, Forever 21, Fashion Nova and H&M selling these cheap clothes have made it easily accessible for consumers to buy clothes that they don’t even need. 

So, what are the problems with fast fashion? 

As mentioned previously, polyester is to be one of the most-used fabrics in the fashion industry. Polyester is made from fossil fuels and one of the biggest concerns with this material is that it sheds microplastics. Similar to conventional plastics we know of, polyester also takes about 200 years to biodegrade. So if clothes are being bought and thrown at a rapid speed, these microplastics will pile up in landfills or in the process of washing clothes and enter into waterways such as the oceans. The fashion industry also is depleting our natural resources and water is one of them. According to the UN, a single pair of jeans would take 2000 gallons of water and would also generate a large amount of wastewater with microplastics in it. 

Because of the fast-paced process of buying and getting clothes, it has also amassed major textile waste and pollution. Transportation and packaging related pollution increases when most people are buying clothes online and having it shipped to their doorstep. Aside from going to landfills, the clothes that end up in garbage trucks are sometimes burnt. Burning mountains of clothes every single day is one of the leading ways that carbon dioxide emissions are being released, which worsens global warming. Sometimes these are clothes that have not been sold or used and are just extra stock. Various companies such as H&M have been burning their mass produced unsold garments (that equal up to $4.3 billion) to make room for clothes that represent newer trends. 

Aside from environmental problems, fast fashion also encourages companies to exploit their workers by making them work in harsh conditions and paying them low wages. Fast fashion is cheap for a reason— it is unethical and to make profit from selling clothes at such low prices, workers are generally paid very little. They are working for long hours in often harmful workspaces since they expose the workers to toxic chemicals in unventilated establishments. 

What are some solutions to combat this problem? 

Reflect before buying: Before buying clothes, reflect a little bit and ask yourself these questions: What occasion are you buying this outfit for? Do you already have something similar you can use? How many mes will you actually wear the clothing item? If you’re buying for the sake of retail therapy, maybe reconsider. 

Keep and reuse for longer: Don’t throw it out just because you already took pictures with an outfit for your Instagram! It’ll help you save money as well as saving the environment to repeat outfits and it’s extremely unlikely that anyone even notices. Even with damaged clothes, many platforms such as TikTok are promong MIY (make-it-yourself) videos for crocheting, knitting or embroidering clothes. It could be a new hobby you can take on! 

Buying second-hand/thrifting: Second hand clothes seem to have a stigma that they will be dirty or damaged or out of trend, but that’s a misconception! Consumers have many options for them from shopping in-person at thrift stores such as Goodwill, to buying from online second hand stores such as thredUp. These services make sure the clothes you are paying for are of best quality, and they’re sure to have something everyone likes. 

Selling clothes: It’s simple, why not make some of the money that you spent on buying your clothes? Apps such as thredUp, Poshmark, and Depop not only allow you to buy second-hand, but you can also sell your clothes on those platforms! With the money you make from selling, you can buy other second-hand clothes, which will be economically beneficial for you as well.

Donang to friends, family, or anyone who needs it: Pass-me-downs, hand-me-downs and sharing clothes with friends and family is a sustainable way to not let your clothes go to waste and increase their use span. There are also options to find donating clothes bins to charitable organizations such as the American Red Cross or your local social services institution that help to make good use of your clothes. 

Shop from sustainable brands: Quality or over quantity will be a good use of your money and you won’t have to throw out clothes as often. Many sustainable brands are also small businesses that you can shop locally for, which will reduce your carbon footprint with transportation. They are also mostly up to date with the fashion trends, so you’ll be in good hands. 

Remember, not everybody is perfect when it comes to buying sustainably. Our economic situation influences us to shop cheap and mass-produced products but little changes in what we do once we have these clothes can make a huge impact.

References: 

  • hps://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arcles/2021-05-22/gen-z-balances-sustainable-thrihau l-and-fast-fashion-sheinhaul-on-ktok 
  • hps://goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion/ 
  • hps://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2019/05/13/three-reasons-why-fast-fashion-is-becoming -a-problem-and-what-to-do-about-it/?sh=29bab481144b 
  • hps://www.thesustainablefashionforum.com/blog/the-problem-with-fast-fashion hps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/175174112X13340749707123 
  • hps://www.contrado.co.uk/blog/what-is-polyester-a-closer-look-into-this-love-it-or-hate-it-fab ric/ 
  • hps://sewport.com/fabrics-directory/polyester-fabric 
  • hps://www.wsj.com/arcles/the-high-price-of-fast-fashion-11567096637
  • hps://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/pung-brakes-fast-fashion 
  • hps://insideoutstyleblog.com/2018/11/discover-the-average-lifespan-of-clothes-and-what-you -keep-longest-even-though-you-dont-wear-it.html 
  • hps://goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion/ 
  • hps://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/un-alliance-sustainable-fashion-address es-damage-fast-fashion

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