(Photo by Stefan Müller (climate stuff) via Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 2.0)
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In recent years, the phenomenon of buying fashion to keep up with the latest trends has increased astronomically. Now, with a click of a button on any device, a world of affordable and stylish clothing and accessories is at your fingertips.
Today, the fashion industry is responsible for a whopping 10% of global carbon emissions annually, worsened by this rise of fast fashion. So, why is fast fashion so appealing and what are its impacts? Furthermore, what can consumers do to be more sustainable when shopping?
Fast Fashion and Its Appeal
Fast fashion is a phenomenon wherein clothing is produced in bulk, as quickly as possible, and up-to-date with the latest fashion trends sweeping society. One way to differentiate a fast fashion brand is by looking at the materials with which they manufacture their clothing; if there are hundreds or thousands of styles made using cheap quality material, like polyester, chances are you are looking at a fast fashion brand.
Due to the business model, fast fashion is appealing to consumers for many reasons. For many individuals, purchasing fast fashion is one way to fit in with peers. Social media apps, like TikTok, worsen the need to fit in. Videos on TikTok, like fast fashion “hauls” or excessive purchases, influence consumers to purchase more than they need.
39% of TikTok users will make purchases based on recommendations they see on this app. According to one individual interviewed, “People might think [she] didn’t have style if [she] wore the same thing over and over.” Whether conforming to a specific trend/style or finding a way to express oneself better, the need to feel socially accepted can persuade consumers to purchase fast fashion.
Affordability, Accessibility, and Inclusivity
Fast fashion is also very appealing to consumers for its affordability and accessibility. According to Vox, price tags and ease of purchase are more likely to be prioritized over sustainability, especially when consumers have few affordable options. Coupled with the fact that these low-priced items come with little to no international shipping costs within a matter of days, it is no surprise that the appeal for fast fashion is high.
In fact, e-commerce sites like Temu purposefully target low-wage individuals in the United States, although this is not the sole demographic that purchases fast fashion. This strategy allows these brands to dominate the market at the cost of small manufacturers and businesses.
Finally, a diversity in styles and size inclusivity contribute to fast fashion’s appeal. Fast fashion is notorious for pumping out garments as quickly as possible in a wide array of fashions, meeting various fashion needs. Fast fashion is thus appealing if you wish to explore different styles and aesthetics and if you want to stay up to date with different fashion trends.
In addition to offering diverse styles, fast fashion also offers inclusive sizing. About 68% of American women wear a size 14 or above; however, major brands and retailers often exclude these sizes. Understandably, excluding all sizing can have a mental and emotional toll on women who wish to explore new styles and diversify their wardrobe. Therefore, fast fashion is sometimes the only option available, especially considering affordability and style diversity.
The Environmental and Human Costs of Fast Fashion: Shein as a Case Study
Despite its appeal, fast fashion is an industry we should be very wary of. Let us look into the impacts of one particular fast fashion behemoth, Shein. This brand has been called out many times for its immense effects on the environment and its unethical working conditions. Notably, Shien produces vast amounts of carbon emissions from global shipping and returns on these clothes.
Shein produces around 2000 cheaply manufactured garments daily, most of which end up in landfills after a few wash cycles. According to Greenpeace, many of these garments are chock-full of dangerous chemicals that impact the consumer wearing them and leech into the environment when disposed of. Many garments are made from polyester, an inexpensive, synthetic material. Polyester requires a lot of energy to produce, pollutes water and air, and can last up to 200 years if it ends up in a landfill.
In addition to its many impacts on the environment, this brand is not certified by labour standards, meaning that it does not ensure workers’ rights, such as living wages. Reports from factory workers also show that they have to work up to 11 hours a day while provided only one day off per month under hazardous conditions, such as factories with blocked-off fire exits. Due to Shein’s massively successful business model, the fear is that it will incentivize other companies to follow suit and promote unethical practices.
Solutions from the Industry: Sustainable Fashion Practices
There is no one doubting fast fashion’s pervasiveness today. However, environmentally friendly and eco-conscious alternatives, such as sustainable fashion, can be explored. Sustainable fashion’s main focus is its environmental, social, and economic impacts.
For example, brands that practice sustainability use biodegradable materials for their garments, which use less water and no chemical treatments, contributing to reduced gas emissions. In addition, workers have contracts ensuring their jobs and are compensated fairly for their hours worked. These are among some of the positive contributions of sustainable fashion.
Sustainable fashion is, without a doubt, more environmentally friendly. However, there have been instances where consumers critique its affordability. While it is true that sustainable fashion comes with a higher price tag than fast fashion, this is for a variety of reasons. Aside from paying workers a living wage and using more biodegradable materials (often more expensive to reproduce), sustainable brands adopt small-scale productions that make garments lasting up to years of wearability. While a sustainably made shirt may cost you upfront, in the long term, this shirt will last you much longer than a shirt produced through fast fashion.
Beware Greenwashing
Now, knowing the major differences between sustainable fashion and fast fashion, there are numerous changes consumers can make to promote a healthier planet. However, before discussing ways to shop sustainably, it is important to emphasize the prevalence of greenwashing and how consumers can avoid falling into this trap. Greenwashing is essentially false advertising by companies who boast of their products’ sustainable or eco-friendly benefits while not adopting (or doing very little) sustainable practices.
Greenwashing is dangerous as it takes advantage of consumers who wish to practice sustainability. An example of greenwashing is when brands add the words “natural” or “eco-friendly” to their products without actually having any evidence suggesting they are. Companies do this because reports show that consumers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products, making it a profit opportunity for companies.
According to the United Nations, greenwashing hinders concrete actions from being taken because it promotes false solutions. There are numerous ways consumers can watch out for greenwashing. Firstly, watch for buzzwords such as natural or green, which are vague and misleading — natural can refer to anything found in nature. Green is a word that implies sustainability, but it does not necessarily have any scientific merit. Secondly, if a company boasts about being environmentally friendly but does not have the credentials to back it up, chances are they are not all that eco-conscious.
Towards more Responsible Consumption: Promote Better Practices in Fashion
While the onus should not lie entirely on the consumer to make sustainable decisions, individuals can do a fair amount to promote sustainability. For example, one can start by educating oneself on ethical and sustainable brands and supporting them. Amplifying sustainable brands that consider including all sizes among their products is especially important.
Buying trans-seasonal clothes also reduces how much you spend on clothing. People can wear trans-seasonal clothes across seasons throughout the year, so consumers will no longer have to shop for a wardrobe that will only last a few months and reduce spending.
Another cost-effective option is buying secondhand clothing. Buying secondhand extends the usage of garments and simultaneously reduces the demand for more clothing production. There are many great websites where you can buy secondhand clothing, but consider buying locally when possible, as this supports the local economy and reduces transportation costs.
Furthermore, consider donating clothes as this saves garments from landfills and reduces the consumption of new clothes, benefiting the environment. Even if these garments are fast fashion, they still prolong their use and may be better used in a new home.
Other solutions for incorporating more sustainable fashion choices include purchasing better quality pieces that will last longer and taking good care of your clothes to increase longevity.
Making Fashion More Sustainable
Understandably, there is only so much consumers can do on an individual level; systemic changes also need to be implemented to make the fashion industry more sustainable. The fashion industry has very little regulation even though it greatly impacts our environment and workers’ livelihoods. The government can hold unethical brands accountable and should be doing so to reduce their toll on society.
A group of companies are already pushing for the government to enact legislation. By engaging with these companies, consumers can also work to ensure that the government takes proper steps to address the negative effects of fast fashion.
While fast fashion is appealing in many ways, it is important to emphasize the social and climate-related impacts of this industry’s consumption. Instead, choose to consume sustainably when you can; its effects are much better in the long term for everyone.
Edited by Alexandra Hu
