We live in a high-speed world. Our cars are fast, our phones are faster. We can get anything we want in a matter of seconds. We have the world at our fingertips and are no longer confined to the strict schedules of life before the twenty-first century. In the world of fashion, this means we can shop whenever we want, in-store or online, and be rewarded instantly. It has never been easier to keep up with the latest trends and styles.
Shopping for clothes hasn’t always been a hobby or a coping mechanism. Years ago, shopping for new clothes was reserved for when seasons changed- each year you would update your fall, winter, spring, or summer wardrobe. But recently, trends have begun passing more quickly, and, and, as a result, people shop more frequently, both in-store and online. This leads to brands pumping out new designs more often in order to stay on-trend. Often, they release new collections or lines weekly, meaning that the fashion industry is operating on 52 seasons rather than four. We refer to the clothing and designs that arise from this speedy production line as “fast fashion.”
In recent years, you may have even come across the term fast fashion without being aware of what it was, how it came to be, or the possible consequences. Fast fashion typically refers to “inexpensive designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores to meet new trends” (Investopedia). While these clothes may seem great and more accessible to middle and lower classes, there is a much darker side to the world of fast fashion.
The Story of Fast Fashion
So how did fast fashion come to be? As discussed earlier, the fashion industry has been historically based on the four seasons. Designers and brands would plan their designs around each season, predicting what customers would want or what would be on-trend and releasing their clothing or collections at the beginning of a season. Styles were set by designers rather than the wearers.
The Industrial Revolution expedited this process, allowing designers to make their garments accessible to more and more people, but it wasn’t until the mid-twentieth century that the fashion industry really began to change. At this time, consumerism was at its height in America, and the economy was booming. Production of clothing grew cheaper and the production lines became more standardized. Additionally, the increased popularity of television, movies, and other media allowed consumers to follow trends more rapidly. Mass-produced clothing allowed consumers to fit in, and this conformity was essential to the suburban lifestyle of the mid-twentieth century.
From the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, fast fashion grew to a peak. Consumers were less willing to buy high-end, brand-name designs and instead opted for cheaper retailers like Zara, Charlotte Russe, and H&M. Such retailers took advantage of the overconsumption plaguing America, reproducing trendy design elements and styles from the catwalk and making them more accessible to the masses. These retailers often adhere to the strategy of high volume, low quality, meaning that while they produce a lot of clothing, most of their garments are made of cheaper materials that won’t likely stand the test of time.
The Problem With Fast Fashion
While some may laud its savvy business techniques or its ability to keep the middle class on-trend, the fast fashion industry often leads to more harm than good. From a lack of sustainable materials to the use of sweatshops to the increase in clothing that is simply thrown away, fast fashion is clearly a trend that needs to slow down.
The clothing industry is notorious for being one of the worst industries in terms of sustainability and environmental friendliness. This is largely because fast fashion brands are always looking to cut corners, often at the expense of sustainability, ethics, or morals. With the large volume of clothes that fast fashion companies pump out, their factories are always running, burning fossil fuels and polluting clean water with toxic chemicals. Today, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions (BBC).
Fast fashion affects real people in real time too. Fast fashion companies often use sweatshops to maintain their low production costs, hiring millions of overseas garment workers for incredibly low wages. These workers, often women, spend long hours in the factories under poor working conditions. In 2013, the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh collapsed, killing over a thousand garment workers inside. This building housed clothing factories that produced apparel for brands such as Primark, Walmart, Prada, and Gucci. The day before the collapse, the building’s owners had been warned of cracks forming in the building. While the banks and shops on the lower floors were immediately closed, the garment workers were forced to return to work the following morning. Two years before this tragic incident, Walmart rejected proposed safety reforms for clothing factories at the expense of fashion retailers.
Additionally, fast fashion has led to clothing becoming more disposable than ever. In order to stay on-trend, wearers must update their closet even more often, leading to more “out-of-style” clothes ending up in a landfill. The cheaper these clothes are, the less bad you feel about tossing them. Additionally, the cheap materials and poor craftsmanship that goes into making these garments mean that they will break down more quickly, forcing you to throw them out and replace them. Each year, the fashion industry generates 92 million tons of waste (Forbes).
Slow Fashion: A Counter-Movement
Luckily, consumers have become more mindful and conscious of their purchases in recent years, a movement referred to as “slow fashion.” Shoppers supporting slow fashion try to be more aware of a brand’s approach to sustainable and ethical manufacturing, fair labor rights, and sustainable materials. They are willing to pay more for a high-quality garment that meets their ethical and environmental standards, especially knowing that this garment will have a much longer lifetime than one purchased from a fast-fashion company. Rather than keeping up with trends, slow fashion means that you control your own style!
What You Can Do
Ready to make the break from fast fashion? Here are some tips to get you started joining the #slowfashion movement!
- Stop buying fast fashion brands! Determine whether a company is trustworthy and sustainable before purchasing from them. Be wary of greenwashing tactics that may make a brand appear more sustainable and ethical than it really is. Check sites like goodonyou.eco for ratings on sustainable brands! Keep shopping local and support small businesses that are more likely to carry independent designers dedicated to slow fashion.
- Revisit your closet before buying something new! There’s sure to be a top you haven’t worn or a new outfit combo to try out. Don’t be afraid to revisit old trends either! Styles are constantly repeating themselves.
- Host a clothing swap! If you’re getting bored with what’s in your own closet, take a look in your friend’s closet! This is a great way for both of you to try new styles. This can be especially helpful when planning for events with dress codes and saves you from buying clothes only to wear them once!
- Invest in sustainable, higher-quality clothing! Stop wasting your money on clothes that will break down after a couple of wears. Pay attention to materials used and quality of work. Aim for around 30 wears (or more!) for each piece. Be sure to pay attention to washing guidelines to get the most life out of your clothes!
- Get thrifty! Thrift stores are the perfect place to reinvent your style on a budget. If you can’t afford to invest in high-end clothing from sustainable designers, hit up your local secondhand store to mix-and-match fun new looks. Sustainable and ethical fashion doesn’t have to come with a hefty pricetag. Continue the cycle by donating your own clothes to thrift shops when you’re ready for a change.
- Reduce your shopping to a few times a year! Rather than shopping several times a month for new clothes, restrict your shopping habits to a few times a year. Purchase new clothes at the beginning of each new season. Eventually, you may even be able to put off shopping for an entire year!
Fast fashion doesn’t have to be the future. Do your part in slowing down fast fashion, and encourage others to do the same!
