Knowledge is power, even when the truth hurts. Most likely, you’re not the “bad guy,” when it comes to the dirty world of fast fashion, but being armed with as much information as possible can only help you to be a more conscious consumer, and better fellow Earth-inhabitant. I’ve sworn off fast fashion brands, and here’s why;
What is Fast Fashion?
As defined by Oxford Dictionary, Fast fashion is inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends.
These brands heavily rely on social media marketing, copying other brand’s designs, and the exploitation of laborers, all with a ridiculously fast turn around on production.
When a “legacy brand” comes out with a collection (twice a year), it has typically taken them 21 months to conceptualize, design, gather materials, manufacture, and distribute it. Fast fashion typically takes 4 months. Shein says they’ve done it in 3 days, and FashionNova rolled out a knockoff Thierry Mugler gown originally worn by Kim Kardashian, in 24 hours.
Fast fashion democratizes high fashion by creating low quality knockoffs of other’s designs and selling them for much cheaper. Knockoffs are not counterfeits and are pretty much legal.
Who Are The Fast Fashion Brands?
This is a bubble that I, unfortunately, have to burst. Even though it’s probably no secret. Here are the key players:
- Shein
- FashionNova
- Forever 21
- Zara
- H&M
- PrettyLittleThing
- Princes Polly
- Asos
- Missguided
- Urban Outfitters
- GAP
- Victoria’s Secret
- Uniqlo
Disclaimer
I, too, was a teenager with my first retail job, finally with a paycheck I could spend, guilt-free, on clothes. I couldn’t afford the clothes where I worked, so getting 15-20 items for $100 online was like a dream, especially when I saw Kylie Jenner wearing the same dress on Instagram. I’m coming from a place of privilege, being able to talk about this now. But the truth is, the problem with fast fashion isn’t the person who buys minimally or out of necessity, and no one should ever be shamed for this. The real problems are the influencers who spend $1,000 on fast fashion hauls that will end up in a landfill after being worn once, just for the check that comes with their brand deal, and of course, these giant companies.
Yeah, this is like… common.
If you are fortunate enough to be able to afford more long-lasting clothing to cut down on waste, I encourage you to use your privilege to do so. That being said, if the following information makes you feel like you want to change your shopping or donating habits, and you’re able to, more power to you.
To stop the supply, we must first stop the demand.
The Dirty Details
What a Waste
Some figures to put in perspective how much we’re really wasting nowadays when it comes to textiles:
- In 1980, the average American bought 8 new items per year. Now, the average American buys 68 new items per year, 50% of which are only worn 3 times or less, before being discarded.
- In 2015, textile production created more greenhouse gas emissions than international flights and maritime shipping combined.
- The fabrics used the most in fast fashion; polyester, viscose, nylon, spandex, etc. are all made from oil and plastic. I don’t think I need to explain further.
- About 1,800 gallons of water are needed to produce the cotton for one pair of jeans.
Making the Rich Even Richer and Exploitation
Fast fashion is the only sector of the fashion industry that has grown in the last 15 years, making it the most profitable. The founder of Zara is worth $70 Billion, which makes him the 7th richest person in the world, while factory workers in Bangladesh, Indonesia, China, and India, among other countries, are pleading for safe working conditions, a living wage, and local rivers that aren’t polluted by chemicals and dyes used in textile production.
Fast fashion isn’t free. Someone, somewhere, is paying.
Lucy Siegle
Shopping Habits Go Deeper Than We Admit
It starts with you, and before you buy, ask yourself “why?” It’s important to be conscious of whether you actually need something, are buying something because:
- you had a bad day
- everyone else has one
- the plans with your friends include a trip to the mall
- maybe it’ll make you look like more the model in the picture
- you’re going out this weekend, but have already been photographed in that dress
Quick tip: When you do shop, try to do it in person and not online. Why? Online shopping doesn’t feel real. You never take out your card, or see the cash leaving your hand. You can’t look at or feel how much all the clothes weigh. In person, a giant, heavy pile of clothes that you struggled to bring to the register may have made you ask yourself, “Do I really need all this?”
Quality > Quantity
Most of us who have bought fast fashion immediately notice the poor quality. You know get what you pay for, but after ripping a hole in a romper the first time wearing it, you wonder why you bother.
There is definitely a sticker shock you experience when looking at a tag for $100 and up per item. Why are better quality clothes so much more expensive? It’s not just “ridiculous mark ups.”
- Better Materials: Hand sewing, lacemaking, embroidery, hand-knitting, etc. are labor costs that are worked into final cost for fabric or materials the designer buys to make a garment. This also includes natural materials from animals or plants that need to grow and can’t simply just be synthesized. Time is money.
- Better Wages: These brands pay their workers and designers well, and pay them for their time/skill. It might take them twice as long, or may hire a more talented (more expensive) seamstress to make something well, but the company would rather have a better product than many products.
- The Whole Bundle: After distribution costs, taxes, materials, pay of designers and manufacturers, rent for retail space, wages of retail employees, and marketing, these companies still have to make a profit. Paying their workers fairly is like automatic gratuity at a restaurant; the establishment is already looking out for their workers so they’re not leaving with nothing if you don’t tip. You are paying more, but you’re paying each person who worked along the way to make your item.
A well-made item with quality materials will last longer, cutting down your own personal waste and carbon footprint. If things do end up in a landfill, it’s better for them to be natural materials, as they decompose faster.
Now What Do I Do?
Here’s some things we can all try to potentially end fast fashion, and help save our planet.
- Thrift / Buy Second-Hand: Buying 1 item second-hand instead of new, is equivalent to taking half a million cars off the road, in terms of emissions. Yes, you donate, but do you thrift? Undergarments should always be bought new, but most other items can be thrifted. A vintage find could be amazing quality, at a fraction of its original price, while already proving it stands the test of time. No good thrift stores in your area? There are now online thrift stores like Thread Up to try.
- Wear Your Clothes for Longer: Timeless style, and making sure you love your clothes, both come in handy. Wearing an item for 9 months longer before getting rid of something reduces your carbon footprint by 30%. Remember, to last longer, it must be made well.
- Sew, Sew, Sew! When something rips, gets a random hole, or doesn’t fit how you’d like it to, hand sewing is your best friend. You don’t have to throw it away or feel like you can’t donate it, just fix it. Learning to sew is still a needed life skill.
- Donate: First try to donate your clothes to a real human being, not a store. Sometimes chain thrift stores get overrun with items and they end up in landfills anyway, so the combination of donating and buying from these shops is important.
- Upcycle: Repurpose your old, stained, or “beyond repair” clothes: Hair towel after your shower? T-Shirt. Dust rag? Sweatpants. Oven mitt? Cardigan. YouTube has plenty of tutorials for “Thrift Flips” and upcycling.
- Consume less and get creative! Challenge yourself to make as many different outfits with a piece as you can. Let’s normalize repeating outfits and statement items. If you do buy new, choose natural fabrics instead of manufactured ones because they decompose more quickly in landfills.
That Was a Lot…
I’m no saint, and the purpose of this post wasn’t to send you on a guilt trip you never asked for, but to educate you, to help you make better decisions in the future as you hone your style. Even just making less bad decisions is a good decision. Don’t feel overwhelmed! Just start by picking one thing to try doing to help out. Good Luck!
As a last tip, I recommend you steer clear of brands that claim to be “sustainable”, or market themselves as such. Keep your eyes open, manipulation tactics to make you believe these brands are “green” are getting sneakier than ever, and if you’re a more visual learner, I recommend watching the episode of The Patriot Act with Hassan Minhaj on fast fashion.
Much Love XOXO,
N. Alexandra