What is wrong with fast fashion?
Fast fashion is not free. Someone, somewhere is paying the price.
Lucy Siegle
In recent times every one wants to look fashionable and flaunt their style in every way possible. We spend a lot of time picking out our outfits more than anything. Each of us has our own style that would stand out in the crowd. Is it wrong? Is anyone complaining? Definitely not. Everyone has their own view on fashion, which is good.
With the breakthrough of online shopping and influencer marketing, consumers are now more than ever, aware about the latest trends, and are ready to invest their money and time to build their own style. On this account, some of us tend to buy lots of clothes which just sits in the back of the wardrobe for years without any use. This is where the problem arises. In the name of keeping up with the trends, we purchase a lot without realizing the high price the upcoming generation got to pay.
This is where fast fashion comes in. Before addressing its impacts, let’s get to know what exactly is fast fashion.
What is fast fashion?
Mass production of clothing made of using cheap and poor-quality materials are released in a rotation, with new styles hitting the runway. The cycle goes on and consumers are obliged to buy the clothes ASAP either in the fear of missing out or the product going out of stock. This is Fast Fashion.
The idea behind fast fashion is to sell inexpensive and low-quality clothes while keeping up with the latest trends and designs that are very much short-lived (Literally a week or max a month), which generates huge profit margins for the retailers.
But what could go wrong with it? A lot of things. For starters, think about it; if the production is amped up in this way, then what happens to the supply chain and the human resource involved in the process? How will they get affected? Not good for sure.
Why is it considered bad?
Over half a million tonnes of microfiber wastes are being bumped into the water bodies, which later end up in the ocean that are produced by the Fashion Industry alone. Half a million tonnes of microfibre are the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles, each year. On top of it, 80 billion garments are being chucked out by them every year. This is approximately over 10 garments for each person on earth. An achievement indeed.
This roughly takes about 200 years to decompose, so it is naturally going to get accumulated in time and lead to pollution affecting the planet in every worst way possible.
It doesn’t stop at that
Other than pollution, the carbon footprint is bound to increase demanding our attention, before reaching the worst-case scenario. Furthermore, synthetic fibers which are derived chemically can cause more widespread effects.
This amount of mass production on a regular basis is nearly inhumane to achieve. People have to work unbearably long hours, getting barely any wages, and by working in hazardous conditions to meet the demand. All because the consumption pattern has become as harmful as the production. Especially this kind of consumeristic lifestyle promoted by fast fashion can only lead to adverse effects.
What can be done?
People nowadays consider a piece of clothing as “old” just after using them once or twice. No one wants to repeat the dress which they have worn before. But we fail to realize that our actions have consequences and we all are bound to face them. It’s high time we start thinking before purchasing an item. Making a conscious choice is always welcome.
Reusing and repurposing the clothes, gives them a unique touch each time we wear them. Most of all, being aware of the upshot can bring a huge impact considering the current situation. And going for sustainable brands is also a healthier choice.
How to identify a fast fashion brand?
It is fairly easy to spot fast fashion brands. The most common practice is to go through the materials used in the garment which in their case would most likely be synthetics like polyester, nylon, acrylic, and conventional cotton, animal-derived materials, etc.
Watch out if they are keeping up with the current trends and regularly switching their products. Then it’s an obvious sign. And also check their quality, if it is poor that the pieces could easily wear out, then there it is. These kinds of brands usually lack transparency in their process. So, it never takes a genius to figure them out.
Do your own share of research. Make an effort from your end and support Slow Fashion. At least it counts for something.
TO MORE SUSTAINABLE CHOICES!
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