Fast fashion has taken the world by storm, offering trendy clothes at super low prices. But what exactly is fast fashion and why is it considered bad?
Definition
Fast fashion is a business model that involves quickly and cheaply producing clothing and other fashion items that mimic popular trends. The goal is to get these items to retailers while demand is high. It is a relatively new phenomenon in the industry that causes extensive damage to the planet, exploits workers, and harms animals. Fast fashion can be further defined as cheap, trendy clothing that samples ideas from the catwalk or celebrity culture and turns them into garments at breakneck speed to meet consumer demand. The idea is to get the newest styles on the market as fast as possible, so shoppers can snap them up while they are still at the height of their popularity and then, sadly, discard them after a few wears due to poor quality. It plays into the idea that outfit repeating is a fashion faux pas and that if you want to stay relevant, you have to sport the latest looks as they happen. It forms a key part of the toxic system of overproduction and consumption that has made fashion one of the world’s largest polluters. Here’s why it’s best to steer clear when you can.
Environmental Impact
Fast fashion relies on mass production and quick turnover of clothing items. This leads to a high level of waste, as clothes are often discarded after only a few wears. The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world, with the production of clothing contributing to water pollution, chemical waste, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Polluting our planet
Fast fashion’s impact on the planet is immense. The pressure to reduce costs and speed up production time means environmental corners are more likely to be cut. Fast fashion’s negative impact includes its use of cheap, toxic textile dyes—making the fashion industry the one of the largest polluters of clean water globally, right up there with agriculture. That’s why Greenpeace has been pressuring brands to remove dangerous chemicals from their supply chains through its detoxing fashion campaigns through the years.
Cheap textiles also increase fast fashion’s impact. Polyester is one of the most popular fabrics. It is derived from fossil fuels, contributes to global warming, and can shed microfibres that add to the increasing levels of plastic in our oceans when washed or even worn. But even “natural” fabrics can be a problem at the scale fast fashion demands. Conventional cotton requires enormous quantities of water and pesticides in countries like India and China. This results in drought risks and creates extreme stress on water basins and competition for resources between companies and local communities.
Exploitation of Workers
In order to keep up with the demand for cheap clothing, fast fashion brands often outsource production to countries with low labor costs. This can lead to poor working conditions, low wages, and even child labor. Workers in these factories are often subjected to long hours, unsafe working conditions, and little to no job security.
As well as the environmental cost of fast fashion, there’s a human cost.
Fast fashion impacts garment workers who work in dangerous environments, for low wages, and without fundamental human rights. Further down the supply chain, the farmers may work with toxic chemicals and brutal practices that can have devastating impacts on their physical and mental health, a plight highlighted by the documentary The True Cost.
Harming animals
Animals are also impacted by fast fashion. In the wild, the toxic dyes and microfibres released in waterways are ingested by land and marine life alike through the food chain to devastating effect. And when animal-derived products such as leather, fur, and even wool are used in fashion directly, animal welfare is put at risk. As an example, numerous scandals reveal that real fur, including cat and dog fur, is often being passed off as faux fur to unknowing shoppers. The truth is that there is so much real fur being produced under terrible conditions in fur farms that it’s become cheaper to produce and buy than faux fur.
Low Quality Products
Fast fashion prioritizes speed and cost over quality. Clothes are often made with cheap materials and are not built to last. This leads to a cycle of buying and discarding clothes, contributing to the overall waste problem. In the long run, investing in higher quality, ethically made clothing can save money and reduce environmental impact.
Coercing consumers
Additionally, fast fashion can impact consumers themselves, encouraging a “throw-away” culture because of both the built-in obsolescence of the products and the speed at which trends emerge. Fast fashion makes us believe we need to shop more and more to stay on top of trends, creating a constant sense of need and ultimate dissatisfaction. The trend has also been criticized on intellectual property grounds, with some designers alleging that retailers have illegally mass-produced their designs.
Supporting Sustainable Fashion
It's important to be aware of the impact of fast fashion and make conscious choices when it comes to clothing purchases. Supporting sustainable fashion brands that prioritize ethical production practices, use eco-friendly materials, and promote fair wages for workers can help combat the negative effects of fast fashion.
By understanding the dark side of fast fashion and making informed decisions, we can all play a part in creating a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry.