Fast fashion is a trend that has taken over the clothing retail world, especially among the younger crowd. And as quality of life improves in the developing countries, young people all over the world can afford to buy more and more of it, driving its production relentlessly.
Garments produced quickly like this are often low quality, mass produced without quality control and of course, cheaper. Trends are so short lived that the garments often end up in the landfill after a short amount of time, sometimes after just 7 to 10 wears. Worse even, young people frequently buy an item for a specific occasion and plan to wear it only once. Influencer Sukaina Benzakour states, “Let’s just say, wearing an outfit more than once is seen as a fashion crime”. Fast fashion is the enemy of sustainability and eco-friendliness.
The fashion industry accounts for up to 10% of global carbon dioxide output. Textile production relies on a petrochemical plastic to be created, and is the second largest product group made from petrochemical plastics. Additionally, polyester–widely worn in the 1970s and the subject of innumerable jokes about its tackiness–a synthetic fiber derived from petroleum, has now dominated over natural fibers such as cotton. It is expected that polyester production will exceed 92 million tons in the next 10 years, continuing the usage of fossil fuels.
In the past, fashion companies would release their new collections at a slower pace throughout the year, specifically split into four seasons: fall, winter, spring, and summer. The Good Trade explains that after working months to produce the latest season’s collection, designers and brands would give high society first and exclusive access to it. Only then would “the collection” trickle down the social ladder. The garments were made of natural fibers such as cotton, silk and wool and were durable.
It wasn’t until the 1960s that a glimpse of what would later be recognized as a fast fashion fad was introduced. This phenomenon was known as paper clothing, a form of clothing made with a paper-like fabric meant to be disposable. Fast fashion ramped up and reached a “point of no return” beginning in the 2000s. Today, many fast production brands such as Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, and Forever 21, introduce what The Good Trade described as 52 “micro-seasons” per year, essentially equating to one new collection a week. If you shop in any of these stores or even Target or Old Navy, you know how fast the merchandise moves. Here today, gone tomorrow.
Nor is the negative impact of fast fashion only on the environment, it’s just as bad for those who make the garments, almost always in developing countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, or the Philippines. Its production often pays low, unlivable wages to its outsourced workers–in some cases even employs child labor—and the work is in sometimes horrendous conditions. “Fast fashion has historically, consistently been linked to child labor and extremely unsafe working conditions.” It is this exploitation of the planet’s resources and its human beings that make it possible to buy a T-shirt for $6 or a dress for $10.
All this is in contrast to slow fashion, which though costing you more at initial purchase, is easier on the environment, will last longer, look better and pay a decent wage to the man or woman who made it for you. The choice is clear.
