As you’re getting ready to splurge for that perfect outfit for the summer or for a special event where do you look to shop? There’s a high chance that those shops support fast fashion. Fast fashion has been a growing trend and problem all over the world and it is only becoming worse and more prevalent. Fast fashion is known as clothes that are cheaply made and that usually are dupes of more expensive items. You might have heard or even have shopped at places that support fast fashion including stores like Shein, H&M, Forever 21, etc.
Many young girls are seen to shop at places like Shein because they are affordable and cheap. Since the prices are so cheap they are able to buy an abundance of clothes and although it’s made poorly, they can just wear it one time and eventually buy more. Since fashion trends are constantly changing and evolving it seems that fast fashion is almost convenient since you wouldn’t have to spend a lot of money on an item you’ll most likely only wear once. Since trends are constantly and quickly changing there’s no point of holding on to a specific garment you’ll most likely never wear again. As a teenager, it is hard to splurge on expensive clothing since many can’t afford it, so it leaves them to only have the option of buying from stores that support fast fashion.
A main problem of fast fashion is that it causes CO2 pollution. The clothing industry is responsible for 10% of CO2 emission and this number is only growing due to fast fashion. One of the main problems with fast fashion is its overproduction of products. With cheap and poorly made items constantly being produced everyday. Fast fashion also supports low wages as workers from foreign countries are paid very little for their work. Young workers are left to work in poor conditions that are not safe, nor good for their health. The amount of clothes that are also being produced in such a short manner is also producing a huge amount of waste since people end up getting rid of their poorly made garments.
Although an easy solution to combat fast fashion is to shop sustainably, it sounds more easy than it actually is. Sustainable brands like ‘Cotton On’ strive to make clothing that is ethical and sustainable, but they are very high priced which leaves young buyers unable to afford it. Another solution to fast fashion is to shop second hand, but that can sometimes be inconvenient since you can’t always find what you are looking for at shops like Goodwill or Plato’s Closet last minute. Sometimes shopping at these places that practice fast fashion seems convenient as you can buy more since the price is so low.
So, what are ways to actually get around this issue? I find it hard even for myself to stay away from shopping from big stores like Shein since the prices are so cheap and I can get so many varieties of clothing, but nowadays I try shopping locally. When I can, I try to go to some of my favorite stores that are built sustainably and raid their sales section. Thrifting has also been a very growingly popular thing to do with your friends and peers. One solution I try to do is to go to a thrift shop a few times a month. I’ll usually try to search for trendy items and even tend to look for things ahead of time, so that in the long run I’ll have the item already. Even if you can’t find a solution around shopping at places that support fast fashion, you can always remember to only purchase items that you think you’ll truly get multiple uses out of.
Fast fashion continues to be an alarming problem that is very overlooked and not talked about enough. As holidays and events start to approach it is important that people acknowledge the problems with fast fashion and find solutions around it.
VT Vogue 