The Footprint of Fast Fashion

By: Maddy Baxter (@stylecliche)

Many people are waking up to our global climate crisis. Fast fashion being one of the many problems, and Gen Z are leading the charge for the planet and most importantly our futures.

So what exactly is fast fashion?

Fast fashion is the production of cheap and trendy clothing that comes in and out of style. The majority of fast fashion retailers (usually online) introduce a new collection multiple times a week, some everyday, in order to keep up with the demand for new and trendy clothing that is affordable and convenient. 

Most items are very rarely restocked or replenished, instead the brand will replace the sold out items with brand new items that will basically be the exact same but they will market to us that this ‘brand new’ clothing item is better and more on trend. This subconsciously tricks the consumers into an endless cycle of wanting the next best thing. 

But at what cost?

Fast fashion retailers favour a linear business model that rewards those at the very top of the pyramid, while the people actually making the clothes are making below a living wage.

These people are garment workers. 

Garment workers are forced to work 16+ hour days, being paid below a living wage, a wage that supports the worker’s basic needs, such as food, housing, clothing and childcare. Garment workers are also exposed to carcinogenic chemicals (cancerous chemicals) and work in poorly built factories that are at risk to collapse at any time; the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in 2013 is the most notable example of this.

Many fast fashion brands choose to make their clothes in low-income countries like Bangladesh because it's cheap to run and export. This is what fuels the fast fashion industry to thrive because they can maximise their stock and profits for a very small cost.

Fast fashion retailers owe a lot of their success and sales to influencers, as they act as free marketing for their brand. Even if the influencers haven't been gifted or paid to wear the clothes, many buy from the brands anyway and posts pictures in them for their social media. Influencers promote that act of over consumption on the daily, as they are constantly showing off their new clothes to their followers. 

Haul culture also encourages people to buy more than they really need to, or even want. This combined with fast fashion’s purse-friendly price tag, makes for an industry set to sky-rocket in today’s economy. Where businesses favour a linear business model over circularity, and not caring for the people who make their clothes.

But what about the environmental impact?

Did you know that the fashion industry is the second biggest polluter globally after fuel and oil? 

Due to the nature of fast fashion, the quality of the clothing is ermmmm......not the best. This results in a lot of waste as people adopt a “I can just buy another” mentality and throw away the first poor quality item to replace it with another cheap and convenient piece and the cycle continues.

Consumers throw their clothes away at unprecedented rates, 5% of global landfill space is textile waste, and this is all thanks to fast fashion.

Waste is not the only environmental problem that fast fashion has created. Water pollution for example is just one way that local communities are being affected by this rapacious industry. Unregulated garment factories usually neighbour nearby streams and rivers where local people use the water for everyday needs such as drinking, washing and cooking. Toxic chemicals are often used in colouring and dying the fabric which they are then dumped into these waterways, contaminating the water. 

The fast fashion industry has made a dirty footprint over the years and it will continue to grow and pollute our world if we as consumers don’t step back and realise how we can help.

Simple ways you can become more sustainable

Buy, sell and swap second hand

This one may come as no surprise, but buying clothes already in circulation (not brand new) is one of the best ways to be sustainable. Second-hand clothes are usually cheaper (and cooler) than what you see on the high street and online. Whether it's thrift stores, charity shops, kilo sales, second-hand apps like Depop, or swapping with your friends and family, buying second-hand is the way forward for fashion.

Support small businesses

Now more than ever small businesses need our help to grow, so where you can, shop small or local. I have a blog post on small sustainable fashion brands on my website (the link is in my Instagram bio, @stylecliche).

Rent clothes

Renting clothes has to be one of the more fun ways to be sustainable, why not rent yourself your dream designer piece for a special occasion, Zoom birthday bash anyone? My favourite rental platforms are Hurr Collective and Rent The Runway.

Upcycle/thrift flip

If you have clothes that aren’t really your taste anymore or an item of clothing you’ve recently thrifted, why not give them a much needed makeover? There are thousands of thrift flip upcycling videos on Youtube and you can gather your inspiration on Pinterest. Whether it's cropping a sweater or turning your old T shirt into a shoulder bag, anything is possible!

Unfollow unsustainable influences

This is a very easy and satisfying way of ridding your Instagram feed and inbox of anything fast fashion. Unfollow influencers who promote fast fashion, and instead find creators who are promoting sustainability. Most importantly unsubscribe from all those annoying promotional emails that tell you there’s another sale on, this way you won’t be tempted.

Find sustainable brands

There are so many fashion brands out there who are doing good for the planet, you just have to be willing to find them! The Good On You app is the best directory for finding sustainable brands.

You can also check out our TikTok to find some of my favourites, @oneulzine.

Rewear what you already own!

Finding new ways to style the clothes you already own is not only a fun activity for rediscovering pieces you forgot you had, but also reducing your consumption instead of buying new!

I hope this article has helped anyone wishing to expand their knowledge on why fast fashion is so bad, and what you can be doing to mitigate the effects on our planet and people.

Thank you for reading!

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Pictures are not mine unless stated otherwise