What Is Fast Fashion, Anyway?

Let's Define Fast Fashion—And Talk over Why We Need To Slow Down

"Fast fashion" is a buzz phrase in the sustainability world. Simply what does this term really mean? And as we keep to encourage the manufacture to move towards a more sustainable and ethical hereafter, information technology's helpful to know what we're up against.

Fast way is a design, manufacturing, and marketing method focused on quickly producing loftier volumes of clothing. Garment production utilizes trend replication and low-quality materials (like constructed fabrics) in order to bring inexpensive styles to the public. These cheaply fabricated, trendy pieces have resulted in an manufacture-wide movement towards overwhelming amounts of consumption. Unfortunately, this results in harmful impacts on the surround, garment workers, and, ultimately, consumers' wallets.

But to better understand and ascertain fast fashion, let's first familiarize ourselves with the movement's history and context.

The History of Fast Fashion

Upward until the mid-twentieth century, the fashion industry ran on four seasons a twelvemonth: fall, winter, spring, and summer. Designers would piece of work many months alee to programme for each season and predict the styles they believed customers would want. This method, although more methodical than manner today, took away agency from the wearers. Before fashion became attainable to the masses, it was prescribed to loftier society, and in that location were rules to exist followed.

It wasn't until the 1960s that a well-timed marketing campaign for paper clothes proved consumers were ready for the fast fashion trend. This resulted in the fashion manufacture quickening its pace and lowering costs.

"It's been customary for stores to have a towering supply of stock at all times, so brands don't take to worry about running out of clothes."

However, information technology wasn't until a few decades subsequently, when fast fashion reached a point of no return. According to the Lord's day Manner Times, "It peculiarly came to the fore during the faddy for 'boho chic' in the mid-2000s."

Nowadays, fast fashion brands produce about 52 "micro-seasons" a yr—or one new "collection" a calendar week. According to author Elizabeth Cline, this started when Zara shifted to bi-weekly deliveries of new merchandise in the early on aughts. Since so, information technology's been customary for stores to have a towering supply of stock at all times, and then brands don't have to worry about running out of clothes. Past replicating streetwear and way calendar week trends every bit they appear in real-fourth dimension, these companies tin create new, desirable styles weekly, if not daily. The brands and then take massive amounts of wearable and can ensure that customers never tire of inventory.

While brands similar H&M, Topshop, and Zara have been the burden of overproduction complaints, fifty-fifty luxury brands measure growth by increasing product. According to Fast Company, "apparel companies brand 53 one thousand thousand tons of wearing apparel into the world annually," and the amount has surely increased since the article's original release in 2019. "If the industry keeps up its exponential pace of growth, it is expected to attain 160 meg tons by 2050."

Is Fast Fashion Bad?

Many people debate what came offset: the desire for fresh looks at an alarming rate or the industry's meridian players convincing us that we're behind trends as soon as we see them being worn. Information technology's hard to say, but in that location is no doubt that we thirst for the "adjacent best matter" every day of our consumer-driven lives. ("10 Things I Hate About You," anyone?)

All the same, with this increased rate of production and questionable supply bondage, corners are inevitably cut. Clothing is made in a rushed manner, and brands are selling severely depression-quality merchandise. There isn't enough time for quality control or to make certain a shirt has the right amount of buttons—not when at that place is extreme urgency to go habiliment to the masses.

The fast-mode manufacturing process leaves a lot to exist desired, and pieces are frequently thrown abroad after no more a few wears. The same urgency that throws quality out the window as well keeps the costs of these garments incredibly low. Companies like Topshop and Fashion Nova are greatly concerned with their bottom line and are banking on the "sea of clothing" they churn out for profit.

These brands earn millions of dollars while selling pieces cheaply because of the sheer number of items they sell, no matter the price or markup. And garment workers are undoubtedly being paid well below the minimum wage. In the documentary "The True Cost," author and journalist Lucy Siegle summed it up perfectly: "Fast fashion isn't free. Someone, somewhere is paying."

"Fast mode isn't free. Someone, somewhere is paying."
— Lucy Siegle

Moral lines become blurred, still, when factoring in how much more accessible and size-inclusive fast mode can exist. Ethical fashion advocates accept worked hard to unpack this complicated narrative, just the cost and sectional-sizing are still barriers for many.

The Human & Environmental Touch of Fast Fashion

All of the elements of fast style—trend replication, rapid production, low quality, competitive pricing—have a detrimental impact on the planet and the people involved in garment production.

Brands like Boohoo, for example, use toxic chemicals, dangerous dyes, and constructed fabrics that seep into water supplies, and, each year, 11 million tons of wear is thrown out in the U.s. alone. These garments—full of lead, pesticides, and countless other chemicals—rarely break down. Instead, they sit in landfills, releasing toxins into the air. Fast fashion'due south carbon footprint gives industries like air travel and oil a run for their money.

"Many of us are familiar with the news about Nike sweatshops, only they're just ane of the many fast fashion brands violating homo rights for the sake of fashion."

In addition to environmental impact, fast fashion affects the health of consumers and garment workers. Harmful chemicals such as benzothiazole—linked to several types of cancer and respiratory illnesses—have been found in wearing apparel on the market today. Equally our peel is the largest organ of the torso, wearing these poorly fabricated clothes can be dangerous to our wellness.

This danger only increases in factories, towns, and homes where fast manner is made. For example, according to the Environmental Health Journal, conventional fabric dyeing frequently releases "heavy metals and other toxicants that can adversely impact the health of animals in addition to nearby residents" into local water systems.

The health of garment workers is always in jeopardy through exposure to these chemicals. And that doesn't fifty-fifty take into business relationship the long hours, unfair wages, lack of resource, and fifty-fifty physical abuse. Many of u.s.a. are familiar with the news about Nike sweatshops, merely they're just ane of the many fast manner brands violating human rights for the sake of fashion. The people who make our clothes are underpaid, underfed, and pushed to their limits considering at that place are few other options. Instead, nosotros tin proactively support garment workers and fight for better weather and wages.

The Ascension of Tiresome Fashion

"It'due south encouraging to know that there are brands, communities, and individuals out there fighting for the planet and the safety of garment workers."

Although the manner industry as a whole is guilty of committing many crimes against people and the environment, it is most axiomatic when it comes to fast manner. Lodge'southward obsession with consumerism may make it hard to quit, only amend options are out in that location.

Slow fashion offers an alternative, with mindful manufacturing (sometimes including vertically integrated and in-firm production), fair labor rights, natural materials, and lasting garments. Information technology'south encouraging to know that there are brands, communities, and individuals out there fighting for the planet and the safe of garment workers.

By buying garments from responsible brands, speaking upwards for social responsibleness and accountability, and going through secondhand shops, we can ensure agency and that we're advocating for the environment and others.

Audrey Stanton  was born and raised in the Bay Expanse and is currently based in Los Angeles. She works every bit a freelance writer and has an exciting venture of her ain in the works! Audrey hopes to keep to spread awareness of ethical consumption.

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