Why Is Fast Fashion Bad?
17 Jan 2024
"Fast fashion" sounds cheerful and fun. The concept of fast updating of the assortment of brands attracts potential buyers. What could be easier, more convenient, and, most importantly, cheaper for most shoppers? However, in the U.S., there has been a heated debate about the impact of "fast fashion" on society and the environment for the past year.
"Fast fashion is a drug for American society," fashion historian Natalie said. Natalie lectures at the Fashion Institute of Fashion and Technology in New York City, where she often discusses with students how their work will affect the economy, workers' rights, and the planet. "The textile industry is doing enormous damage to nature and destroying clean water supplies, and fast fashion is accelerating and making all these destructive processes habitual," she says.
Over the past few decades, we have seen fast fashion appear. The pressure on garment workers to produce more clothes at lower prices has intensified along with consumers' desire to follow fresh trends. Over the last 15 years, for example, global clothing production has doubled, while the average life span of clothing has fallen by 40%.
Fifty years ago, a woman could wear only two dresses for half her life - weekends and weekdays. And a man on holidays was a wedding suit, and the rest of the time, "conveyor" pants in a fine welt and a shirt with elementary ornaments. Everything changed when the concept of "fast fashion" or "fast fashion" broke into our everyday lives, implying accessibility and variety of closets. However, the mass production of fashionable clothing has led to other more serious problems for society. Let's discuss an important global topic: why is fast fashion bad?
"Fast fashion is a drug for American society," fashion historian Natalie said. Natalie lectures at the Fashion Institute of Fashion and Technology in New York City, where she often discusses with students how their work will affect the economy, workers' rights, and the planet. "The textile industry is doing enormous damage to nature and destroying clean water supplies, and fast fashion is accelerating and making all these destructive processes habitual," she says.
Over the past few decades, we have seen fast fashion appear. The pressure on garment workers to produce more clothes at lower prices has intensified along with consumers' desire to follow fresh trends. Over the last 15 years, for example, global clothing production has doubled, while the average life span of clothing has fallen by 40%.
Fifty years ago, a woman could wear only two dresses for half her life - weekends and weekdays. And a man on holidays was a wedding suit, and the rest of the time, "conveyor" pants in a fine welt and a shirt with elementary ornaments. Everything changed when the concept of "fast fashion" or "fast fashion" broke into our everyday lives, implying accessibility and variety of closets. However, the mass production of fashionable clothing has led to other more serious problems for society. Let's discuss an important global topic: why is fast fashion bad?
What's the Definition of Fast Fashion?
The working principle of fast fashion is based on the "rapid response method" and significantly cheapening and simplifying the original concept. The American Apparel Association developed the method in the early 1980s. They wanted to improve the production process by shortening the product's production time.
Fast fashion aims to create a product that is produced quickly and sold quickly due to affordability. The more frequently and quickly products are produced and delivered, the better they are sold, generating more revenue than if, for example, fewer clothes are produced but at a higher cost. Further, in a circle, the assortment is updated more often, and the number of visits of regular and potential customers is growing, which increases the probability of purchase, hence the company's income and production.
Fast fashion is a design, production, and marketing method focused on rapidly producing large volumes of clothing, shoes, and accessories. It is characterized by the repetition of trends and the use of low-quality materials, allowing customers to offer inexpensive models. Manufactured with meagre costs, the fashion industry has actively moved towards prohibitive consumption volumes. Unfortunately, this has a detrimental effect on the environment, factory workers, and, ultimately, the wallets of consumers. To better understand the problems of fast fashion, let us familiarize ourselves with the history of the trend.
Fast fashion aims to create a product that is produced quickly and sold quickly due to affordability. The more frequently and quickly products are produced and delivered, the better they are sold, generating more revenue than if, for example, fewer clothes are produced but at a higher cost. Further, in a circle, the assortment is updated more often, and the number of visits of regular and potential customers is growing, which increases the probability of purchase, hence the company's income and production.
Fast fashion is a design, production, and marketing method focused on rapidly producing large volumes of clothing, shoes, and accessories. It is characterized by the repetition of trends and the use of low-quality materials, allowing customers to offer inexpensive models. Manufactured with meagre costs, the fashion industry has actively moved towards prohibitive consumption volumes. Unfortunately, this has a detrimental effect on the environment, factory workers, and, ultimately, the wallets of consumers. To better understand the problems of fast fashion, let us familiarize ourselves with the history of the trend.
How Did Fast Fashion Grow?
At the beginning of the 20th century, most clothing was made at home or in small workshops. Everything began to change with the First World War, which brought new requirements for clothing: comfort and practicality of design, durability, and cheapness of fabrics. However, sewing clothes became more standardized only closer to World War II. For example, only in 1939 was the first attempt to introduce a size standard. In the post-war world, middle-class consumers became more loyal to buying mass-produced clothing. This is the beginning of fast fashion.
Until the mid-20th century, the fashion industry lived in a four-season year. The company produced two collections: fall/winter and spring/summer. Fashion designers worked ahead of the curve. They planned each season and predicted the styles they thought would be in trend. The systematic approach to work distanced designers from consumers. Fashion was accessible to high society. It was limited by strict rules that had to be followed.
Then, in the 1960s, young people rebelled and refused to accept the sartorial traditions of older generations. Women's fashion brands had to find ways to meet the growing demand for affordable clothing that made them stand out. Under this influence, the concept of "fast fashion" was born. This is when the first companies were founded, becoming the leaders of this trend. Initially, their founders owned only small stores, but eventually, their influence spread worldwide.
In the 1960s, one company's timely marketing campaign for paper clothing showed that consumers were ready for fast fashion. This led to an acceleration of the fashion industry and lower production costs. However, fast fashion reached a point of no return after a few decades. According to the Sunday Style Times, "the new trend was particularly evident in the popularity of boho-chic style in the mid-2000s."
Today, fast fashion brands release about 51 "micro-seasons" yearly or one "collection" a week. The practice has since taken root - stores always have a large stock of products, and brands don't have to worry about customers emptying all the shelves. By replicating streetwear and copying real-time fashion week trends, fast fashion companies create new coveted styles weekly, if not daily. The result is a huge amount of clothing produced and available to shoppers, and the variety ensures that the goods don't get boring and are always up to date.
Until the mid-20th century, the fashion industry lived in a four-season year. The company produced two collections: fall/winter and spring/summer. Fashion designers worked ahead of the curve. They planned each season and predicted the styles they thought would be in trend. The systematic approach to work distanced designers from consumers. Fashion was accessible to high society. It was limited by strict rules that had to be followed.
Then, in the 1960s, young people rebelled and refused to accept the sartorial traditions of older generations. Women's fashion brands had to find ways to meet the growing demand for affordable clothing that made them stand out. Under this influence, the concept of "fast fashion" was born. This is when the first companies were founded, becoming the leaders of this trend. Initially, their founders owned only small stores, but eventually, their influence spread worldwide.
In the 1960s, one company's timely marketing campaign for paper clothing showed that consumers were ready for fast fashion. This led to an acceleration of the fashion industry and lower production costs. However, fast fashion reached a point of no return after a few decades. According to the Sunday Style Times, "the new trend was particularly evident in the popularity of boho-chic style in the mid-2000s."
Today, fast fashion brands release about 51 "micro-seasons" yearly or one "collection" a week. The practice has since taken root - stores always have a large stock of products, and brands don't have to worry about customers emptying all the shelves. By replicating streetwear and copying real-time fashion week trends, fast fashion companies create new coveted styles weekly, if not daily. The result is a huge amount of clothing produced and available to shoppers, and the variety ensures that the goods don't get boring and are always up to date.
What Is the Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion?
Why is fast fashion bad? Because the impact of fast fashion on the planet is enormous. Many large companies, to cut costs and production time, use cheap toxic dyes for textiles, making the fashion industry one of the world's biggest polluters of clean water, on par with agriculture. For example, dumping toxic chemicals used to dye textiles has rendered major rivers, such as the Sitarum River in Indonesia and the Zhujiang River in China, uninhabitable and uninhabitable for fish. For this reason, Greenpeace has been pressuring brands for years to avoid using hazardous chemicals in their supply chains. Meanwhile, the speed of clothing production is causing textile landfills due to consumers buying and throwing away more clothes yearly.
Fast fashion clothing has a huge carbon footprint and a relatively short lifespan. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global CO2 emissions. This is more than pollution from air travel and shipping. In 2018, the global clothing and footwear industry produced more greenhouse gases than France, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined. Namely 2.1 billion tons of CO2. Polyester production emits more than 700 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, and the annual level could reach 1.5 billion by 2030.
Polyester is one of the most common synthetic fabrics used for fast fashion clothing because of its low cost. This synthetic fibre is petroleum-based and is made from carbon-intensive, non-renewable resources. Over 70 million barrels of oil⁴ are used to produce polyester each year. Polyester production has a huge negative impact on the environment, and the fabric itself is not biodegradable. After use, it will take about 200 more years to decompose in landfills.
Fast fashion hurts the environment:
- by excessive use of water
- microfiber use
- greenhouse gas emissions
- deforestation
- toxins
Fast fashion clothing has a huge carbon footprint and a relatively short lifespan. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global CO2 emissions. This is more than pollution from air travel and shipping. In 2018, the global clothing and footwear industry produced more greenhouse gases than France, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined. Namely 2.1 billion tons of CO2. Polyester production emits more than 700 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, and the annual level could reach 1.5 billion by 2030.
Polyester is one of the most common synthetic fabrics used for fast fashion clothing because of its low cost. This synthetic fibre is petroleum-based and is made from carbon-intensive, non-renewable resources. Over 70 million barrels of oil⁴ are used to produce polyester each year. Polyester production has a huge negative impact on the environment, and the fabric itself is not biodegradable. After use, it will take about 200 more years to decompose in landfills.
Fast fashion hurts the environment:
- by excessive use of water
- microfiber use
- greenhouse gas emissions
- deforestation
- toxins
How Does Fast Fashion Affect People?
Fast fashion encourages us to consume more as if to say that if you want to stay relevant, you have to wear the latest looks as they come out. Why is fast fashion bad for people? In addition to the negative environmental impact, fast fashion affects consumers and garment workers. Harmful chemicals such as benzothiazole (linked to the occurrence of several cancers and respiratory diseases) have been found in materials on the current market. Human skin is the largest part of our body. Wearing clothes made of harmful fabrics is dangerous to our health.
Consumers and workers in factories, countries, and cities where factories are located suffer the bad impact of fast fashion. According to the survey, traditional textile dyeing often releases heavy materials and other toxic substances into local water systems that can adversely affect the health of animals and nearby residents.
Exposure to chemicals means that garment workers' health is always at risk. The picture becomes even more threatening when overtime, unfair wages, poor working conditions, and even physical abuse are taken into consideration. Many are familiar with the news about sweatshops, but this is just one of many fast fashion brands violating human rights for profit.
Consumers and workers in factories, countries, and cities where factories are located suffer the bad impact of fast fashion. According to the survey, traditional textile dyeing often releases heavy materials and other toxic substances into local water systems that can adversely affect the health of animals and nearby residents.
Exposure to chemicals means that garment workers' health is always at risk. The picture becomes even more threatening when overtime, unfair wages, poor working conditions, and even physical abuse are taken into consideration. Many are familiar with the news about sweatshops, but this is just one of many fast fashion brands violating human rights for profit.
How Can You Avoid Fast Fashion?
Second-hand shopping is great. However, the biggest takeaway about the impact of fast fashion is that our dependence on trends has brought the world's ecology to bad times. Environmental experts advise you to take care of your clothes by transforming and modernizing them until they wear out, and then take care to recycle them thoroughly.
Another popular strategy among fast fashion brands is buyback and rental programs that extend the life cycle of clothing before it ends up in a landfill. Unfortunately, not a large percentage of apparel companies have implemented such a scheme of operation yet.
One thing is clear: the problem exists, and we, ordinary consumers, can not contribute much to the solution to the world problem by buying clothes less often or wearing the existing closet longer. Everyone knows that demand gives birth to supply, and if demand starts to fall, the manufacturers will move to a lower work capacity.
The philosophy of speed and availability of clothing, dictated by fast fashion, has met with a worthy response. And both on the part of environmentally conscious consumers and fashion houses. In the first case, we can discuss ideas based on reducing the speed of style change and increasing the eco-friendliness of clothing. For example, sustainable fashion emphasizes increasing the culture of consumption. On its limitation, reducing the rate of turnover of textiles along with an increase in the quality of clothing and accessories. Separately, we can distinguish slow fashion. It highly appreciates handmade things, their reliability, and environmental friendliness.
Regarding notable design trends, it is impossible to ignore capsule fashion and luxury minimalism. The first overcomes fast fashion with combinatorics and practicality. Let's say that there are only ten clothing items in your closet. But all of them are combined and create a hundred different images. And in luxury minimalism, quality and durability come first. Perfect cut, natural fabrics, calm tones, and clearly defined details - this cannot be cheapened or quickly produced. Consequently, it is also unprofitable to copy such things. Moreover, it is much more difficult to diversify and regularly update the assortment of things with clearly defined, concise lines than clothes and accessories with shouting accents.
Another popular strategy among fast fashion brands is buyback and rental programs that extend the life cycle of clothing before it ends up in a landfill. Unfortunately, not a large percentage of apparel companies have implemented such a scheme of operation yet.
One thing is clear: the problem exists, and we, ordinary consumers, can not contribute much to the solution to the world problem by buying clothes less often or wearing the existing closet longer. Everyone knows that demand gives birth to supply, and if demand starts to fall, the manufacturers will move to a lower work capacity.
The philosophy of speed and availability of clothing, dictated by fast fashion, has met with a worthy response. And both on the part of environmentally conscious consumers and fashion houses. In the first case, we can discuss ideas based on reducing the speed of style change and increasing the eco-friendliness of clothing. For example, sustainable fashion emphasizes increasing the culture of consumption. On its limitation, reducing the rate of turnover of textiles along with an increase in the quality of clothing and accessories. Separately, we can distinguish slow fashion. It highly appreciates handmade things, their reliability, and environmental friendliness.
Regarding notable design trends, it is impossible to ignore capsule fashion and luxury minimalism. The first overcomes fast fashion with combinatorics and practicality. Let's say that there are only ten clothing items in your closet. But all of them are combined and create a hundred different images. And in luxury minimalism, quality and durability come first. Perfect cut, natural fabrics, calm tones, and clearly defined details - this cannot be cheapened or quickly produced. Consequently, it is also unprofitable to copy such things. Moreover, it is much more difficult to diversify and regularly update the assortment of things with clearly defined, concise lines than clothes and accessories with shouting accents.
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