It’s 2017 and we are in desperate need of a fashion revolution. In the past ten years, we have been introduced to Fast Fashion, a form of mass production. Fast fashion takes trends and styles from the runway and gets it into retail stores like Forever 21,H&M, and ZARA in a very short amount of time. These stores then proceed to sell the items for super low prices. However, buying such cheap clothing is one of our biggest mistakes as a society.
The fashion industry has earned the title of the second “dirtiest” industry out there. The environmental damage that fast fashion is causing is beyond belief. Textiles were not made to end up in landfills, however, every year millions of tons are found in our landfills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 15.1 million tons of textile waste was generated in 2013, of which 12.8 million tons were discarded. Currently, the rate of disposal does not keep up with the ability of the places where the waste can go.
The fast fashion industry is exploiting its overseas workers beyond belief. On April 24, 2013, a total of 1,134 people were killed and over 2,500 were injured when the Rana Plaza complex collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. However, These accidents could have been prevented. Factory workers are working in some of the unsafest places. Many of these factories don’t have emergency stairs or exits, and some even lack fire extinguishers. These live saving resources are removed to cut down on factory costs.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Former child factory worker and founder of the Awaj Foundation Nazma Akter said,”Since the disaster, employees have to work harder. They have higher production targets. If they cannot fulfil them they have to work extra hours but with no overtime. It is very tough; they cannot go for toilet breaks or to drink water. They become sick. They are getting the minimum wage as per legal requirements but they are not getting a living wage.”
Rapid production of clothing is hurting the fashion industry. Forever 21, Zara, and H&M are making over 10,000 pieces every year. A boutique designer would only produce 50-100 pieces per year. Fast fashion has led to not only a lack of authenticity, but also terrible lack of quality in production. CEO of fast fashion store, Topshop, Phillip Green said, “Designers and consumers should stop the rapid production and pause for a breath now and then so fashion has a chance to become more timeless and less in one month, out the other.”
While shopping fast fashion can be extremely budget friendly, it is not the only option. These stores are selling clothes ranging anywhere from $1-$50, making it appealing to everyone.
However, there are many ways to find ethically made clothes and stay in budget. Thrift stores and secondhand stores are a great way to go. They may be selling fast fashion brands, but it is better to buy at these shops because instead of having the clothing unnecessarily end up in landfills, they’re getting a new home! You may also be able to find some pre-loved ethically made goods there.
Project Just is a website that allows you to search the name of stores to see if they create ethically made clothes. There are many stores like Reformation, Ethica, and Alternative Apparel that sell ethically made items. While they are (a lot) more pricey than fast fashion stores, shopping from there will definitely be worth the investment.
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