Fast Fashion: What it is and Isn’t
History and Issues
Clothes and fashion are a regular part of most people’s routine to dress for the day. Many of those people put thought into their outfits and dress for the occasion of the day, some just throw on the first thing they see. However, do people know where their clothes come from and how they’re made? Where they are made? There some people who wear clothes every day without a second thought into their origin and without a second thought to where they end up after their usage is done. So while getting dressed may be a routine, there is so much history behind fashion and its effects on our environments across the globe. To begin, we will discuss the history of clothes and how fast fashion became the norm. Fast fashion seemed to begin with Zara, in the 90s. According to Bhardwaj and Fairhurst fast fashion,” …order to increase the variety of fashion apparel in the market, the concept of adding more phases to the existing seasons (that is, the period during which fashion products are sold) in a fashion calendar came into existence.”. Essentially, companies want to gain more by outsourcing their work for cheap labor, and then sell these clothes at cheaper prices. They also produce their clothes with cheaper materials and fabrics. It helped fuel economic growth. However, it is negatively affecting people and the environment. Fast fashion is easily disposable due to the cheap price and material. It is also in high demand because people want obtainable and affordable trendy pieces for fashion. These companies provide an endless amount for anybody to purchase. “Impact of Influencers in Consumer Decision Process: the Fashion Industry” by Sudha and Sheena, argues that influencers are a form of a marketing ploy by researching the decision-making process of consumers. They conduct research, the decision-making process, and what has the greatest influence on consumer’s decisions. They use models and how people go through decision-making to buy fashion. They recognize that digital media is one of the more efficient ways for promotion due to accessibility. Fast fashion has been around for a while but has been gaining even more traction these last few years due to social media and influencers.
While the fast fashion industry is doing very well for many years now, there is an alarmingly dangerous effect on our environment. The environmental effect should not be ignored. As stated by Niinimäki, Kirsi, et al., the industry wastes 44 trillion liters of water annually for irrigation, causes water pollution, 10% of the global greenhouse gas emissions, and 15% of fabric wasted during production. Niinimäki et al. claim,” …cotton has the highest water footprint of any fashion fibre.” Not only do they waste water, but they waste local water supply for different communities that manufacture the clothes. Then, some of the chemicals that are used, pollute the whole ecosystem. Through every step of the process of making clothes, there is a sinister effect on the environment, communities, and people; from cultivating fabrics, to manufacturing clothes, to exporting the products, and then to consumers constantly disposing of these clothes. Every step of the way to have clothes on our bodies is affecting our planet and the people who inhabit it.
A question that must be asked is, who makes these clothes? Production of fashion had usually been done for every season, which is four times a year. Now, there is a high production of clothes for dozens to even hundreds of seasons. These clothes are produced with cheap labor by factory workers, in different countries. Companies outsource their work or products to produce their clothes for a cheap cost, with cheap fabric. Factory workers work in poor, dangerous conditions with a non-livable wage. Companies exploit them because they know that people are willing to work to support their families in any way. They are not paid a living wage, and even children will work in these factories. The documentary, The True Cost, reveals the mistreatment of workers and the terrible working conditions (7:30). The film shows how workers and farmers are exploited for this industry. A factory collapsed in Bangladesh and killed 1,134 people. They were ordered to evacuate; however, the factory owner ignored those warnings to continue the work. However, the factory owners were pressured by companies to get these clothes out of production quickly. These people risk their lives to afford basic necessities in life. So, while the industry is providing cheap and trendy clothing in other countries, it is hurting and killing the people who make or provide for it.
Now, after clothes distribute across the globe, the problems don’t end with the production of clothes. Approximately 60% of clothes produced are disposed of, however, about 15% of the clothes are recycled. While some of the clothes were recycled about 1.1 billion tons were lost during the whole process. Even through the process of washing clothes shed microfibers, according to Associated Press. These come from synthetic clothing, like most work-out clothes. These tiny things were found in surrounding waters around the U.S. Which means it contaminates our waters and even affects our marine life. People dispose of clothes easily due to the cheap cost. It is part of the business, so consumers can constantly buy more and more clothes. Which in turn cause more and more pollution waste. It is a viscous cycle.
However, there is hope…
The industry as a whole should be recognized and addressed. the production of clothes has cost people their lives, pays a non-livable wage, and affects different communities across the globe with clothing pollutants. This is a hidden issue, a huge issue. There have been different solutions to this problem: from recycling and reusing old clothes, to thrifting, and implementing more sustainable processes and fabric to produce clothes. Some ideas are proposed by those who have observed and written about the problem. For example, In “the haul video trend promotes the worst parts of fast-fashion”, by Jake Hall provides a solution; to find influencers who encourage sustainable fashion or thrifting through digital platforms, so they can reach thousands and even millions to make a change. This point is a reality to me. I first discovered sustainable fashion and how thrifting is a better option for the environment through the digital video platform, Youtube. These videos kickstarted my journey into fast fashion and sustainable fashion. However, people must be willing to do the research and learn how fast fashion is bad for not only the environment but for people, too. There have been many ideas and ways that people have been trying to make a change. In another way, according to Bick et al, the solutions include policies and sustainability. However, to achieve goals to protect workers and the environment, it is up to the consumer to support and see these solutions through. Consumers need to be aware of the issue, and companies need to be held accountable. These companies market as clothes as disposable and sell them for cheap prices, their role in this problem is the root because they only care about profit. Workers need protection against harsh conditions, paid livable wages, and the industry needs to become sustainable and ethical. Sustainable brands take action through accountability and finding more ethical and sustainable ways to produce their clothes. They report on how much they waste on each fabric and show how they reduce it through-out the years. So, there are many different solutions to this environmental issue.
However, fast fashion is still an issue because companies make huge profits and the clothes are cheap and easily disposable due to the cheapness. Companies will do anything to make a huge profit and make consumers spend more, even while exploiting foreign workers to work cheap labor. Ultimately, these companies are making the some of the biggest contribution to Earth’s pollution and different communities across the globe. We need to recognize all the issues before production, during production, and post-production to completely understand the issue and tackle it. So, consumers need to do what they can but also hold these companies responsible for their role in damaging the environment.
References
Bick, Rachel, et al. The Global Environmental Injustice of Fast Fashion, Environmental Health, 27 Dec. 2018, link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12940–018–0433–7#citeas.
“Fast Fashion: Response to Changes in the Fashion Industry.” Taylor & Francis, 18 Feb. 2010, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09593960903498300?casa_token=T5JzxzuegV0AAAAA%3AgaIZUoUhmG7g0MoVCcqSGQDBiqMv94Orkvl6vd8ixFzn8GYVUenKQxEyVS_20dU-s0klJlz7o8s_xA.
Hall, Jake. “The Haul Video Trend Promotes the Worst Parts of Fast-Fashion.” i-D Vice, Vice, 21 June 2018, i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/xwm39w/heres-why-haul-videos-need-to-change.
M, Sudha, and Sheena K. “Impact of Influencers in Consumer Decision Process: the Fashion Industry.” Https://Search.proquest.com/Docview/2232623787/Abstract/64269E101E2B4B89PQ/1?Accountid=7118, SMC Journal of Indian Management, search.proquest.com/docview/2232623787/abstract/64269E101E2B4B89PQ/1?accountid=7118.
Morgan , Andrew, director. The True Cost, Life Is My Movie, 2015.
Niinimäki, Kirsi, et al. “The Environmental Price of Fast Fashion.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 7 Apr. 2020, www.nature.com/articles/s43017-020-0039-9).
Press, Associated. “Yoga Pants Are Destroying the Earth.” New York Post, New York Post, 26 July 2017, nypost.com/2017/03/15/yoga-pants-are-destroying-the-earth/.
Zaman, Munir Uz, and Agence France-Presse. “A Report Blamed the Mayor for Wrongly Granting Construction Approvals and Recommended Charges for the Rana Plaza Building’s Owner.” The New York Times, 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/world/asia/report-on-bangladesh-building-collapse-finds-widespread-blame.html.
