Fast Fashion – How it Affects our Planet

Fast fashion has been around for years: it’s the cheap, inexpensive clothing, mass produced by retailers to keep up with everchanging latest trends. A lot of times they sample ideas from celebrity culture at the split second to meet consumer demand. Some of your favorite stores like H&M, Zara, Forever 21 and Shein are popular fast fashion brands, and although it’s affordable for teens, fast fashion isn’t helping the already declining environment.

Defined by a student at MHS, Vaidehi,. “Fast fashion is kind of like, Shein and all that… where stuff ends up in the garbage,” 

Oftentimes the clothes that are being bought in thrift stores are ones that have been cycled through by consumers.

 An article by Cory Rosenburg called, “The clothes you donate don’t always end up on people’s backs,” says, “Only close to 20 percent of Americans’ clothing that goes to consignment shops and thrift stores are sold to consumers. The clothes that aren’t sold, end up in landfills.” 

The sustainable fashion movement, or slow fashion, is eco friendly, lasting, ethical fashion that not only benefits the earth overall, but it benefits you in the long run as well. 

By shopping consciously, mixing and matching with clothes you already own, upcycling, mending your clothes, you save time, and money. You reduce waste, and exposure of toxic chemicals (State of Chemicals).

Fast fashion is just as easy to buy sustainable clothing as it is to buy fast fashion; all you have to do is look up ‘fast fashion alternatives’. Even better, you don’t have to buy anything new to support the sustainable fashion movement. All you have to do is maximize the clothing you already have. 

According to a “Teen Vogue” article, Bella Hadid herself promoted fast fashion, after posting a picture on Instagram on November 30th, 2020 with a sleek green maxi dress, and posted a link for her followers to buy a similar dress that was $16.99. This caused controversy, a tweet stating, “Celebrities can afford to shop ethically, it’s irresponsible for them to promote fast fashion on their huge social media platforms.” This is a popular opinion among students as well, who agree people with high income shouldn’t be buying fast fashion. 

“Slow fashion is about consuming and creating fashion consciously and with integrity. It connects social and environmental awareness and responsibility with the pleasure of wearing beautiful, well-made, and lasting clothing (as compared to the immediate gratification of fast fashion).” Says, Kat Collings