The revival of Y2K and the “Alt” style trends have recently taken the world by storm. Thanks to new social media platforms, the demand for these pieces has increased exponentially, but as quickly as the trends began, the sooner they ended. This phenomenon is known as fast fashion, and clothing companies such as ZARA, Shien, Princess Polly, Forever 21, and H&M are notorious for producing fast fashion clothing. However, the rise in fast fashion has led to many unintended consequences.
Social media platforms such as TikTok and Pinterest have caused fashion trends to spread at fast rates, with many people commenting on posts saying, “Where did you get that outfit” or “Outfit details pls.” The demand for these pieces increases, resulting in companies jumping onto the bandwagon and producing these items. However, the demand for these pieces dies down due to trends constantly circulating in and out at such a fast pace, leaving the companies with a surplus of items. Many consumers fail to ask whether the clothing items were ethically produced because of how cheap the item was and their fixation on the next new fashion trend.
In conjunction with the wasteful excess of clothing produced, most fast fashion companies use child or underpaid labor to quickly and cheaply produce items. In an investigation into Shein, the $15 billion worth fast fashion company, found that “Several employees across six sites in Guangzhou were Ronfound to be working 75-hour weeks and clocked three shifts per day, often with only one day off a month.” In a report by Swiss advocacy group, Public Eye, interviewed Zuzu, a 16-year-old girl, about her job at an H&M factory and stated, “They employed anyone who wanted to work.” Zuzu, herself, was hired only at 12 years old. Additionally, fast fashion companies are blatantly abusing employees’ rights and causing major health issues. According to a BNR report regarding Zara, “The brand has been linked to forced labor camps in China, and its workers in Brazil are also subjected to inadequate working conditions.” These companies are abusing employees’ rights to create trendy pieces that are low quality and quickly made, just to maximize profits for the company.
Not only do fast fashion companies violate human rights, but they also pollute the environment at staggering rates. Many fast fashion companies overproduce pieces of clothing that are trending at the moment to generate as much revenue as possible. Trendy items have caused companies to over produce in order to match demand. The trends quickly fade away, but the clothing stays; many companies overproduce by 30-40% per season, according to Platform E. Companies, leading companies to either place the extra clothing in storage or donate them. Due to the decrease in the quality of fast fashion clothing, only 20% are bought, according to Goodwill statistics. The leftover 80% are thrown away and taken to the landfill. This increase in clothing produced leads to a rise in the waste in landfill and pollution in the air and water, further polluting our planet. According to the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP), fast fashion companies are responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions and are the world’s second-largest consumer of water.
To counteract this, instead of shopping online with what is temporarily trending, consider whether or not the piece will be your style and still viable to wear in 20 years, which is when trends typically resurface. Many people keep clothing instead of donating it, so when the 20-year cycle hits and the pieces are inevitably back in style, you’ll be ready. Another option is thrift stores, which offer a great alternative to fast fashion. This is where items that come back into style can be found for a lot cheaper and better quality; all they need is some TLC.
When the next trend inevitably has us all in a chokehold, instead of promoting these fast fashion companies, H&Maybe think about other alternatives.