The Price of Fast Fashion
My journey
Quarantine, along with many other things, was a time of projects for people. I took that time to educate myself on the impact my life has on the world. In doing so, I was able to research the footprint my consumerism leaves behind. As most people in my life could attest to, I am a marketer's dream! If something can be personalized, designed to have a specific job, or presented in an enticing and cute way - I’m in! Beginning in 2020, I reflected on how I viewed ‘needing’ something, and embraced the Maria Kondo mindset of “Does it spark joy?” In doing that, I was able to become a much simpler and intentional consumer.
Admittedly, I can still fall into the trap of thinking I need that new and trendy top, or the budget friendly jeans for $15. However, I’ve reframed how I think about those items, and the people at each stage of producing items like that. With brands like Zara, Shein, and H&M distributing new styles everyday, it can be challenging for me to resist the temptation.
Why is fast fashion so bad?
So why is fast fashion such a big deal? When thinking about the production fashion, it may seem like producing trendy items at a large volume isn’t a big deal. However, when you break down what goes into fast fashion, you’ll see harm in every stage of production.
If you ask most people, they’d say that they want people to be fairly treated, compensated for the work they do, and provided with safe working conditions.The truth is, those things don’t exist in fast fashion. These facilities are polluting our planet, exploiting workers, and harming animals. Fast fashion also encourages us to maximize consumerism by buying large quantities, and throwing away clothes after minimal wear.
What Can We Do?
As consumers, we can prioritize ‘shopping our own closet.’ For example, people can repurpose old items by styling them differently and buy second hand. Another option is to choose high-quality garments made fairtrade. There are numerous fairtrade certified brands that meet standards of fair compensation and production of goods. A go-to resource for me is the Good On You app. I downloaded this app on my phone, and it has been a game changer! I am able to look up brands in real time to know what standards they are meeting regarding labor, environmental impact, and animal welfare.
Progress over Perfection
I chose this topic for the blog, not to shame or guilt consumers, but to educate them on the steps they can take to be a more ethical consumer. It’s not about never making mistakes when buying items, but trying to be aware of the impact we have on the world. People may think ‘What difference does one person make?’ but I truly believe that every individual adds to the mission of making the world a better place.
