So, what is fast fashion? It is mass produced, cheap clothing, made specifically for current trends. It started after the industrial revolution in response to the creation of sweatshops. It has a long history of exploitation and environmental harm. In fact, the first sweatshop disaster on March 25, 1911, killed 146 workers. This was the first incident of a long and dark exploitative industry that has cost thousands of lives and our planet to this day.

Fast fashion nowadays follows trends that are seen in the high fashion world. However, now, fast fashion brands have new collections almost every week, meaning the amount of waste has increased. Typically, fashion follows a twenty-year cycle. It starts with the introduction of the product, which usually happens in high fashion runways. Then begins its rise in popularity. This is when fast fashion brands tend to copy designs seen on runways for the average customer, causing the peak of the trend. Most high fashion brands stop continuing their product at this stage because of the number of fast fashion companies that have copied their designs. It has lost its exclusivity and is now mass-produced. Trends eventually decline, which tends to be because of its oversaturation in the market. It’s inevitable- people get bored of seeing the same thing repeatedly, especially when it is exacerbated by social media. Finally, the trend is deemed obsolete by the masses in the obsolescence stage. This is when attention is brought to some other fad, and the trend eventually goes out of style. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be out of style forever. In fact, nowadays with fast fashion, trends seem to be coming back quicker and quicker. This means that clothing waste is at an all-time high.

One example of a fashion trend being revived would be our current fashion now. The revival of trends like flare pants, and UGGs is reminiscent for a good reason. It’s been 20 years since the 2000’s, meaning it’s time to revamp. However other trends are also rising in popularity. According to Frieda Teater-Mandujano, pajama pants are the most popular at Interlake. This can be attributed to the rise of cozy fashion during the pandemic. But, with social media, trend cycles are becoming shorter and shorter. It is becoming much more common to buy a piece of clothing just to wear it once and then dispose of it. This has led to the rise of multiple trending items at once.

This is problematic because the labor used for the creation of this clothing is often children who are underpaid and work in terrible conditions. Additionally, since the cost of labor is so cheap, so is the quality of clothing. This has made it normal for people to dispose of their clothing after just one wear. This means that landfills are overflowing. Also, dye is often found in water sources for many communities because there aren’t proper waste resources. This not only impacts communities but also future generations. Furthermore, the amount of water and carbon dioxide it takes to create just one article of clothing, like a pair of jeans, is incredibly high. It takes about 1,800 gallons of water to produce a pair of jeans. Due to this, climate change is steadily increasing because of our disregard for the clothes that we are wearing.

Some alternatives to reduce waste are buying less clothes, shopping second hand, shopping from sustainable clothing brands, and upcycling old clothes. However, there is an elitist culture surrounding sustainable clothing and the prices tend to be out of reach for many. This perpetuates classism that is prevalent within the fashion world, causing consumers to gravitate toward fast fashion. Additionally, with the culture surrounding social media, people have a fear of being left out which causes them to buy new clothes to keep up with the current style. There needs to be a reformation within the very fabric of the fashion world.

Some brands have been doing this through their runways. One example would be AVAVAV’s fall/spring 2023 collection. On this runway, models ‘clothes fell apart in a mockery of fast fashion. Their clothes were ripped off and at the end when the designer went out to take her bow, the wall behind her fell. This was a comment on how temporary and unpolished fast fashion is. Clothing falls apart right before your very eyes, representing the increasing waste that is harming our planet.

Another way that the fashion world is changing is through sustainable clothing. Sustainably and ethically made clothing is meant to last, which is one of the reasons it is so expensive. Also, with thrifting becoming more and more popular many stores are hiking up their prices. Some argue that thrifting is only for underprivileged people and it’s wrong to buy clothes that other people might need. However, that isn’t true. Thrift stores put tons of clothes in the land fill because no one is buying their product. This is like many fast fashion brands and high fashion brands alike. In fact, some brands burn their unused stock which is incredibly harmful for the environment. They do this because recycling facilities are expensive, and they refuse to spend the extra money on the environment. They also do this to stop competitors from reselling their stock for a cheaper price causing the brand to lose money.

With all this in mind, sustainable fashion and secondhand shopping are still much better options than fast fashion. They have far less of an impact on the environment and help many underprivileged exploited communities. Fast fashion is a multi-faceted issue that has arisen because of many factors like our technological development. It impacts people, the planet, and current generations. Do your part to help prevent the spread of fast fashion by upcycling old clothes, buying second hand, buying less often, and doing research on where you buy your clothing. By shopping sustainably, you are doing your part in keeping our planet usable for future generations.