How You Can Help Stop Fast Fashion
What Exactly is Fast Fashion?
Fast fashion typically refers to a brand that uses products that aren’t recycled and have a wide, fast-changing variety of clothing. The fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to waste production.
The funny thing is, there’s plenty of places to shop that aren’t considered fast fashion. There are also ways you as the everyday consumer can stop contributing to the spread of fast fashion.
How to spot Fast Fashion?
The best way to spot a place that contributes to fast fashion is by watching the prices and how quickly what’re available changes. They sell cheap clothing that changes quickly to adapt to trends. For example, Forever 21 is one of the more popular ones people tend to think of.
Fast fashion has a certain sort of trickle-down effect. It starts with having to create new materials, like fabric and fasteners. They have to first source these materials, which typically tend to be made of cheap sources like plastics. They usually use cheap labor, often overseas to put the piece together. Then it’s shipped and often sold at low prices in stores with a wide range of locations.
Because it stems from trends, it can quickly move from catwalk to store and then out of style within as little as a few months. Think about trends from a few years ago. You don’t see nearly as many chokers and cut-out shoulder tops as you did in 2016. Where did they go? Many were thrown out or they were donated and then later thrown out. It drives a consumer to believe that clothing is meant for a limited time and not meant to last forever.
It’s very poor for the environment, between the product materials and the worldwide shipping. It’s one of the largest contributors to landfills. In fact, New York state tosses over a billion pounds of clothing every year.
NERC, or the Northeast Recycling Company, is a recycling agency out of Vermont that sees the effect of fast fashion. They describe it as,
"Textiles are the second largest polluting industry in the world after oil and gas. Pesticides used to grow cotton, toxics in dyes, and energy-intensive manufacturing creates a whopping impact on the environment and public health...Eighty-three percent of used textiles are disposed of in the garbage, even though the majority of these items can be donated for reuse and recycling. Even items that are worn and torn can be reused as rags and insulation."
How can we help stop Fast Fashion?
There’s a number of ways you can stop contributing to fast fashion:
1. Donate Your Clothing
Donating your clothing saves it from the trash and therefore, from the landfills. This is also great for the community, for those who can’t afford brand new clothing all the time. There are both consignment shops that’ll pay for your used clothing and thrift stores in poorer communities where you can donate your clothing. Plato’s Closet and the Salvation Army are examples of each.
2. Find Places That Sell Sustainable Products
There are companies all over the place that pride themselves on their sustainability. They often use recycled materials to create their clothing. Even better, their often small business. Etsy is filled with people who make cute, sustainable clothing right in their homes.
3. Try Thrifting
After you donate your own clothing, maybe look around. Thrift stores are great when you need something like a black shirt or work clothes. They sell lots at low prices. There’s even Goodwill Outlet Stores that sell shoes, clothing, and accessories by the pound. Sometimes, you can even find some stuff that’s still brand new and the occasional designer piece.
4. Buy Staple Pieces
Instead of following trends, you can buy things that never go out of style. This is more of a lifestyle change, but whose day-to-day style cant use some updating? An example of a "staple piece" would be something like white shirts, cardigans, denim jeans, cable-knit sweaters, simple pumps, and little black dresses. These are perfect to complete your wardrobe as well. These are all things that can be a base for a cute outfit that just needs some accessorizing, and many fun accessories can be bought from sustainable companies.
5. Make Your Own Clothing
Upcycling has become super popular in the last couple of years. Upcycling also allows you to learn a little sewing in the process, which is always a good skill to have. You can paint jeans, turn large shirts into dresses, or even make and sell scrunchies. It also tends to be cheaper to use fabric from already made clothing than to buy new fabric from Hobby Lobby or JoAnn Fabrics. The possibilities are endless.
Fast Fashion isn’t something new, it’s been around a while and is likely to stay. This newest generation of up-and-coming fashionistas will have to be the ones who make the conscious effort to avoid fast fashion. Without it, the toll on the environment may be irreversible. It takes a lot of people to change something but it starts with one. Being environmentally conscious isn’t easy but if we all take steps to make an effort, we can start a change.
Opinions and Perspectives
Need more articles like this to raise awareness. Most people have no idea about the impact of their shopping habits.
Making my own clothes has given me a new appreciation for the work that goes into garment making.
I find it ironic how fast fashion tries to copy high-end designs but with poor quality materials.
Started following sustainable fashion bloggers for inspiration. There are so many creative ways to style second-hand clothes.
The suggestion about buying classic pieces is great but finding the right fit can be challenging.
Wish the article mentioned more about the labor issues in fast fashion. It's not just an environmental problem.
Tried shopping only second-hand for a year. It completely changed my perspective on fashion.
Just discovered clothing repair cafes in my area. Such a great community initiative!
Working in fashion, I see how much waste there is behind the scenes. It's even worse than customers realize.
The article could have mentioned rental services. They're great for special occasion wear.
My city has a textile recycling program now. Hope more places implement similar initiatives.
Been trying to teach my kids about sustainable fashion. They're actually more receptive than I expected.
Does anyone know if major brands are making any real efforts to become more sustainable?
The part about small businesses on Etsy is encouraging. Love supporting independent designers.
I organize clothing swaps with friends every season. It's fun and sustainable!
My local thrift store has a great selection but the prices keep going up. Still better than fast fashion though.
Interesting how fast fashion creates this disposable mindset about clothing. Our grandparents would be shocked.
Making scrunchies from old clothes is such a fun idea! My teenagers would love this project.
The article mentions Forever 21, but there are so many other culprits too. We need to call out all these brands.
I've started washing my clothes less frequently and air drying them. Helps them last longer and saves energy too.
Those pesticide statistics for cotton growing are alarming. Makes me want to look for organic options.
Love the idea of upcycling but my first attempts were disasters. Guess I need more practice!
Finding sustainable workout wear is my biggest challenge. Any suggestions?
The tip about white shirts and cardigans as staple pieces is so true. They never go out of style.
Started buying better quality basics and just accessorizing differently. My wardrobe is smaller but more versatile now.
I'm impressed by the NERC statistics. Didn't realize 83% of textiles end up in garbage when they could be recycled.
Wonder how many jobs would be affected if fast fashion suddenly stopped. It's a complex issue.
Just checked out some sustainable brands on Etsy. There are so many creative people making beautiful clothes!
The environmental impact of shipping these clothes worldwide is something I hadn't considered before.
I've started an Instagram page showcasing my thrifted outfits. People are always surprised when I tell them everything is second-hand.
Sustainable fashion is growing but we need more education about why it matters. Articles like this help spread awareness.
The article's point about the 2016 trends really hit home. I definitely had those cut-out shoulder tops!
Been shopping at Plato's Closet for years. It's great that you can make money from clothes you don't wear anymore.
Not everyone can sew or has access to good thrift stores. We need more accessible sustainable options.
I work in retail and the amount of new stock we get weekly is insane. Most goes on clearance and eventually gets thrown out.
The fast turnover of trends is exhausting anyway. I'm glad to see more people embracing sustainable fashion.
Anyone tried those Goodwill Outlet Stores mentioned in the article? Curious about the by-the-pound pricing.
My grandmother taught me to sew and it's been such a valuable skill. I've saved so much money by altering and repairing clothes.
The billion pounds of clothing waste in New York alone is mind-boggling. Imagine the global numbers.
Just started thrifting and I'm amazed at what people give away. Found a brand new dress with tags still on for $5!
I appreciate the practical solutions offered here. Small changes like donating clothes can make a real difference.
It's frustrating that sustainable fashion often comes with a higher price tag. The system feels designed to keep us dependent on fast fashion.
The idea about staple pieces is spot on. I've switched to a capsule wardrobe and it's simplified my life so much.
We can't put all the blame on consumers. Big corporations need to take responsibility and change their production methods.
I've found some amazing designer pieces at thrift stores. It's like a treasure hunt and so much better for the environment.
The trickle-down effect explanation really helps understand why fast fashion is so problematic beyond just the waste aspect.
Learning to sew has been a game changer for me. I can repair my clothes now instead of throwing them away at the first sign of damage.
This article makes me feel guilty about my shopping habits. I never realized how much damage fast fashion causes to the environment.
Making your own clothing sounds great in theory, but who has the time? Most people work full-time jobs.
I've started buying more from local sustainable brands and yes, it's pricier, but the quality is so much better. My clothes last years now instead of months.
The part about textile pollution being second only to oil and gas really opened my eyes. We need to rethink our shopping habits.
That's a fair point about accessibility, but I think the article offers good alternatives like thrifting and buying staple pieces that last longer.
While I understand the environmental concerns, some of us can't afford expensive sustainable fashion. Fast fashion makes trendy clothes accessible to lower-income people.
The upcycling suggestion is brilliant! I recently transformed an old dress into a cute top and skirt set. It's so satisfying creating something new from old clothes.
I had no idea the fashion industry was such a huge contributor to waste. Those numbers from New York are shocking!