Look inside your closet. I'd guess that it's approximately 19% Zara, 36% Forever 21, 28% Urban Outfitters, 9% Shein, and 5% Topshop, give or take, leaving about a 3% margin for renewable clothing (probably from when your cool grandma still bought you clothes). If this doesn't describe your closet, then by all means, close this tab and continue browsing online at Reformation. Or, I encourage you to keep reading, and commend yourself for being one of the few who are not fueling the widespread crisis known as fast fashion.
So what exactly is fast fashion? Dictionary.com defines it as "low-priced clothing that is brought to market quickly and copies fashion trends created by luxury brands". Not only is it inexpensive, but it is usually trendy, stylish, and easy to get a hold of. It is generally understood that the quality of the clothing is cheap, but this fact is widely-accepted due to its affordability. However, it's safe to say that this seems to be the only concern on people's radar, and most Americans are entirely unaware of the effect that it has on the rest of the world.
One of the largest, yet most overlooked downside to fast fashion is its ramification on women. According to non-profit Remake, 75 million people are making clothes in the fast fashion industry, with 80% being produced entirely by women ages 18 to 24. On top of that, the lack of regulation allows young children to be working 14 hour work days and possibly be subjected to sexual harassment. How can we, in good conscience, protest for women and children's rights and yet continue to buy these items, further endangering more women and children each day.
One of the weakest arguments many fast fashion enthusiasts make is that it is the affordable option. What many people don't know is that in the long run, it's actually more expensive. Fast fashion is literally designed to be replaced quickly, only lasting most people about 3-4 wears. Most clothing cannot even be donated when it reaches this condition, leaving the only option to be dumped in a landfill where it proceeds to contaminate the soil and groundwater with toxic chemicals and dyes. Investing in fewer higher quality items has been proven to actually save money, as each piece has a longer life.
Picture a football field. Now, picture it filled 14 feet high with 12.8 million tons of non-biodegradable clothing sent to landfills every year, which then sits there for about 200 more years. This horrible effect on the environment caused by fast fashion is one of the more well-known negative outcomes, but most people don't know the extent that these high-end dupes are truly having on our world. Manufacturing a single pair of jeans produces as much greenhouse gases as driving a car more than 80 miles, contributing to a projected increase of more than 60% of CO2 emissions in 2030. It takes about 2,700 liters of water to produce a single cotton t-shirt, forcing countries like China and India to face the challenge of choosing between cotton production or maintaining clean drinking water. We only get one earth; it's up to us to decide what we want to do with it.
I hope you will think about this article the next time you're about to order a new dress or pair of jeans. If you're unsure about how sustainable a company is, check out the Good On You app: it's free, it rates brands, and most importantly, Emma Watson endorses it, so that's pretty cool. I wish you the best of luck as you make your path (hopefully without leaving a footprint!) towards cleaner, safer, and better choices.
Sources: Forbes and World Research Institute