The Concealed Cost of Fast Fashion

In this day and age, it has become especially convenient to buy cheap and stylish clothing to keep up with the constantly refreshing cycle of trends. The reality is, however, that this convenience is provided by fast fashion clothing stores. Fast fashion can be described as inexpensive clothing from fashion retailers that take designs straight from the catwalk in order to match the latest trends. Although it is a term that is loosely used and tossed around frequently, fast fashion is very prevalent in the fashion industry today because of its high popularity and low cost for both the provider and the buyer. This seemingly “low cost” is compensated by the high cost that the environment and workers have to pay. The truth behind fast fashion is one that some may be unaware of, and fast fashion brands are taking advantage of this to help conceal their inhumane processes and negative impacts.

The “Behind The Scenes” of Fast Fashion

Before fast fashion started to become popular in the late 1990s, the fashion industry was extremely different. Fashion used to only cater to the wealthy who would have their clothes made by hand with organic materials. Having a large wardrobe was often indicative of large wealth. Then, the Industrial Revolution created new technologies and machines that sped up the rate that people could make clothing, which helped introduce fashion into the middle class. Even after the industry expanded to accommodate a wider range of social classes, it was still relatively slow in production. There would be four seasons per year that would require a lot of preparation and create a lot of buzz. Since the time to prepare and produce the clothes was long, the industry was able to create high quality, long lasting pieces. Nowadays, trends come and go within the span of a week. Retailers update their stores with hundreds of new clothing items to keep customers engaged and interested. In addition to this change, the fashion industry has shifted to using mostly synthetic fibers. There are many negative impacts that come with using synthetic fibers. Firstly, the process to create these fibers is filled with toxic and dangerous chemicals. It exposes the workers and towns where these factories are located with countless health issues. Also, since synthetic fibers are made of non-biodegradable materials, they are nearly impossible to decompose and can sit in landfills for centuries. The result of this combination is that when trends die out and consumers discard the clothing to make space for the new trends, all of the clothes overflow in landfills and emit toxins into the air. Around 11 million tons of clothing are thrown out every year in America alone. This proves that the impact of fast fashion is tremendously harmful to the environment and human rights.

The Collapse of Rana Plaza

One example that can help expose the scene behind fast fashion is the Rana Plaza accident. Rana Plaza, a large building that housed clothing factories, collapsed on April 24th, 2013. The incident killed 1,134 garment workers and injured over 2,500 more. It was a truly shocking and horrifying incident for everyone to witness, not only because of the fatalities but also because of the exposure of the workers' working conditions and treatment. The building itself was not built to support the clothing factories that were used. The high structural risks of housing these factories were relayed but ultimately ignored. The fact that the building's structural integrity was neglected once, leaving thousands in danger, was already a red flag. Yet, another warning was given and once again ignored the day before the accident occurred. A local TV channel had reported seeing cracks in the building and it was shut down for the day. The next day, workers were told that there was nothing wrong with the building and that it had passed an inspection for safety. But, ultimately, the building collapsed early that morning with thousands of people still in it despite the many warning signs. This incident brought up many questions for the fashion industry. Debates started to arise over the pay, treatment, and conditions of not only the workers at this factory but also of fast fashion workers across the world. Yet, despite the time that has passed and trauma that was inflicted from this incident, not enough has changed. The Accord on Fire and Building Safety was an act put in place and signed hundreds of brands to ensure the safety of clothing workers. Immediate improvements were shown as nearly 97,000 hazards and issues were repaired and a safer working environment was enforced for millions of workers. But this does not mean that all is well in the industry. There are still sweatshops being used and workers being abused that were not covered by this act. Although we may be on the right track, there is still much more work to do in order to help these workers.

Environmentally Conscious Alternatives

There are some environmentally conscious alternatives to buying fast fashion that have been encouraged recently. The alternatives one chooses will depend on a range of factors such as accessibility, price, or time. It is important to note that this issue is multifaceted. There are considerations that must be made for many of the options. For example, excessive thrift shopping can drain the supply for those who go to such shops as their main source of clothing. This is one of many reasons why it is important to research each option before deciding if it is something to consider. Two of the more well-known alternatives include thrift shopping and upcycling. Thrift shops are stores where people donate or sometimes sell their old clothing for others to rebuy and repurpose or use. It is a great option that reduces the production of new, potentially harmful, clothing. By recycling old clothing, consumers are provided with a piece that they know will not leave them with a heavy conscience. Though, as previously noted, it is key to recognize the privilege one has to choose thrift shopping. Thrift shops are the primary source of clothing for many low-income families. If you are considering shopping at a thrift shop, also consider donating. This provides a cycle that will help prevent the depletion of supply. While being able to buy “new” pieces, you can donate your old pieces and keep the supply of clothes in stock. Another option that anyone can do, though it does take a considerable amount of creativity and time, is upcycling. Upcycling can be described as taking a previously used item and transforming it into something new. For example, taking an old shirt and sewing or cutting it into a new piece of clothing. Like thrifting, upcycling helps prevent consumers from purchasing new clothing and instead lets them take something old and transform it into something new. It allows for the expression of creativity and can help create one-of-a-kind items while being able to help the environment. You can help reduce the amount of materials that go into landfills while also being able to make an old piece new again.

No matter which option or combination of options you use for your source of clothing, it is always important to be educated on the choices you make. The process behind the production of clothing is not as transparent as one may think, and it is easy to ignore. The effects of fast fashion are ultimately impacting someone, somewhere. It may be easy to dismiss, but there will always be an impact to your choices, whether you see it or not.

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Works Cited

FutureLearn. “The Benefits of Upcycling.” FutureLearn, www.futurelearn.com/courses/upcycling-for-change-from-green-ideas-to-startup-businesses/0/steps/67684.

LaSita, Brianna. “Commentary: Thrifting Supports Environmental Sustainability.” The Ithacan, 18 Sept. 2019, theithacan.org/opinion/commentary-thrifting-supports-environmental-sustainability/.

Manik, Julfikar Ali, and Jim Yardley. “Building Collapse in Bangladesh Leaves Scores Dead.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Apr. 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/world/asia/bangladesh-building-collapse.html.

Rauturier, Solene. “What Is Fast Fashion?” Good On You, 10 May 2020, goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion/.

Stanton, Audrey. “What Is Fast Fashion, Anyway?” The Good Trade, The Good Trade, 6 Dec. 2019, www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-is-fast-fashion.

Thomas, Dana. “Why Won't We Learn from the Survivors of the Rana Plaza Disaster?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Apr. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/04/24/style/survivors-of-rana-plaza-disaster.html.