Fast Fashion Introduction

These days it is almost impossible to discuss sustainability or climate change without mentioning fast fashion. Fast fashion can be described as cheap and trendy clothing, inspired by the catwalk or celebrity culture.

The idea is to spot a trend and get products into the store or online retailer as quickly as possible, so that these trends can be quickly and cheaply available to consumers. Fast fashion clothing is usually made using low quality materials. Due to the need for speedy production, there isn’t time for sufficient quality control.

These clothing items are not made to last. They are worn a few times and then throw out, either because the quality has deteriorated, or the trend is no longer trendy. 11 million tons of clothing is thrown away in the US alone. These garments are full of harmful chemicals, and spend their lifetime releasing these chemicals into the air.

Damage to the environment is not the only issue with fast fashion. Factory workers for many fast fashion companies are underpaid, overworked, and being exposed to harmful chemicals every day.

Companies such as Boohoo and Missguided are facing accusations of ‘modern day slavery’, when it was revealed that the workers making Boohoo’s clothes were earning half of the minimum wage. This caused companies such as ASOS to drop them from their website. If only social media influencers would do the same..