The facts about fast fashion

Fast fashion is sold as a cheap and convenient way to shop. It allows us to keep up with the seasonal fashion trends, and always have something new to wear. But did you know that fast fashion is placing a huge weight on the environment? Along with many other impacts you may not be aware of. These facts about fast fashion may have you rethinking your choices…

When working with clients to declutter their closet, I always follow the same method. I ask them to take out every item of clothing they own and lay it on the bed (such as this method based on the tidying master herself, Marie Kondo). It can be quite a shock to see it all laid out, and creates a powerful mindset shift. It forces you to consider how much you own and reflect on how much you actually need.

When sorting through that gargantuan pile, what quickly becomes apparently is how much of it is looking past its best, or even falling apart. And the culprit? Invariably, it’s Fast Fashion.

Here are 5 facts about fast fashion which might just make you reconsider the way you purchase clothes forever.

1. Fast doesn’t last

Fast fashion and I go way back - back to my early 20’s. I remember being introduced to Zara on an overseas trip, and thinking I had discovered clothing nirvana! This wasn’t just a holiday fling. I brought home the baggage to prove it - literally. Strutting around in my new purchases, I felt like a million bucks. Even now I can recall that feeling, and that buzz continued with every purchase, for many years to come. It continued to be my go-to for work clothes for longer than I care to admit. But after a few wears of each item, I’d start to rue the decision and wish I’d spent the extra money on better quality. This is a lesson I have learned (or not learned, actually) time and time again.

The thing is, fast fashion isn’t made to last. The whole industry is designed around making things cheap, accessible, and practically disposable. That way, you keep coming back for new stuff season after season. Some brands even have 52 micro-seasons - a delivery of new styles every week! - which seems ludicrous. If you stop and think, it doesn’t make much sense money-wise to approach your clothes purchases that way, because…

“Buy less, choose well, make it last” - Vivienne Westwood

Photo by Ihor Malytskyi on Unsplash

2. It isn’t actually cheaper over time

Each item itself might be low cost, but if you think about the cost per wear over time, the numbers might surprise you.

Option A. Fast Fashion. Cost of tee - $30. You wear it 5 times before it starts to look worn and past its best, and you throw it in the goodwill pile. Overall, the cost per wear is $6.

Option B. An investment item. Cost of tee - $80. It might seem like it will hurt the hip pocket, but you only need to wear it 13 times for it to have the same cost per wear as the fast fashion option! (And this is very easily doable when the quality is so much better). The added bonus is that you will enjoy wearing Option B so much more!

Now, of course, the price tag of an item doesn’t guarantee the quality. So make sure you check the way it’s made and the quality of the fabric to ensure it really is a good investment.

In the words of Vivienne Westwood, “Buy less, choose well, make it last”.

Have you tried a capsule wardrobe?

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

3. Too many choices can cause decision fatigue

The Minimalism movement is in full swing, and for good reason. There is something very attractive about living a simpler life. Capsule wardrobes are a little taste of minimalism and the benefits are wide-reaching; one being that decision fatigue is a thing of the past. 

Decision fatigue is the idea that constant decision making can be overwhelming. Studies have shown that when we have more decisions to make, our ability to make good decisions diminishes. So limiting the amount of options we have can not only reduce this phenomenon, but actually make us happier!

Hence the beauty and inspiration of a capsule wardrobe - Project 333, for example. Developed by Courtney Carver, this approach suggests paring your wardrobe down to 33 complementary items of clothing for 3 months.

Considering the fact that most of us wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time, it may not be as much of a change as it seems! It actually makes a lot of sense to remove the superfluous stuff and make your daily decisions that much easier. Choosing clothes that complement each other, there are very few decisions to make - and decision fatigue disappears!

You’ll also feel great in what you’re wearing each day (if not, swap it out for something you love!).

It changes your mindset on how you dress, but also how you purchase, I’m sure of it! Have you tried it? What were your thoughts?

4. The environmental impacts

Not surprisingly, this was the factor that finally burst my fast fashion bubble - for good. Around 80% of clothing ends up in landfill, with only 1/5th being reused or recycled. You’ve no doubt heard that some high-end brands incinerate new clothing rather than reducing their prices to clear stock which is a disgrace in itself.

But the fact that really hammered it home for me was how many litres of water it takes to make one cotton t-shirt. Did you know… that it’s approximately a year’s supply of drinking water?!  For me, this was the point of no return.

Disheartening as this may sound, there is good news! WE ALL have the power to reduce these impacts, simply by considering what we buy. It’s important to consider the number of purchases we make as well as the quality of the items we buy.

Projects like "The 30 Wears" Challenge help us to understand the environmental benefits of purchasing better quality clothing and looking after our pieces. They say that increasing to just 3 months of active use per item would lead to a 5-10% reduction in carbon, water and waste footprints.

More tips for reducing the environmental impact of your clothing choices here.

By purchasing fast fashion, we create the demand for cheap labour

Photo by Rio Lecatompessy on Unsplash

5. Who made your clothes?

Last, but in no way least, any discussion on fast fashion cannot ignore the detrimental impacts on garment workers. When companies are selling the clothes so cheaply, it’s the workers who are the ones that suffer. They are frequently required work in substandard conditions, and at absolute minimum pay. Women are those most affected, often from BIPOC backgrounds. Child labour is another ugly facet of the industry.

As this article says, “Fast fashion creates the demand for cheap labor, however we are the ones who create demand for fast fashion.” So the power to change this lies firmly in our hands. And we can make an impact today, by simply changing the way we purchase our clothes.

Opt for ethically produced clothing. This list shares some great options that are inexpensive. As we know, the best way to reduce your fashion impact is by buying well and making it last.

Are you ready to forget fast fashion?

By carefully considering our purchases and buying only what we need, our actions can significantly reduce the impact of our fashion choices. We can positively affect the environmental, social and moral impacts simply by putting our money where our mouths are.

Purchasing better quality items that you love wearing will reduce resources and waste. You will appreciate your wardrobe even more, and the planet will thank you!

Have you changed your approach to fast fashion? Tell us about it in the comments.

Do you know the environmental impact of the clothes you buy?

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