In modern times fast fashion has made a huge impact on the planet and the people who buy it. The low quality and easy access result in people buying way more than necessary, causing excessive amounts of clothing end up in landfills.
This issue arises due to excessive clothing consumption from large named brands. For example, Hollister, Shein, and H&M are all stores that contribute to this issue. Everyone buying from these large fast fashion brands seems to be in the same age range, fitting into a prominent stereotype. Freshman Ayana Hussan believes that social media is a large factor in the consumption.
“If something is popular or trendy on social media for one place, then everyone tries to do it to be on top, most people get it because it’s branded,” said Hussan.
Countering these concerns, thrifting has emerged as a sustainable alternative. Thrifting has become a huge industry. From finding vintage steals to little trinkets, it has become a popular trend, and social media has only encouraged its growth. The cheap prices, good quality, variety of selection, and more continue to draw in customers. It is also beneficial to the environment to buy used items rather than clothes being made quickly for low-quality, expensive clothing. The popularity of thrifting and the demand for thrift stores has dramatically increased. Freshman Bailey Hamilton discusses her interest in thrifting.
“I like it, the varieties of clothing, different stuff and it’s not just for one person it’s for everyone. What got me into thrifting was I saw a lot on TikTok about it and I wanted to try for myself,” said Bailey.
Social media plays a significant role in influencing the buyer’s behavior. This is a major contribution to this pattern of consumption. Branded names seem to also have a large influence, typically just from seeing the brand name on any article of clothing.
Shopping can be a hassle, adding to the appeal of fast fashion. Trying to salvage beautiful yet good-quality pieces is a huge struggle. Reports show that clothing from many big brands are extremely poor quality. Brands like Shein use 100% polyester for their clothing. This can lead to terrible quality, toxic chemicals being released onto the skin from the pieces, resulting in unsatisfied customers. Typically many people only buy from these brands because of the cheap price being a huge deal that encourages buying.
The cost of handmade clothing also contributes to fast fashion. Handmade clothing are pieces that differ from the quality of typical brands clothing, these items break barriers for the quality and appreciation being dedicated to make them. People who make and sell handmade clothing are putting their time and effort into the piece. Having good quality, lovely clothes made for your benefit is nice, but the high cost means many people lean towards cheap fast fashion. This expands the wide debate if the expense contributes to the clothing. Freshman Emma Ramirez believes handmade clothing is worth more.
“Because they are taking time to hand make their clothing, I would pay more,” said Ramirez.
While fast fashion is popular, the plastic pollutes the oceans because of the excessive buying, and workers are often treated poorly. It’s important for people to take into account where and how they consume their fashion. Fashion is a lifestyle to many, from the runway to the closet, it is a way for people to express what’s on the inside and transform it to the outside.