By Yoseline Miranda
The term “fast fashion” refers to inexpensive, low-quality apparel that is created and rotated off of the market quickly to make way for new fashion trends.
Initially the idea of fast fashion may seem like a beneficial thing. In the way it is creating accessible clothing for a lower cost, and allowing people, such as myself, to join in on trends they were previously never able to.
Fast fashion’s price allows a broad spectrum of customers to own stylish apparel and accessories, getting rid of some of the elitist exclusivity in the fashion world. Fast fashion makes it affordable for people of any income level to finally show off their unique sense of style.
Fast fashion companies are also able to react quickly to customer demand, guaranteeing that in-demand goods are always accessible. Customers who are searching for certain items may find less frustration as a result of this response time.
Although it may have numerous benefits, its drawbacks have a significant negative influence on the environment. The fast fashion industry’s constant development and consumption of new apparel products leads to severe environmental harm, including mass waste and pollution.
In addition to having a negative impact on the environment it also calls for worker exploitation. Production for many fast-fashion companies is outsourced to countries with cheaper labor costs, raising concerns about low salaries, abusive labor practices, and harsh working conditions in clothing factories.
Huge quantities of energy are needed to meet the excessively high demand for clothes, particularly in the creation of synthetic fibers. The fashion sector is responsible for around 10% of the carbon emissions in the world.
I think there are benefits and drawbacks to fast fashion. I have always utilized fast fashion, as I have already mentioned. I would turn to fast fashion when I needed to find an item or needed to obtain reasonably priced clothing.
However, there are many alternatives to fast fashion. Such as shopping second hand clothing. Affordable and distinctive pieces may be found online, in resale stores, or at your neighborhood thrift store. Fortunately, the purchasing of second hand apparel is growing in popularity.
Purchasing used clothing is a great way to save money and the environment. In addition, you save discarded clothes from burning or ending up in landfills where it would release carbon or other hazardous gasses into the atmosphere.
Another solution to fast fashion could be to buy higher-quality clothing. Purchase better quality clothing less frequently, so that it can last you longer. Giving up fast fashion may be achieved most sustainably by implementing this strategy.
We should all raise the level of concern for quality in order to persuade big businesses and merchants to change their business strategies and produce better products less frequently. The best way to influence change is to stop giving these companies your money.
Choose clothing that will last a long time and won’t go out of style quickly. Keep your clothing and wear them for longer. With quality comes a rise in price. Pricey goods, however, also provide manufacturing workers with the opportunity to get fair wages.
