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fast fashion. A term used to describe the rapid production of cheap, low-quality clothing that often imitates popular styles from fashion labels, big name brands, and independent designers. Fast fashion brands like Shein, Zara, and H&M constantly offer new trends at lower prices, encouraging consumers to continually buy more clothing. As a result, previously purchased items, perhaps worn a few times, are quickly thrown away. The rise of the fast fashion industry in the late 20th and early 21st centuries has had profound effects, from myriad impacts on the environment to the exploitation of garment workers.
history of fast fashion
The fast fashion model emerged in the 1970s, when retailers began exporting products to countries that could pay workers lower wages than in the West, especially Asia. It took hold in the 1990s as companies sped up production to keep up with trends. Previously, they could expect new clothing collections four times a year, but with the advent of fast fashion, consumers can now expect new clothing lines more frequently, producing 36 collections a year. There are also brands.
Environmental impact
Fast fashion has a significant impact on the environment both during and after production. The fashion industry as a whole accounts for 10 percent of carbon emissions, uses large amounts of water, and uses dyes and chemicals that pollute the environment. A large amount of textile waste is also generated. In particular, fast fashion products often have low prices and poor quality, so consumers tend to throw away clothing even if they have only been worn a few times. Clothes end up in landfills around the world, including the so-called “garment graveyard” in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Additionally, fast fashion companies primarily use synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic. All of these materials are cheap to produce but are derived from fossil fuels. Therefore, products made from these materials are not biodegradable and will remain in landfills for centuries.
exploitation of workers
In addition to its environmental impact, fast fashion tends to exploit the workers involved in its production. Most clothing production takes place in the Global South, including postcolonial countries in Africa, Asia, and South America, where workers have little protection from long hours and unfair pay. Many work 16-hour days, earn little, and face retaliation if they refuse to work overtime. Apparel workers also work in hazardous conditions, including windowless spaces, dangerously high temperatures, violent managers, and exposure to harmful chemicals. Perhaps the most famous incident that illustrates the poor conditions of garment workers is the Rana Plaza tragedy. In 2013, an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, Bangladesh, killing about 1,100 workers and injuring thousands more. Factory owners had ignored warnings not to use the building when cracks were discovered the previous day. Because the supply chain is so complex, most retailers are unfamiliar with sourcing and producing clothing, and therefore don’t know the conditions their employees face to make their products.
find a solution
Consumers can play an important role in reducing the impact of fast fashion by practicing so-called “slow fashion” – buying fewer, higher-quality clothing. Although expensive, such clothing lasts a long time. When users are finished with their clothing, they can donate it instead of throwing it away, diverting fibers from landfills. While some donated clothing goes directly to landfills, many items that are not resold at donation stores are sent to textile recycling centers where they are turned into furniture stuffing and building insulation. But fast fashion’s overproduction and poor quality are making it increasingly difficult for donation centers and thrift stores, which struggle to keep up with the volume of donations and find it difficult to sell inferior products.
Retailers are taking steps to reduce the damage caused by fast fashion. Some brands now offer sustainable collections, but the validity of claims that these items are good for the environment is up for debate as there is no oversight or agreement on what sustainability means. There’s room. Furthermore, many of these measures do not take into account the harsh working conditions of manufacturers. Additionally, retailers such as H&M have started accepting gently used clothing in exchange for store vouchers. These items are sold second-hand, repurposed into other clothing, or shredded and recycled as insulation and furniture filler.
Dylan Kelleher Editor of Encyclopedia Britannica
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