New fashion trends are constantly circulating the internet. From patterned pants to claw clips, there is always a new trend that everyone wants in on. The problem with the constant cycle of these fashion trends coming and going is the overconsumption and waste that humans are creating. Because these trends only last a few weeks it is fairly common for people to never wear those trending clothing items again, resulting in the never-ending cycle of fast fashion.
what is fast fashion?
Fast fashion is the production of cheap trendy clothes manufactured by brands like Forever 21, H&M, American Eagle, SHEIN, and Urban Outfitters. These brands are mass-producing clothes that are replicating fashion trends from high-end brands for a much cheaper price. This is allowing the consumer to purchase clothes that are currently trending for a much lower price. In the fashion industry, there were only 4 seasons of clothes where brands would only release new items during summer, spring, winter, and fall. Now there are 52 seasons of clothes, which means brands are releasing new clothes every week. This results in overconsumption and ultimately leads to the destruction of our planet.
how Does fast fashion harm the environment?
When we are constantly buying clothes to keep up with the latest fashion trends we are going to accumulate a lot more textile waste. This is the result of the never-ending cycle of fashion trends that we see through social media. We probably won’t continue to wear the SHEIN tops we bought because of a trending TikTok a year after we purchase them. That is because once trends fade out and die, we usually are not going to wear those clothes again. On average an American produces 82 pounds of textile waste every single year, and fast fashion is the second-largest polluter in the world. Overall fast fashion is producing an excessive amount of waste which is bad for our environment.
what can we do to stop fast fashion?
There are many things we can do to stop our contribution to fast fashion. The most important thing to do is to be more mindful when shopping for clothes. Instead of purchasing every single trending clothing item, try to find timeless high-quality pieces that will last you a while. That might mean investing in a nice pair of jeans, purchasing neutral shirts, and even nice quality jackets. Although these clothes might be an investment, it is important to remember that high-quality clothes are going to last you a longer time than clothes that are cheaply made and will go out of style in a few weeks.
Another thing you can do is go thrifting! Thrifting is a great way to shop more sustainably without worrying about the prices of items especially if you are a college student and on a budget. Stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Value Village are all great places to go thrifting and find cute new items for a low price. Donating clothes is also another great way to reduce your textile waste instead of throwing them away and having them end up in landfills. Overall being mindful of the items you are purchasing can help save our planet and lower overconsumption and textile waste. We all have the power to change the planet and it starts with you!