What is Fast Fashion?
With Trends constantly changing with the seasons, internet culture and influencers, the desire to fit in and be “trendy” enthralls many people. Fast fashion was the eventual solution to keeping up with the rapidly changing trends. Fast Fashion is the product of the industrial revolution. Before then Clothing was viewed as a necessity but with the creation of new machines, clothing was able to be produced much more quickly and with cheap materials which led to clothes becoming less costly. and this change evolved clothing from a necessity to a form of self expression. Now, with access to the internet fast fashion has reached new heights. Apps like Shien, Wish, AliExpress are all examples of apps that allow the fast fashion industry to thrive.
There are some environmental effects due to fast fashion. A lot of it begins with the production of the materials to create these garments. Everything from preparing the cotton or wool (That uses a huge amount of fresh water to produce) or creating polyester (a synthetic material) leads to more pollution coming from the production of that material.
After the materials are made there is a huge overproduction of clothes that are of low quality and will only be fashionable for a season. Once the season is over or the eventual tear and wear of use starts to show up many people throw away their clothes. Because many things are made of synthetic materials it can take longer for them to break down. But with the quantity being thrown away by people everyday they start to break down without oxygen that then produces methane. Methane is a major air pollutant that contributes to climate change. There are things we can do as individuals to lessen our impact on the environment that can teach us many useful skills too!
What Can I Do?
There are so many fun ways to not contribute to fast fashion. Some of my favorite ways are:
Second hand stores
This can be anything from goodwill to Plato’s closet to consignment shops, any place where you can buy second hand items! Especially with how fashion works in a cycle you can always find something that fits into a modern trend.
Clothing Swaps
This is a fun reason to get together with some of your friends and trade clothes you don’t wear anymore. This allows you to try out new styles you may not usually go for. It always reminds me of the sisterhood of the traveling pants.
Repurposing clothes
Repurposing clothes can be a way to add a unique aspect to your wardrobe or home. If you have a lot of t-shirts from elementary to high school you can make a memory quilt or if you have a favorite shirt that has a hole in it you can make an ottoman or patches from the design.
Visit this link for a few more upcycling ideas for inspiration
https://mindfulofthehome.com/diy-repurposed-clothing/
Learn some Basic mending
Once there’s a little wear on an item it doesn’t mean that it needs to be the end of its use! There are a plethora of tutorials on youtube that can walk people through how to repair jackets, pants, and shirts depending on the type of damage that’s on the shirt. If you love that you can start looking into embroidery too!
Helpful Links:
https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion
https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/fashion-clothing/what-fast-fashion-why-it-problem