Fast Fashion
1. How did my little brother already turn 21 this weekend?!
2. When are we actually going to reform the police?
3. Is it officially spring? The rain the past few days seems to be proof that it is (finally).
4. Why am I late in writing my post this week for a second week in a row? Well… your girl moved out to Connecticut! I started my first official full-time job in the animal care field, am getting adjusted to my new place/schedule, and am navigating how my relationships from back home are going to look like now (which is a doozy - I don’t like change and I have a fear of being replaced). But my new gig is not what this week’s post is about!
This week, Lex Get Mad about fast fashion.
If you don’t know, fast fashion is a “business model” that “answers consumers’ rising demand for trendy and affordable clothes” (Panaprium). It has transformed clothing to be viewed as “disposable” which leads to more clothing in landfills. If that makes you uncomfortable - which it should - then this next fact should make you cringe.
These cheap clothes are made by underage workers entering the industry as young as 14 to work long hard hours for low wages while dealing with sexual harassment.
Fast fashion = slave labor.
The facts about fast fashion don’t stop there. The following statistics are from Panaprium.
“Americans throw away 70lbs of clothing every year.”
“Fast fashion accounts for 20% of the world’s wastewater.”
“Fast fashion creates 20% of all waste.”
“Consumers wear high-street garments 7x only.”
So, now that I maybe - hopefully - splashed you with enough cold water to open your eyes to the harsh realities of fast fashion (a little aggressive, I know, but sometimes the truth hurts), here are a few things that you, as a consumer, can do to combat fast fashion.
Vote with your dollar: Probably the easiest way to show that you don’t support fast fashion is by not buying it. Thrift shop, my friends! You’ve got Goodwill, Plato’s Closet, Poshmark, small businesses on Instagram that don’t just sell thrifted items but rework them too! You can find the same name brands and styles in a more ethical, environmentally-friendly manner.
Do your research: Before you swipe your card or type hit the “Pay Now” button, go to Good On You and search the company in the search bar to find out the rating.
Buy less clothing: I was taught from a young age to really think before I purchased things. Do I need it? Do I have other clothes at home already like it? Do I have items at home to go with it?
Educate yourself: Read up on this topic to gain more knowledge that will help you be a more ethical consumer as well as help you educate your friends and family about this social issue. Also, if you’re into podcasts, check out the mini-series that We Built Us did about fast fashion just recently.
Had you known about fast fashion before? What steps will you take to combat it? Let us know!
Lex out...
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