How and Why You Should Help Stop Fast Fashion
3:30:00 AM
In today's culture, we are brought up and taught to desire the next trendy thing. We go shopping for new events, and sometimes only wear an outfit once! This might not visibly be an issue for those of us in more developed countries, but it truly is- we just don't see it. Not only is it a very real problem, it is also a multi-faceted one; our rapid consumerism is contributing to sweatshops, unnecessary waste, and valuable and expensive energy expenditures. These are the big effects we make when we buy things from trendy companies who pressure factories to work faster and for less money constantly. We receive low-quality items that aren't made to last and contribute greatly to our issues as a whole. Labor exploitation and safety risks for almost all the workers are not worth a look you'll grow tired of in a couple of weeks.
To hone in on the environmental impact of our clothing purchases, let's acknowledge that the garment industry is the second largest polluter in the world... 150 billion units of clothing are produced every year, and this releases over 2.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide. The dyes used in our clothes runoff into local rivers people rely on for drinking and make them toxic. When we wear things on an average of 7 times before we get rid of them, you know it's time to make a change.
I would recommend educating yourself on this topic, as it truly helps to expand your perspective on things. Just because something is cute and doesn't cost much for you doesn't mean it doesn't cost a lot environmentally and socially for those in less developed countries. Just because you can't see something right in front of you doesn't mean it isn't happening.
One documentary I would like to recommend you watch is called The True Cost- it definitely highlights a lot of the things I just mentioned and can help to give you a visual of what I'm talking about.
Also, I realize that it is hard to move away from shopping at these places. It can be really enticing, even for myself, but you don't have to compromise looking nice for doing what's morally right. You can definitely manage a sustainable wardrobe and still look and feel stylish.
Here are some ways you can be more sustainable in your clothing choices:
1. Shop only from sustainable companies who are dedicated to paying their workers a living wage. Often times these companies also are centered around health and leaving a small environmental impact as well, so that's even better. Do note that these can initially come off a tad expensive, but when you purchase quality items they last longer as well. Some brands that sell sustainable clothing are: Patagonia, Krochet Kids,Alternative Apparel, and more! If you'd like a post on all the brands I recommend, comment below or reach out to me anywhere you'd like.
2. Shop at thrift stores. I love thrifting; it's always been considered a fun day out with my mom or sister, and we really enjoy looking for cute things each would like. This is sustainable as it doesn't contribute directly to the brands but instead to a charity or your community in general (depending on the shop). It's almost always extremely inexpensive, and you can find some cool deals. Lastly, you're reusing the textiles themselves so they don't end up in the landfill, wasted. All in all, this is my favorite of the options in this list.
3. Learn to sew or make your own clothing. This is definitely a time commitment, but if it's something you enjoy and are passionate about, why not? It's definitely a good skill to have, and can lead to some pretty amazing things. I say try it out.
4. Shop secondhand online or swap with friends. A really fun idea is to make a group with your friends and decide to bring however many pieces of clothing you'd like to get rid of and swap; you can make this a get together and have snacks even. I think this definitely eliminates waste, and can add some variety to your closet when you need it. If that's not your thing, you can do this online, and maybe even make a little cash from it! Some online stores you can sell secondhand clothes on are: Mercari (download the app and sign up with code VFQBUS for free money!), Vinted, and Poshmark. These are all nice, but I'd have to say Mercari is my favorite.
How do you feel about fast fashion? Leave a comment below and subscribe to keep updated with new content on the blog!
Tiffany Amber
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