The term ‘fast fashion’ has become a buzz word these last few years in the realm of sustainability. In today’s blog we’re going to be taking a deep dive into the history of how fast fashion came to be the destructive industry it is today and how you can avoid it and why you should.

Years ago retailers used to launch new collections every season, so consumers would see around four different “style seasons” per year. Since the rise of fast fashion, retailers have begun to push out new styles approximately every seven days. As costs began to rise in developed countries, companies started searching for alternatives to keep costs down. Countries likes China and India became the hotspots for fast fashion factories because they were able to create clothing from cheaper materials at an abundant rate due to child labour, unliveable wages and unsafe working environments. Unfortunately, while the clothing may be cheap, there is a giant price tag on fast fashion that our society continuously supports, and the workers are usually the ones paying the price.

We want you to become a conscious consumer, so we’ve put together a list of untold truths about the industry that can help you, your friends, family, and anyone else understand why change starts with us and why it’s so important to do so.

Heavy Environmental Impact:

The fast fashion industry isn’t properly regulated. The goal is to create products as quickly and as cheaply as possible. To put it into perspective, the fast fashion industry is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than international shipping and aviation combined. Polyester is the most commonly used textile in the industry, polyester is a plastic that when it is washed it releases microplastics that are too small to be filtered out. What does that mean and how does that affect you? Well whenever we wash polyester clothing, those micro plastics ends up in our drinking water. While cotton may look harmless, it is one of the most pesticide heavy crops in the world. These pesticides and chemicals also end up in our water which have huge effects on human health.

Human Rights Issues  

Child labour and modern slavery continues to be a serious challenges in the clothing industry. The industry’s workforce is largely made up of young women, who are “low skilled” or “unskilled” and may be migrants. These workers are vulnerable to various forms of abuse and may not know or are able to claim their rights as employees. Men are almost always higher up on the chain or in charge at the garment factories, and women are rarely given opportunities to move up in the workplace. Human Rights Watch has documented widespread sexual harassment in the industry as well. A typical “living wage” for someone working in a factory in India for example, is $97 for the entire month.

Fast fashion creates an endless cycle of harmful production and waste in the apparel industry. The speed at which manufacturers are pumping out supply to meet the never ending demand for current trends means lower-quality products. Clothes are no longer made with the care and durability that they once were. Slow Fashion focuses on sustainability and creating quality clothing and an intentional selection of fabrics that are safe for the labourers, the wearers, and softer on our environment.

Conscious consumerism is an investment into the earth and ourselves. It’s a statement against the detrimental throwaway culture that fast fashion industries have created. We hope to give you more and more tips you can incorporate into your everyday life each week. These steps towards a sustainable wardrobe don’t have to happen overnight, take it slow and learn along the way - you’re making a huge difference!