Do you repeat your outfits? Do you keep your clothes until you’ve outgrown them, or do you switch to another fashion style after one season? These questions may seem out of nowhere, but you must pay attention to how you use your clothes and how you can shop more sustainably.
Many fashion brands pump out and sell more clothes than ever before. Some of them introduce new clothing lines weekly or monthly. This increases the chances of you owning a piece of clothing described as “fast fashion.” If it’s the first time you’ve heard of this term, we’ve gathered essential information about it as well as the different things you can do to avoid it.
What Is Fast Fashion?
Fast fashion is the term used to describe trendy and cheap pieces of clothing that sample ideas from the celebrity culture or catwalk. These ideas are then turned into garments at breakneck speed and sold in high-street stores to meet the needs of the public.
The main idea of fast fashion is to pump out new styles of clothing as fast as possible so that people can buy them while they are at the peak of their popularity and discard them after just a few wears. Sadly, this results in overproduction and over-consumption of clothes, which are two of the reasons why the fashion industry is now among the top contributors of pollution.
How to Spot Fast Fashion Brands
With many brands producing new clothes every now and then, it might be hard to spot one that produces fast fashion clothing. To help you, here are some of the things common to fast fashion brands:
- Introducing on-trend clothes at breakneck speed
- Pumping out thousands of new and on-trend designs
- Using substandard materials, such as polyester, that wear out quickly
- Producing limited quantities of garments to give shoppers the idea that they’ll miss out on such clothing if they don’t buy right away
What Are the Impacts of Fast Fashion?
Here are some impacts of fast fashion:
On the Environment
Fast fashion has immense environmental impacts. With many brands speeding up their turnaround time to produce more clothes, the fashion industry is now considered the second-largest contributor to water pollution around the world.
In the interest of increasing their sales, brands use toxic, cheap textile dyes as well as low-quality fabrics — both of which have negative impacts on the environment. For instance, the use of polyester contributes to the worsening of global warming. Additionally, this type of fabric sheds microfibres when washed, so it adds up to the number of plastics in the oceans.
On Consumers
The impacts of fast fashion on consumers are more on the budget and mindset. It makes people buy cheap clothes that don’t last, so many find themselves searching for new garments sooner than expected. Instead of investing in clothing lines produced by sustainable brands, people are encouraged to buy on-trend clothes, even if it means compromising the quality. This lifestyle wastes large amounts of money in the long run.
It also gives people the mindset that they have to buy new clothes to stay trendy.
On Animals
Animals are also affected by fast fashion. Many land and marine animals ingest microfibres and toxic dyes released by clothing manufacturers. There are also animals, including dogs and cats, that become victims of poaching. Some clothing brands claim that they use faux fur, but they actually use real fur from animals.
On Workers
Garment workers are exposed to different toxic materials and dangerous workplaces. Even some farmers resort to using harmful chemicals and practices to speed up the process of producing natural fabrics. The impacts of these things go beyond their physical health — their emotional and mental wellbeing are also put at risk.
Ways To Fight Fast Fashion
Fighting fast fashion is easy.
Here are four simple ways to do so:
1. Buy Less, Wear More
One effective way to combat fast fashion is by investing in high-quality clothes that last for a long time. If you haven’t heard of the 30-wear promise yet, it suggests that you buy clothes you’ll wear at least 30 times. Otherwise, it’s not a good investment.
Also, just because some garments are on sale doesn’t mean that you’ll buy them in bulk. This doesn’t give you a sustainable lifestyle. What you can do is buy only the clothes you need. Clothes are a necessity, so don’t you ever worry that they’ll run out of stock.
2. Know the Different Clothing Brands
If you have the luxury of time, research different clothing brands. Some of the biggest ones nowadays are considered fast fashion brands, and you might be buying clothes from them. IKEA and GAP are among the brands that vowed to increase the use of recycled materials for their clothing production starting in 2020.
It’s essential to know the manufacturer of the clothes you wear as well as the materials used for producing them. Take time and read a little. By doing so, you are helping the environment, yourself, wildlife, and other people.
3. Practice Sustainable Washing Techniques
To keep your clothes in good condition, practice sustainable washing techniques that will prevent them from wearing out quickly. One thing you can do is turn your clothes inside out for them to last. You can set your washer to low-temperature settings for less energy consumption.
4. Visit Local Thrift Stores
Another way to combat fast fashion is by visiting local thrift stores and boutiques. These shops sell secondhand clothes that are as good as new. You just need to have tons of patience to rummage through their shelves to look for high-quality clothes. If you’re lucky and patient enough, you might even find clothes from sustainable brands.
Visit Us at Haven House Thrift Store
For high-quality clothes, visit Haven House Thrift Store. We are one of the best thrift stores in Destin, FL. Not only does buying from us help combat fast fashion, but it also helps men in addiction recovery. All our proceeds go to our recovery center to support men battling addiction. For any inquiries, call us today!
