What is Fast Fashion?

Fast Fashion refers to the rapid and inexpensive reproduction of runway looks that are manufactured en mass for the public, which you will find in stores like Forever21, Zara, Topshop and many more.

What makes it “fast”?

A typical fashion year has four seasons–fall, winter, spring, summer–while a fast fashion year has at least 52 micro-seasons, essentially a new collection of clothes every week. 

What is the impact?

While fast fashion has been able to offer on-trend looks for affordable prices, the toll is paid on the human labourers and the environment. Crafting the clothes from inexpensive materials and cheap dyes mean the clothes being churned out for these department stores are not made to last, which shortens the consumption cycle: forcing the consumer to replace their clothing at a higher rate. 

Not only does the speed of fast fashion incentivize waste, but also often creates unhealthy work environments. One way of profiting from such inexpensive clothing is (1) to create an ocean of clothing, and (2) not pay your employees well

So what can we do? 

  1. Shop from places that ethically source and create their garments or sell vegan clothing
  2. Shop from second-hand stores and second-hand online platforms
  3. Invest in long-lasting pieces of clothing 
  4. Most importantly: adjust our shopping habits

All of these steps are a part of the process of re-evaluating your relationship to consumerism: recognizing your shopping patterns. All anyone can do is their best, and if the way that you want to participate in sustainable clothing is buying one less item than you normally would, or investing in vegan clothing, or if it’s buying only what you need from second-hand stores, it all helps shift away from relying on fast fashion department stores.

Of Note

If you can afford to purchase second hand items from higher end online platforms such as depop, thredUp, or poshmark, then go for it! The increase in second hand shopping at stores like Goodwill and Value Villages has driven up their prices, making them no longer accessible to their original target audience: low-income families. Yes, yes, you can buy a lot more clothes for the same price as one or two items from depop, but the point is not to acquire oodles of clothes–the point is to reevaluate how we all shop.

Photo credit: Ksenia Chernaya via Pexels