What is fast-fashion? Fast fashion has been described by Google and Wikipedia as a contemporary term used for inexpensive clothing produced by mass-retailers in response to the latest trends. The main idea of the entire term is to capture the image of old clothes in dumpsters after they’ve gone out of trend.
After having read countless articles and watched YouTubers diss fast-fashion brands, I have realised something. We’ll come to that later. Before my rant, I want you to ask yourself – Is it fast fashion if you never throw it out?
Since Indian households are infamous for making ‘pochhas’ (or rags) out of old t-shirts or shorts.
1. What are the fast-fashion companies/brands?
To people who aren’t aware of this term already, this might come out as a big shock for you but renowned companies like ZARA, H&M, GAP, Forever 21, Shein, and Romwe to name a few. The first four belong to the top tier of fast-fashion clothes while the last two belong to the bottom tier.
2. Can we do anything about it?
If you want to contribute to the environment by buying ethically-produced clothing, you are more than welcome to spend 6k bucks on a sweatshirt. Is this me mocking your inability to afford a couple of thousand bucks worth of sweatshirt? No. This is me making fun of the monopoly companies play with our lives.
But if you’re dedicated to change your lifestyle, you can check out the websites below:
Here are some other alternatives:
- Koovs
- Tailored clothing
- Don’t throw away clothes once they go out of fashion, donate them
One misconception that exists is that fast fashion is slowly suffocating the planet. Five-star brands can’t guarantee their labours are being well-paid and they’re being made to work in top-notch conditions. Fast fashion doesn’t necessarily mean ill-fitted clothing. Fashion requires you to sacrifice your money. One cannot spend their entire savings on a t-shirt. Since no cheap alternative to sustainable fashion exists, you need to learn how to recognize good quality clothing:
Even though the above video demonstrates a lady pointing a finger at dresses made for women, the same applies to men since the sewing techniques are the same. Fast fashion cannot be stopped because not everyone has the financial capability to wear an Armani suit to office every day.
Read more: 4 Stupid Shirt Trends Men Think Are Fashionable