Fashion has been a significant part of our society for a very long time, but now it is becoming an issue to our environment’s well-being. It may not seem like one person’s choices are going to affect the environment in a life or death way, but when everyone contributes through the same harmful, unsustainable fashion practices, it adds up. Unsustainable fashion practices and habits include shopping from fast-fashion brands, participating in micro-trends, buying too much clothing, and throwing out clothes. Habits like these are harmful to the environment and waste money, so why do so many people continue to partake in them?
Many people shop from fast fashion brands and participate in micro-trends because of how easy it is. When you open an online fast fashion store like Shein, you are given an unlimited amount of options for trendy clothing pieces. There are deals that pop up everywhere to get sales on the already extremely cheap, new, and popular products.
Along with being very prevalent in these types of stores, micro-trends can also be seen everywhere on social media. They lure people into buying clothes that are only popular or cool for a brief amount of time, giving them a very short shelf life of wear.
Shopping sites like Shein, Temu, and Zara get people hooked on their inexpensive, trendy clothes and easy shopping experience, but there are numerous details left out about both the clothing pieces and their production. The clothes consist of low-quality fabrics and are made with unethical labor practices. Although one may get a great deal on something, they are paying for unethical clothing that will fall apart or go out of style after a week of wear.
These cheap, disposable clothing pieces are the stores’ exact tactics, because the more you buy from them, the more you will have to keep buying, and you’ll end up buying clothes so frequently that you lose more money than buying a more expensive product of higher quality. The cheapness of these stores will end up costing you more in the long run, and along with hurting your wallet, they are hurting the environment and the factory workers.
According to Arabella Ruiz, a senior researcher at TheRoundup.org, “the world produces 92 million tons of textile waste every year,” and they make up at least “7% of the total amount of waste in global landfill space.” And this doesn’t even include the textile production by-products, which end up being “42 million tons of plastic waste per year,” and “9% of the annual microplastic pollution added to our oceans.” These statistics prove that overconsumption of clothing is a serious problem all around the world, and is only getting worse the more we shop at these fast-fashion stores.
Along with harming the environment, fast fashion brands are not ethically responsible and do not take care of their employees. A Public Eye article by Timo Kollbrunner featured a person on the inside of Shein’s factories in Nancun Village, reporting what it was like for the workers and interviewing several. The reporter found that most of these factory workers are “migrant workers,” or women and men from areas where “wages are significantly lower,” and “many are only in the city [Nancun] for a limited time, without their families and with no responsibilities other than to earn as much money as possible.”
The reporter also stated that the workers for Shein do not have employment contracts, and are working “over 75 hours per week,” with “only one day off per month.” They have “no social security contributions being paid for any of them,” and many of these companies “fail to comply with even the most basic safety standards.” The reporter explained that these are all violations of Chinese laws.
These are unlivable, extremely dangerous conditions, and the more that we buy from these types of companies, the worse the environment will get, and these factory workers will keep suffering.
What are some solutions to these bad fashion habits? We can change the way we buy and get rid of our clothes to help ourselves and the world around us. Some sustainable fashion practices include going thrifting, making your own clothes, investing in high-quality products, and avoiding giving into micro-trends.
Thrifting and buying secondhand is like a fun little treasure hunt. You are getting more unique, uncommon pieces of clothing, and you can build your own style better by trying out new pieces you may not see when shopping in stores that are constantly following trends and trying to stay “current.” You also are teaching yourself patience through thrifting as you may not find something you want right away. You can even go on online secondhand store apps like Depop, and still shop from home in a more sustainable way.
By not giving in to the newest trendy piece or what is right in front of you, you are developing a better sense of what you like and don’t like, and you are being more intentional with what you want to spend your money on. Good fashion that fits your personal style is timeless. You are also giving pre-owned clothing a second life, and preventing it from ending up in the dumpster and contributing to mass pollution.
Many people also take up hobbies such as crocheting, knitting, and sewing to personalize their wardrobe and buy less clothing. Making your own clothes may seem like a hard skill to take on, but whatever method you choose will become a valuable and enjoyable pastime in your life. This way you can get new clothes that you want, doing something productive with your time and teaching yourself useful skills. You teach yourself patience, better hand-eye coordination, and how to follow a pattern.
Finally, when buying clothes, it is in the best interest for you and the environment to invest in high-quality clothes that will last you a long time. Now you may be worrying about the price of clothing pieces like this, because many do cost a lot more money than the usual things you find in your nearby stores. It is worth it to save up money for these higher quality articles of clothing, though, especially if they are basics that you can wear often. These pieces of clothing are made to last a long time, so you are really getting your money’s worth.
These sustainable fashion practices may seem like they will inconvenience you in your time and energy, but it is important to consider your options when thinking about how you want to express your style. Just by stopping and thinking about how your decisions are affecting the environment, factory workers, and your bank account, you are working towards creating more sustainable habits for yourself and the planet.