Fast fashion & consumerism

zoeinaraa
Mar 18, 2023
2 min read

Yes, we’ve all heard of fast fashion and consumerism, but it can be so easy to ignore. Shein is cheap and it’s so much simpler to buy things on Amazon from the comfort of your own home. Ignoring the problem is so much easier than fixing it. I won’t list the effects, numbers or show you graphs that you’ve seen hundreds of times. Everyone already knows how bad it is, but they just simply don’t care because it doesn’t effect them or they can’t afford to care because a sustainable lifestyle is really expensive. The first step to activism is understanding the problem.

The most relevant problem with fast fashion is the enormous amount of waste that is created within all its stages of marketing (production, manufacturing, consumption, disposal. To lessen the effects of fast fashion we need to reduce the waste produced by the industry and shut down and reinvent these systems.

THE FIRST STEP

Overwhelming problems such as this can be hard to combat, but simply saying no to companies that don’t actively will help stop these problems. Stop promoting them on social media (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube etc.). We need to start calling out and de popularizing haul videos that advertise fast fashion and stop following all the trends we see on social media. A good rule I like to follow is if you don’t see yourself enjoying the product you are buying in a year don’t get it.

My favourite way to find out if a brand is sustainable is searching it at good on you. It is a website with reliable ratings that tell you which brands are sustainable and which ones to stay away from.

https://goodonyou.eco

Utilizing thrift stores:

More than just a trend, thrift stores are one of the best ways to get new clothes sustainably. I always find the most interesting things and it’s also a good way to get rid of old clothes that are still in good condition.

Material:

Fast fashion companies often add micro plastics into their clothes. Not only does this pollute the environment but it irritates your skin and can cause breakouts. No matter where you’re shopping always opt for clothing made with natural materials.