Fast Fashion and Its Impact on Society

 Written by Jonathan Arwan

    What is fast fashion? Fast fashion is a term that refers to the rapid production of cheap and low quality clothing with the main goal of quickly delivering the latest trends to the customers. The term first appeared in the 2000s due to factors such as the globalization of the fashion industry, advancements in manufacturing technology and an increasing consumer demand for fashion apparel. Some examples of fast fashion brands are Zara and H&M. 

    Fast fashion is basically clothing which is designed to be worn only for a short period of time before being thrown away. Because of this, the amount of waste by the fashion industry is increasing a lot more. The production of cheap clothing also requires vast amounts of energy and raw materials, further straining our planet’s resources. Besides that, fast fashion is also the cause for pollution due to the toxic chemicals used for dyeing the clothing. 

    According to the UN Environment Programme, an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced every year and that number is expected to soar up to 134 million tonnes a year by 2030. The fashion industry accounts for nearly up to 10% of global carbon emissions, which is more than both the aviation and shipping sectors combined, and nearly 20% of global wastewater. 

    Despite this, the fashion industry has no reason to change because companies are still making a lot of profit from doing fast fashion. 

    Another issue that is caused by fast fashion is exploitative labor practices. They do this to keep the production costs low. Many fast fashion brands outsource their manufacturing to countries with low labor costs. Workers in these countries usually complain about the bad working conditions, low wages and also lack of rights. 

    The fast fashion industry also has social impacts on society. Nowadays, most people have an obsession of always following the latest fashion trends. This constant need to buy new clothes can lead people to debt and stress. 

    Knowing the impacts of fast fashion to the environment and society, we must try and come up with a solution. 

    For example, we could use more eco-friendly materials so the clothing can be easily recycled. We can also be more responsible with the production process by keeping track of how much clothes are being produced per day. The last solution I could think of is spreading awareness of this problem and educating other people. The more people that know about this the easier it will be to solve the problem. 

    In conclusion, even though fast fashion can make clothing cheaper and easier to produce. Fast fashion comes at a significant cost to society and the environment. Because of this, we need to work together and become more responsible with the production of clothing and consumer choices. With this, the waste of fast fashion will be reduced and society will be more responsible with their money and purchases.