Trend to Trash

Fast fashion typically denotes low-priced clothing produced by huge well-known retailers rapidly to keep up with ever-changing trends. Fast fashion is for immediate consumption, it is to capture the look of the moment. It is not to linger in wardrobes. Retailers create demand with a constant flood of new items.

The reason why people accept and let the fashion in our society is getting their trendy outfits and clothing items at such cheap prices, but what they don’t think about, if the consumer is getting the product for a few bucks, retailers aren’t nincompoops to sell out cheap items without thinking of their profit first. Eventually, all this leads to the usage of chemicals instead of organic and sustainable clothing dyes. And the poor workers are not paid enough, they are exploited just so you could get an item at a cheap rate and a company could enjoy profits while the world and the rights of poor sections of society suffer.

So, to one consumer, it may just cost a few bucks, but in reality, the cost of this lifestyle is very heavy. It is not durable and is not built to last.

Years ago, fashion shopping was about occasional purchases, considerately picked, now it has turned into a series of impulse buys.

Fast fashion is also known as disposable fashion, because of the waste generated by such industries. 10 percent of the world's total carbon footprint comes from the fashion industry, and apparel is the second largest polluter of freshwater globally. Tiny plastic microfibers, shed by synthetic wear during laundry, are contaminating our water supply and food chain.

There are several ways to overcome fast fashion.

1. First, as a consumer, we have power over fashion retails. Although it’ll only be possible if the majority of consumer buyers restrict such brands, so the brands won’t get a profit out of such practices. This would require spreading awareness and mainly acceptance as to how our investment in such products is causing havoc to the planet.

2. Rent clothes for occasions: There are several clothing items in our wardrobe that we have worn not more than twice. Renting or swapping clothes with your friends.

3. Thrift! period.

4. Quality over quantity: The better the quality, the longer you will use it.

5. There are various other ways for the same. One of the main ways is to follow SUSTAINABLE FASHION. So what is Sustainable Fashion, you ask?

Fashion that is completely transparent of its supply chain. High-quality products with reduced environmental impact, produced in accommodations with well-treated workers.

( An app named Good on You, it researches different brand sustainability credentials, majorly on animal, environment, and labour.)

The National Association of Sustainable Fashion aims at supporting fashion entrepreneurs to create social change and respect the environment. Also, to encourage collaboration, sustainability, and commercial development. It addresses issues of their economic, environmental and ethical impacts, (the 3 Es) which are:

• Ethical: Fair wages, fair pay, equality for all, animal treatment (Cruelty-free org, fair trade

certification), animal welfare, good working conditions, no child labour. Almost 70 million people are employed in the clothing and footwear sector. 75% of those are women. (An incident happened in Bangladesh, Dhaka where the story building collapsed. Almost 1000 workers were dead who were making cheap clothing for western brands. the working conditions were certainly not approved, there was no job safety and it cost many lives.)

• Economic: Spurring economic growth, tied to charitable causes. Slow fashion adds to this.

• Environmental: Environmental impacts from the production, transport, use, and disposal of clothes in the supply chain. Brands shouldn’t be polluting the water with their chemical dying processes, looking out for companies that have tried to minimize their impact through packaging. Checking what materials are being used. Whether they are organic or synthetic. Upcycling can be done; it means using previously used materials and mainly if the brands are organic certified.

“There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it leads to hunger and unhappiness"