Fast Fashion vs. Sustainable Fashion: A Deep Dive
It is daunting for consumers to confirm they are making “conscious” decisions in their fashion choices if they do not know exactly what constitutes consciousness and “clean” fashion. How can we be sure that we are making safe choices for the environment when shopping? Social justice groups and environmentalists urge individuals to avoid fast fashion - but how can one know what companies are involved in the fast fashion industry and which ones aren’t? On the other hand, how can we know when something is truly sustainable? There are many different definitions of what sustainability is - but in what ways can these practices be implemented into our daily lives? Photobook is here to answer all of these questions and more in the following deep dive.
Delving into Fast Fashion
In the past few years, a magnifying glass has been held up to the fashion industry, and many large and successful brands were exposed for practices that were harming our environment. Certain companies were revealed to have been pumping out clothing in mass quantities for very low production costs. In order to keep production costs at a minimum, clothing factory laborers are paid close to nothing and the quality of workspaces is sometimes unimaginably unjust. These brands mimic high-fashion designs, oftentimes stealing the exact silhouettes and patterns from well-known fashion powerhouses.
The reason why this type of clothing production is so injurious to the Earth is that it promotes fast-paced consumption and improper treatment of laborers - so fast fashion is not just unsustainable, but it is also unethical. Not to mention most of this clothing ends up, ultimately, in landfills. Fashion is an art, a creative form of expression for individuals all over the world, but fast fashion seems to disregard this notion and instead push the narrative that fashion is driven by profit and hyper-consumption.
The tricky part about fast fashion brands is that they are sometimes hard to identify. The whole purpose of their commodities is to make them look as if they are high quality, when in reality most fast fashion pieces probably cost only a few dollars to make. Most fast fashion brands do not pay much attention to detail or to sourcing their materials and textiles. These companies use synthetic materials (because they are cheaper to obtain) which typically are derived from plastics. The types of synthetic plastics utilized in fast fashion production are birthed from petroleum oil or coal. These are the types of plastics that are basically immortal. They are unable to break down for decades, even centuries in some cases. Clothing made from these imposter materials can also produce pollution, such as releasing tiny micro-plastic fibers when washed, which can then drain into our oceans and water sources. That is not even the full scope of the negative effects of fast fashion production - the dyes and chemicals used in the birth of these garments are also stifling our Earth’s health. This is the real price paid for fast fashion.
Being educated about the impact that fast fashion can have on our world is the first and most important step in separating ourselves from toxic expenditure. But how can buyers be sure that what they are purchasing does not come from a fast fashion brand? Fast fashion brands usually produce clothing at extremely high rates, so be cautious of websites or retailers that constantly are coming up with new items for prices as low as two dollars per blouse. Some examples of fast fashion brands that are very popular currently are Shein, Forever21, Zara, H&M, and FashionNova. These brands are tempting because of their low prices and near-identical brand dupes, but that price tag is less serendipitous than it seems when you account for the ethical and environmental costs that come along with it. Some fast fashion brands deny accountability for their actions or state that they are “improving” their manufacturing processes and quality of labor while this is not actually the case. H&M launched a “Conscious Collection” in 2012, aimed at producing more sustainable clothing options and sourcing materials in a more ethical and informed way. These articles of clothing can be purchased in stores or directly on their website, where H&M explains this new and improved line in very vague terms. It is not explicitly proven that this line is really any more sustainable than their other products. These misconceptions regarding a company’s practices when it comes to environmentalism have a name: greenwashing.
Greenwashing is a term used for when a company circulates misleading or improper information about the sustainability of their products. The goal is to convince consumers that what they are buying is safe and morally-sound, when in reality it may not be. Many clothing companies participate in greenwashing in order to boost sales and revenue. Be careful when shopping not to fall for this common trick. If a company promotes their sustainable practices, their claims should be supported with solid, tangible proof so that you can be assured you are making an eco-conscious decisions.
Sustainability Explained
With what to steer clear of now covered, what constitutes sustainable fashion and how can one begin to make sustainable choices for their closet? There are actually many different interpretations of sustainability, but one definition that aligns well with the motives of the sustainable fashion movement is acting in a way that assures a flourishing and prosperous environment for future generations. When it comes to fashion, this means making decisions that will not negatively impact the future of our Earth.
Sustainable fashion can be identified by its reduced environmental and social impacts. Many sustainable brands - such as Los Angeles bred Two Days Off - display impressive transparency in their production processes from start to finish, so that buyers can be sure the things they are purchasing are guilt-free. These processes can include sourcing non-synthetic materials locally, using chemical-free dyes, and improving the quality of pay and factory life for hard-working laborers.
Sustainable fashion can also take on many different forms. While many environmentally-safe brands proudly exhibit their practices on their websites or on the tags of garments, you do not have to shop directly from these types of stores to make greener decisions. You can also participate in secondhand shopping, like thrifting or clothing swapping, or even up-cycling, which is the process of taking an old item and revamping it into something more trendy and useful.
Disseminating information about how to combat the fast fashion industry’s liabilities is instrumental in positively changing the trajectory of the fashion industry. Luckily, with the Biden administration’s aggressive climate plan underway, policy will also assist in creating a safer environment for decades to come. Biden has already rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement which is a big win for those passionate about addressing climate change, and he has established a goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035. The future is surely optimistic, but in the meantime we all owe the Earth a responsibility in doing our respective parts, when it comes to fashion and all other aspects of our lives.
Article by Kayla Curtis-Evans, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Caitriona Moran, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
