Can We Be Consumers Of Fast Fashion And Still Be Sustainable?

Fast fashion is a business model where brands rapidly mass produce clothing. Due to this fast production of clothing mass amounts of waste are generated each year. Fashion is one of the biggest polluters in the world and the fast fashion industry massively contributes to this. So for today's post, I am going to be delving into this topic and talking about whether we can be consumers of fast fashion and still do it sustainably.

People's main concerns when it comes to fast fashion are people's overconsumption of clothing and how ethically the products are made. These factors are all very important and I feel many of us would love to buy from companies that ethically source their goods. But seeking out methods to do this is still very limited, many sustainable clothing brands tend to come with a hefty price most individuals could not afford to pay and the sizing isn't always very inclusive. When this argument is put forth many people then come back with the argument of charity shops, while this is an option the likelihood of finding items that fit a large majorities style is slim. Also unless you manage to find charity shops that have good pieces or you live near good charity shops, finding clothes you like and will get a lot of wear out of are limited. As a result many people then turn to fast fashion brands as they offer a wide range of clothing for different demographics at an affordable price. But there tends to be some conscious guilt behind each purchase when you think of the process that possibly came before it.

A lot of the time when fast fashion is mentioned people often shame the consumers instead of focusing a lot of the blame on the brands themselves. A large majority of people don't buy a large amount of clothes that they intend to wear once and throw away but this idea is so widely thought. I think many people have clothes they have brought from H&M, Zara, and other fast fashion brands that they wear over and over and only give away when they don't fit or are no longer their style. Also when giving up clothes many people tend to sell them, give them to friends, donate them to charity or put them in clothes bins as supposed to just placing them in household waste. All of these choices make sure the clothes have a better chance of being worn again or used for something else as opposed to just being dumped in a landfill.

As large fashion companies many of these brands could easily source their goods from factories that treat workers fairly and begin making more steps toward a more sustainable future by using more recycled materials and less toxic dyes and chemicals in the production process. These changes would be a step in the correct direction and over time fast fashion could become more sustainable, but the nature of it makes it difficult for it ever be completely sustainable.

As a consumer I believe there are a few ways we can help that are realistic and doable for everyone that will help with us overconsuming:

• when buying clothes think about how much wear you will truly get out of and if you don't think it will be a lot maybe don't buy it.

• When getting rid of your clothes sell them, donate to charity, give to friends or take them to clothing bins.

• Buy on marketplaces such as depop, eBay, and vinted.

• Upcycle clothes if you have the skills.

• Get clothes fixed if they're repairable instead of throwing them away.

• Borrow clothes from your friends for one time events instead of purchasing new outfits every time.

Overall I believe that as consumers of fast fashion there are ways we can be sustainable, but at its core, fast fashion is not the most sustainable way to shop. I think that it's a big issue in our world that needs tackling but it's not an easy process or one that can happen overnight. Many brands are trying to be more sustainable but at the same time, I believe many brands are greenwashing and using sustainability as a way to make themselves sound good and just entice people to buy more, which is the opposite of what we need.