Week 3 - Fast Fashion

By: Reanna Lao

One of the reasons why I am unfashionable is because I despise the fashion industry and of global fashion chains. I am conflicted with guilt everytime I go to the mall and see racks of clothes made in developing countries. I have learned at an early age of the unethical and unhealthy treatment of sweatshop workers. Most of the time, I leave the mall empty handed because I am not willing to support a company which takes advantage of people in developing countries. Sometimes, when I need new shoes, I buy from vans, which makes me feel like a hypocrite. Not being able to fully commit to anti-consumerism is conflicting because I have hygiene concerns with used shoes from thrift shops. I hate that I try to justify my purchases by thinking that even if I buy from shoe stores which claim to donate profits to developing countries, it will still not benefit the people there. I have been to Haiti and I have seen mountains of donated TOMS shoes drying up in the sun because they can not be traded for food. It is hard for me to discern between the good and the bad of the fashion industry.

The article Fast Fashion, Sustainability, and the Ethical Appeal of Luxury Brands enlightened me with an answer to why people support fast fashion chains. At this time and age of technology, I am in disbelief that consumers are not aware of sweatshops. It is a choice that people still support fast fashion chains. The article brought up the idea that people are willing to look out for the environment so long as it will directly benefit them. People buy organic foods for heath benefits and people save electricity for a lower electric bill, however there is no direct consequence to buying clothes from fast fashion chains. As clothes is linked to identity, people are not willing to settle for upcycled clothes unless it is fashionable. The article proposed some possible solutions to the environmental problems caused by fast fashion. One solution was to have an eco-label on materials and designs. I think it is a good idea to challenge new designers to upcycle clothes and to sell them. This solution got me wondering if it was possible for the government to set up scholarships for designers to study environmental fashion.