ASA 141
Week 3 blog post
It was interesting to read the dissonance between
sustainability and fashion choices in Fast
Fashion, Sustainability, and the Ethical Appeal of Luxury Brands. Based on the
survey of the consumers from Hong Kong and Canada, their beliefs and their shopping
patterns were something I could personally relate to and is something very common among
this generation.
Society puts a lot of emphasis on living a sustainable, eco-friendly
lifestyle through food and health, such as changing the diet, like going vegetarian or vegan, meal
prepping to avoid food waste, recycling, or riding a bike instead of driving a
car. However, there is no emphasis on eco-friendly fashion. And to be honest, I
was surprised when I read the article on the impact of fast fashion. Instead, people
are pushed to keep buying new clothing items to fit with the trends or to
replace them after ten washes when the quality deteriorates. The cheap price
makes consumers feel less guilty about buying more because it is less financial
pressure.
This is also influenced by clothing as a method of
expressing one’s identity. For a lot of people, style can change on a day to day
basis depending on one’s mood or the day’s activities. Fast fashion allows people
to do this. People can dabble in many styles. As mentioned in the same article consumers
can “constantly alter their identity” this way (Joy, Sherry, Venkatesh, Wang & Chan,
2012). Identity is something that is always changing with time. As we constantly
grow, develop new interests, are exposed to new experiences and meet new people,
it will influence the way we dress. Therefore, I think fast fashion and the
implications on the environment is something that will always exist, but it can
be minimized, with thrifting, but will always take time.
After
reading this article, I will be more conscious about my footprint on earth
based on my shopping habits. But, is it even possible to fashion to be
sustainable if it is a means of identity and something that is always evolving?
Would it be different is designers began to push more sustainable options?
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