What Is Fast Fashion, Exactly?

Let’s delve deeper into fast fashion and understand why it is time to mend our ways!

Fast fashion is no alien word in the fashion world. While the industry as a whole pledges to move towards a more sustainable way of being, most brands are following lead. But before moving towards an ethical world and future, it is imperative to understand what exactly we’re up against. So, what does fast fashion really mean?

In layman terminology, fast fashion is a process where the designing, production and marketing of clothing is carried out in mass volumes. In other words, the garments are produced using low quality fabric and with trend duplication, so that they can be sold at an inexpensive price to the consumers. Due to these inexpensive products (dictated by market trends) flooding the garment market, it has led to incessant rise in overconsumption. Unfortunately, this has deteriorated the environment, lives of garment workers and ultimately, the consumers!

Fashion is the seventh largest industry in the world and is based on a model that reinforces and perpetuates exploitation of people, including creating conditions of modern-day slavery. In order to help everyone understand better why the hue and cry against fast fashion, it is important to understand the origin and significance of this movement. Because irrespective of you being a part of the fashion industry or not, it is most likely that you are wearing clothes.

I. Mass Production: Boon OR Bane?

Until the 19th century, fashion was prescribed for high society where rules were to be followed. The fashion industry ran on four seasons namely, spring, summer, fall and winter. Designers worked quite methodically before each season and seamlessly predicted the trends that the season would unfold. However, this process took away any piece of choice from the wearer, who were forced to wear the designer’s vision. Moreover, while the classes were able to dress up, the masses were excluded from this process altogether.

Roughly in the mid 19th century, industrial revolution and mass production had hit the fashion industry as well. Manufacturers began to produce garments that did not require fittings and could be ready-made using machinery. As a result, the industry began to quicken its pace and reduce costs, thus proving that consumers are ready for the fast fashion trend.

The new fashion system was being dictated by fast fashion retailers like Zara, Topshop and H&M, that produce around 52 micro seasons in a year. They replicate fashion week and streetwear trends in order to create desirable styles each week, with a never ending inventory so consumers don’t leave stores empty handed. Post this, it became customary for all brand stores to have a soaring supply of stock at all times, so they don’t run out of clothes.

Presently, apparel companies make approx. 53 million tons of clothes annually, and this is expected to reach 160 million tons by 2050.

II. Where Is The Quality?

There are endless debates among industry personnel if fast fashion is a producer led calamity or a consumer initiated one. Was it brands constantly pushing us to buy trendy garments as soon as we spotted them on the runway or was it the unquenchable thirst of the consumers for the next best thing? It is hard to pick one side, but if consumers’ demands are mindless, so are producers’ actions.

With fast fashion subsequent to a rise in the rate of production, garments are made in a rushed manner and brands compromise severely on quality. There is not enough time for quality check, which means that final merchandise is sent out with lost buttons, bad zips and inferior quality fabric. And it isn’t the case that these brands cannot afford to revise this quality, because they are making millions of dollars, no matter the cost or markup value. While on the other hand, garment workers are being treated as modern day slaves, with wages well below minimum!

While the production side is shady, the consumer side isn’t hopeful either. Most consumers who purchase these garments discard them just after a few wears and repeat the scout process for the next best thing.

An eye opening documentary to watch, to understand this better is The True Cost. It depicts how racism, oppression, body shaming, exclusivity are rampant and moral lines are clearly being blurred in the modern fashion ecosystem.

III. Human Rights In Fashion? Ha Ha Ha

The process of fast fashion as a whole is extremely detrimental to the health of the garment workers as well as our planet. So many of our beloved fast fashion brands use toxic chemicals, dyes, synthetic fabrics and pesticides that are the causes for cancer and fatal respiratory diseases, especially to people working inside the factories. And for people outside the fashion industry, who choose to wear these poorly produced garments on their body, it can be dangerous to their health as well.

Apart from the physical adversary, the garment workers have to constantly face physical abuse, unfair wages, long work hours and lack of resources. A lot of us might be familiar with the sweatshops where well-renowned brands violate basic human rights, just for the sake of cheap clothing. The poor garment workers are not fed, not paid and often pushed beyond their working capacity to fulfill their daily production targets.

While the dangers are many for workers and animals in these garment factories, the ones outside aren’t spared as well. These garment textiles often release heavy chemicals and toxins which do not break down and adversely affect the health of the plants, animals and humans inhabiting the nearby areas. These harmful toxins do not break down and sit in landfills for years. They end up releasing toxins in the air that we breathe, in turn harming the planet as well as all the inhabitants. The carbon footprint of the fashion industry is so enormous that it can outrun the air travel and oil industry!

IV. Light At The End Of Tunnel: Slow Fashion

While on one side, it seems like a never ending vicious cycle, the other side is hopeful. It is deeply encouraging to know that there are brands, communities as well as individuals who recognize these wrongdoings and fight actively for the garment workers as well as our planet. It is even more heartwarming to know that a lot of homegrown Indian brands are taking the baton and leading by example.

While there have been solid changes on the producers’ end, it is important to address the concerns on the consumers’ side as well. Even though the entire fashion industry is guilty of committing crimes against the planet and people, there needs to be an evident change in consumer’s obsession with mindless consumerism. Each of us need to be responsible for the lifestyle we lead, the products we purchase and to gradually make a shift towards better alternatives; because better options are available!

Slow fashion, contrary to fast fashion, offers a mindful process for manufacturing, fair wages and working conditions for garment workers, natural fabrics, long lasting garments and labor rights. By buying products from ethical businesses, responsible brands and thrift stores, we encourage and enhance their demand in the economy as well as ensure that we are advocating for a better environment for the future.

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What are some things you learnt about fast fashion from this article? Do you think you want to continue this lifestyle of endless consumption? Or do you want to understand what slow fashion is and how it works? Do you think it is important to question our lifestyle choices? Let me know in the comments below!

Xx, AG