Is Shopping Slow Fashion a Luxury?
Fast fashion - it’s bad. We’re starting to come around to this idea as a society, yet we can’t get away from it. Consumerism is there when we post to instagram with a new outfit every week, when we get hundreds of emails in our inbox about sales, and when we see an article about what’s in and what’s definitely OUT. All of this serves as a reminder that the trend cycle is cycling and it’s time to buy new stuff. How do we step off this merry-go-round without feeling like we’re missing out? What if fast fashion is your only access to an otherwise unattainable lifestyle?
Learn more about why the fashion industry is not sustainable here.
The Cost of Fast Fashion
The term “fast fashion” refers to trendy, low-priced clothing made from substandard materials. Most fast-fashion companies are not vertically integrated, which means that each company in the supply chain, from the manufacturers to the shippers, are independent contractors and not employees of the brand. The fast-fashion industry relies heavily on automation, short production cycles, and cheap materials. This results is a cheaper product for consumers than high-end brands. However, the high cost of production is ultimately passed on to customers through lower wages for workers, less taxes paid, and more waste. Fast fashion is also harmful to our health and the environment.
When you shop for higher-quality items, you’re helping to support workers’ rights and create a healthier environment for everyone, all while improving your wardrobe. You can wear these pieces for years to come without having to worry about them falling apart. Quality pieces are also easier to clean, which means that you’ll save time and money in the long run.
Instead of Fast Fashion…
If you’re a person who likes to experiment with your style, fast fashion is a tempting way to keep up with trends and change things up. But forgoing fast fashion doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to wearing the same thing every day like a cartoon character. The key is to focus on quality pieces that can last a long time and be mixed and matched with other things you already have in your closet.
Buying quality items means you are going to spend more, though. This is something people who have the means to spend a little more should consider, i.e. buy one nice, well-made top per year instead of buying a cheap new one each month. And find ways to save on high quality products like shopping off season and during holiday sales.
The Cost of Not Following Trends
So you’ve decided to commit to only buying sustainable, ethically made clothing, but now you realize you have to buy way less. Or, maybe you can’t afford those higher quality clothes at all. Spending $100 on a t-shirt is a luxury for most people, after all. Yes, fashion is unfair.
In some ways, fast fashion is an equalizer that puts everyone on relatively the same playing field when it comes to following the latest trends. People who are economically disadvantaged don’t have to resort to wearing old, out of style, worn out clothing. These kinds of social indicators (i.e. what someone is wearing) tell other people how to treat you. So is fast fashion an access point for better treatment and a better quality of life? If so, can we really blame people for taking advantage of this?
Telling people to buy slow fashion when it’s not accessible to them is unhelpful and, frankly, unethical.
What About Everyone Else?
Thrifting is one obvious answer to this dilemma. Thrift stores are overflowing with clothes - the dumping of clothes and their disposal is a whole other issue - and provide a cost effective way of updating your wardrobe for many people. “Slow fashion” doesn’t have to mean super expensive cashmere sweaters. The next time you have the urge to buy something new for that event you have coming up, maybe hit the thrift store instead of the mall. Or if you see an ad for something you really, really want, check Depop, Poshmark, or other reselling apps to see if you can find something similar.
Of course, the best thing to do is fight the urge to have something new. Think about why you feel the need to buy something you don’t already own, and what you can do with what you have. This includes (especially) those of you can afford to buy a new shirt every time you have a night out. Just because you can, should you?
For more, check out this guide to creating a sustainable wardrobe.
