What is Fast Fashion?
Fast fashion can be described as cheap pieces of clothing that are massed produced from styles seen in high fashion or on trend at the time. Because these garments are cheaper and more accessible, it shows consumers that they are able to buy more of the pieces and purchase them more often than they would more expensive pieces.
Many of the fast fashion companies have factories located in developing nations, depending on a young or underrepresented workforce to create the clothes you see in the store. This helps eliminate seeing the "back of the shop," or the exploitation of these workers. Furthermore, by purchasing from these fast fashion brands, you are directly supporting the mistreatment of workers around the world.
A few common fast fashion brands include: Shein, Forever 21, H&M, Amazon, Zara, Urban Outfitters, and many more. If you are ever in doubt, look at the tag of the garment to see where it was manufactured, this can tell a lot about the environment that the piece was created in, or do a simple internet search about the company.
What is UC doing to combat Fast Fashion?
This month, UC Sustainability and the Sustainable Fashion Initiative facilitated a film discussion on the film RiverBlue, a
documentary on the true conditions of rivers around the world and the affect that fashion pollution has on them. By showing living and working conditions in these distant countries, RiverBlue brings awareness to a topic that many people have never seen for themselves
and gives an honest look into how many of our clothes are produced. Furthermore, by highlighting the production of blue jeans, one of the most iconic and versatile pieces of clothing ever, RiverBlue tells the harsh truth of the lives of millions of people being affected everyday. This film is available to watch through Kanopy with a UC 6+2 or a Hamilton County library card.
Also, UC Sustainability will be hosting a ReUse Market in partnership with Goodwill during the week of April 26 - 30. This is an opportunity for UC students to drop off donations at the end of the semester.
How can you help?
Be aware and care about where your clothes come from! You can make a difference by supporting sustainable, ethical brands of clothing. The consumer is the primary focus of all brands, so if they see a decrease in their products, they will know that a change needs to be made. Normally, sourcing any product from the USA is a good practice to start, we have labor laws and a federal minimum wage that protec
Thrift! Thrifting has been continually increasing in popularity lately because of the accessibility and cheap prices of the items, not to mention many people are starting to understand where their clothes are coming from. Support your local thrift and vintage shops to find unique pieces. Just remember to be conscientious of the community that depends on these stores and only buy what you will wear or repurpose.
Help your clothes have a longer life! Make purchases only when you need an item or to replace an existing piece in your closet. Take care of your existing pieces and donate whenever possible.
Shop less! By cutting out unnecessary purchases, we can all eliminate a small portion of the fast fashion industry and promote sustainable practices by shopping local and ethical when new clothing is needed.
Participate in clothing swaps! Many college campuses, clubs, and community groups host clothing swaps frequently, or get a group of friends or family together and swap some pieces that aren't getting as much love as they should be.
Additional Resources:
RiverBlue: http://riverbluethemovie.eco/
Factory Exploitation and the Fast Fashion Machine: https://greenamerica.org/blog/factory-exploitation-and-fast-fashion-machine
Child labour in the fashion supply chain: https://labs.theguardian.com/unicef-child-labour/
Can Fast Fashion Be Sustainable? https://www.ecowatch.com/sustainable-fashion-2646356550.html
10 Best Affordable Brands For Ethical Fashion On A Budget: https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/affordable-ethical-fashion-brands
14 Ethical And Sustainable Men's Clothing Companies: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/sustainable-fashion/sustainable-mens-clothing/
H&M’s Greenwashing: Short-Sighted and Unethical: https://www.brandingmag.com/2019/12/12/hms-greenwashing-short-sighted-and-unethical/
China Retaliates Against Clothing Brands After Western Sanctions: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/25/981113024/china-retaliates-against-clothing-brands-after-western-sanctions