fast fashion
Fast fashion is a term used in the fashion industry where rapid production and low prices are key factors. Fast fashion companies manufacture massive quantities of clothing at record speed. These companies replicate fashion week and streetwear trends, and follow micro-trends that emerge on social media. Typically, the garments are of low quality, made from cheap synthetic fabrics like polyester, and not intended for long-term use. However, their competitive pricing makes fast fashion a threat to both traditional fashion houses and the climate.
Conventional fashion houses usually produce clothing for two seasons: Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter. Companies such as H&M and Zara can release new collections within a matter of weeks. Some fast fashion brands produce up to 52 seasons per year.
The term ultrafast fashion refers to companies like Shein, which can produce new clothing collections within just a few days. Shein maintains a catalogue of 600,000 different garments at any given time. Initially, the garments are produced in small batches of 50–150 pieces per day. The batch size is then adjusted based on the demand for that specific design.
The consequences of fast fashion
This way of conducting business contributes to several ethical issues. Reports show that between 2000 and 2014, global clothing production doubled, and garments purchased per capita increased by 60%. This happened in line with the rising popularity of fast fashion companies and the acceleration of trend cycles. Micro-trends are a catalyst for fast fashion’s development. These trends last only a few weeks, after which a new micro-trend emerges. Companies respond quickly to these and can produce trend-driven garments in no time.
The clothing holds little emotional value for consumers, as it is cheap and quickly goes out of fashion. As a result, much of the clothing is discarded after just a few uses. When clothes are thrown away, they often end up in landfills. These garments, which contain chemicals, dyes, and synthetic fabrics, do not biodegrade like organic waste. Instead, they release toxins into the air, soil, and groundwater.
The production of the clothing is also a dirty and unethical process. Polyester and other synthetic textiles commonly found in fast fashion items are derived from fossil fuels. These textiles release microplastics during both production and washing, which end up in our water systems. Over a third of the microplastics found in the oceans come from synthetic textiles. The entire fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global CO₂ emissions. While fast fashion companies cannot be blamed entirely, they are far from innocent.
Health-related effects
The toxins and pollution don’t just end up in nature — they also affect garment workers and consumers. It has been proven that synthetic textile products from fast fashion companies can be harmful to the skin and health when worn. Garment workers and people living in nearby towns around the factories are exposed to these toxins on a daily basis.
Furthermore, garment workers in the Global South are underpaid for hard labour under harsh conditions. The majority of these workers are women. During 10–14-hour workdays, they are subjected to physical and psychological abuse. Safety regulations in factories are neglected, and injuries or threats to workers’ safety are often ignored. Despite these conditions, workers still struggle to feed themselves and their families — yet they comply, as they have no better alternative.