In recent years, fast fashion from companies like SHEIN and ZAFUL have become a dominant force in the clothing industry, offering trendy styles at shockingly low prices. While it might seem like a win for fashion enthusiasts and budget-conscious shoppers alike, I’ve chosen to steer clear of fast fashion for several compelling reasons. Here’s why:

Environmental Impact

Fast fashion’s environmental footprint is staggering. The industry is one of the largest polluters in the world, contributing significantly to water pollution, excessive waste, and carbon emissions. The production of cheap clothing often involves toxic dyes and synthetic fibers, which not only harm ecosystems but also find their way into our oceans, impacting marine life since each year approximately 92 TONS of used clothing end up in the world's landfills!

Ethical Concerns

Fast fashion often relies on exploitative labor practices. Garment workers, primarily in developing countries, are frequently subjected to poor working conditions, low wages, and lack of basic rights. The pressure to produce large quantities of clothing quickly and cheaply often leads to unsafe working environments and a disregard for workers' well-being.

Quality vs. Quantity

The allure of fast fashion lies in its low prices, but these items are often of inferior quality. Fast fashion garments are designed to be worn only a few times before falling apart, leading to a cycle of frequent replacement and waste. Investing in higher-quality, timeless pieces might cost more upfront, but they are designed to last, offering better value over time.

Overconsumption and Waste

Fast fashion encourages a culture of overconsumption, where clothing is seen as disposable rather than something to cherish and care for. The rapid turnover of trends means that clothing is quickly discarded, contributing to enormous amounts of textile waste. Many of these garments end up in landfills, where they can take decades to decompose.

Impact on Personal Style

When fashion is produced at breakneck speed, it often sacrifices originality for uniformity. Fast fashion chains rely on trends that are mass-produced, leading to a lack of unique and personal style. By avoiding fast fashion, I can invest in pieces that reflect my individual taste and are less likely to be seen on everyone else.

Supporting Sustainable Alternatives

Choosing to avoid fast fashion opens up opportunities to support brands and businesses that prioritize sustainability, ethical practices, and fair labor. Many companies are now focusing on eco-friendly materials, transparent supply chains, and fair wages, providing alternatives that align with my values like PACT. I support other small businesses that create one of a kind up cycled originals and hand selected quality curated vintage items like GRAET GOODS. Thrift store shopping and shopping in boutiques that have curated quality vintage items is also SO MUCH FUN! I have found gorgeous vintage Diane Von Furstenberg dresses, high end denim and unique button downs that give you such happiness like finding GOLD for a fraction of the cost, when hunting for your next new-to-you addition to your wardrobe.

Please donate your used clothing so that it may find a second hand home and avoid becoming harmful trash in a landfill. Things you may feel are too worn to donate, including bedding and blankets, can be donated to local animal shelters who will put these to great use and are in constant need of those items.

Positive Change

By opting out of fast fashion, I’m contributing to a larger movement towards a more responsible and conscious fashion industry. Every mindful purchase is a vote for the kind of world I want to live in, and supporting sustainable fashion is a way to advocate for the positive change this world needs.

While fast fashion might offer immediate gratification and budget-friendly options, the long-term consequences are too significant to ignore. By choosing to support ethical and sustainable fashion, I’m making a statement about the kind of world I want to live in—one that values the environment, respects workers, and promotes thoughtful consumption.

I encourage you to consider these factors when making fashion choices and to explore more sustainable options. If you're unsure about the brands you're purchasing, a simple Google search will help you learn more about how companies produce their products and their carbon footprint. Together, we can make a difference and support a fashion industry that is better for everyone and the beautiful world we live in. 

Check out this article from TIME to learn more HERE

As a designer and fashion creator myself, I am slowly moving away from polymer clay and resin art, to be more sustainable and less harmful to the planet. I am moving to use more natural and less toxic and chemically produced mediums. While polymer clay and resin jewelry is safe to wear in the ways I prepare and create them, the creation of these mediums and materials themselves, is not helpful to the environment. Let's all work together to make change!