Access Magazine Spring 2024 Issue 01

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Writing this feels so surreal because I never expected myself to end up in this position. This is my first magazine as the executive editor of Access Magazine and I am forever grateful for all the support I have received these past few weeks.

This is a full circle moment for me because I have always loved buying magazines as a kid. From the entertaining writing to the stunning visuals, this team made it all happen.

We have the most hardworking group of editors and staff that I am ecstatic to share this issue with our readers. Trends in relation towards fashion and beauty are covered in this issue.

Last winter, I worked for an “ethical” and “eco-conscious” company that continuously put out new merchandise every week. I remember the amount of hours my coworkers and I spent going through tons of boxes crammed with low-quality products. This is what sparked my interest in taking a deep-dive into the harsh realities of the fashion industry.

I hope that our readers are inspired to consider an eco-friendly lifestyle in order to minimize their carbon footprint. Will we ever be fully sustainable? Probably not, but maybe you will think twice before purchasing something and that is something we hope you take away from this issue.

Let us embrace the beauty of fashion while treading lightly on the Earth, right? Together, we can create a sustainably stylish world.

Sincerely, Executive Editor Tracy Escobedo

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Mechanical engineer sophomore Joshua Peternel Photo by Analyn Do

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THE NEW AESTHETIC

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TIKTOK SHOP AND MICROTRENDS

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D E AT H T O T H E R AV E D R AW E R

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K-POP CLOTHING: IS IT S U S TA I NA B L E ?

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THE GREEN RACE

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BE GREEN BE CLEAN

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6 TIPS TO BE E C O - F R I E N D LY

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KEEP STYLE SUSTAINABLE

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TINY TROUBLES

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WORD SEARCH / T H I S O R T HAT

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PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS

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THRIFTING’S RISING P R I C E TA G G E N A L P H A’ S E A R L Y CONSUMERISM HABITS

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Photoby byAnalyn AnalynDo Do Photo

The New Aesthetic

Vapes are becoming an accesory.

By D’Netrus Chevis-Rose Staff Writer The cigarette has been depicted in American media since the 1920s, seen as a statement of power, sociability and luxury. Today, the disposable vape is America’s next big thing. The vape or “nic stick” is what all of the cool kids are holding tight between their fingers as a daily necessity. As zoomers and millennials fight to stay up to date with the latest vape- these non-recyclable devices are being thrown away everyday, contributing to the United States’ mass issue of consumerism.

Vapes are made by a number of different electronic cigarette brands such as Puff Bar, Geek Bar and Flum, which manufacture different sizes, shapes, colors and flavors to buy. Vaping devices appeal to users with their high doses of nicotine, which give a euphoric, cloudy, head high with each puff.

According to a 2020 article by PubMed Central, before the disposable vape became mainstream, 2007 is when the new electronic flavored aerosol cigarette was advertised as a safer alternative to quit smoking.

The aerosol mist in electronic cigarettes is where the term vape came from, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Each puff from a vape produces ultra fine particles in the lungs, creating the illusion of water vapor once the particles are released into the air.

According to the American Lung Association website, vaping forms a number of different chemicals in the lungs after each puff. When the nicotine infused

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juice in a vaping device heats up, toxic cancerous chemicals like carcinogens, acrolein and cadmium metals are released into the lungs.

Besides the negative stigma that health organizations have formed around the vaping craze, most people are still unsure of what exactly makes vaping harmful.

“Nicotine devices, I think I can’t really say I’m against it, because i’m not sure what a lot of the repercussions are that come with it, but I don’t want to be actively for it because I know it’s negative,” San José State University alum Dean Urbanski said.

Cadmium metals in particular are what has deemed vapes as hazardous to the lungs as they are to the environment. According to a 2023 article by AP News, disposable vapes contain lithium and other metals which cannot be recycled. Most users do not keep up with their vape device consumption, as it is easy to lose control in the consumerism culture of vaping. Young zoomers and millennials are buying around 12 million disposable vapes per month, creating a nationwide issue of mass consumerism and environmental harm.

Since the mid to late 2010s vaping has grown to be appealing in the world of fashion and party culture.

Between 2014 and 2016, advertisements for vaping exploded, with studies showing that 78% of high school and college students were exposed to at least one advertisement, according to PubMedCentral. Electronic cigarette companies switched gears towards promoting

vapes as a more fun alternative to smoking, rather than a safer alternative to quit smoking. Now the market has grown to be appealing for young college students and twenty somethings.

“There is always one tailored for you… meticulously crafted with an ergonomic design that perfectly complements your hand.” Flum, one of the vaping industry’s leading brands, said on their website.

Puff Bar, another leading brand in the vaping industry, boasts themselves for redefining the vaping experience.

“Puff Bar provides adults with premium products to elevate life’s greatest moments,” Puff Bar said on their website.

Many vape users admit that their usage peaks in social settings, whether at a party or in a bar.

“I don’t really smoke, just whenever I drink socially, I guess I would say an outing setting,” Urbanski said.

Business management and psychology senior Audriannah Sanchez said she associates vaping with popularity. Sanchez explained that vaping devices have become a social statement in the U.S. and a staple accessory for all the trendsetting cool kids.

“The aesthetic of walking around with it definitely has a cool kid mentality,” Sanchez said. “Only the popular kids in school were hitting it, or knew what it was and had tried all the flavors.”

If the popular kids and even some of Hollywood’s most elite celebrities are vaping on the red carpet now, of course it must be the next cool thing. In 2023, Doja Cat and Leonardo Di Caprio went viral for aesthetically vaping at award shows, making the statement that the smoking aesthetic is back in style.

Management information systems senior, Ru Challogonda, said he feels out of place without a vape in his hand.

“What convinced me to own one was the aesthetic piece of holding on to it and hitting it around other people during parties,” Challagonda said. He said that besides the crave for nicotine, he refuses to party without one to avoid feeling left out.

“It makes you feel like you’re included with everyone else because you see so many people also do it,” Challagonda said.

Electronic cigarette companies have begun focusing their marketing on mobility, style and convenience. The vape has gotten smaller over the years to accommodate for the mobility and stylish aspect of vaping.

“The box mod is where I started off, they’re really bigger,” Urbanski said.

Urbanski said that in 2018 his brother convinced him to purchase a box model vape to do smoking tricks.

Box model vapes were inconveniently bulky and as big in size as an iPhone. In contrast, the more convenient and smaller disposable vape is piling up in people’s nightstand drawers and bedroom trash cans.

The demand for vapes has risen, as zoomers and millennials in the U.S. continue to contribute to the explosive resurgence of the smoking aesthetic, according to PubMedCentral. The vaping industry continues to evolve in different directions, as zoomers have reconstructed the image of vaping as an innovative fashion expression, according to a 2023 article by the New York Times.

“I think initially it was a trend and now it’s become a lot more socially acceptable than it ever was before,” Sanchez said.

Photo by Analyn Do

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MICROTRENDS & TIKTOK SHOP BUY NOW AND WEAR WHEN?

By Taylor Shepherd Staff Writer In a world where fashion evolves faster than ever, people can find themselves facing the inevitable question: What to do with a once-beloved collection of clothing? Once out of style, the clothes now lay dormant in the closet, overshadowed by new trends.

Trends emerge and vanish in the blink of an eye. “TikTok Shop is a feature on TikTok where people can find and purchase products directly within the app,” certified medical assistant at Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley, Isabel Zaragoza said. “It is a way for creators and brands to showcase and sell their merchandise to their followers.”

Shifting from in-person shopping to online platforms has become the newest fad among Gen Z. According to a 2024 article from Statistica, 47% of Gen Z in the U.S. shop online.“There is money to be made everywhere across the internet,” computer science alum Steven Leiker said. “It is becoming the new market space replacing supermarkets like Walmart.”

According to a 2023 TechTarget article, microtrends tend to have a short lifespan which can evolve into new trends. According to a 2021 Business Insider article, high-waisted pants grew in popularity from the 1970s through the 1990s, then became trendy again around 2010. Maxi skirts are another example of the rise and fall of clothing. They were very popular around the 1960s and 1970s but have faded in and out through the following years.

Graphics by Canva

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Many people scroll through TikTok and end up coming across another ad for a new item.

These ads can be seen on the app by users in their “For You” page.“This is where people can buy and sell products that are being advertised on the platform from all over the world,” psychology alum Karina Carillo said. “It has become an easy one stop shop for advertising, buying and selling without having to go to a store.”

Like Shein and Temu, TikTok Shop has grown in popularity as 58.2% of TikTok users say they use the shop, according to a 2023 article from OnlineDasher.

“Some clothing websites like Shein and Temu, alongside TikTok Shop, are so inexpensive that there are more consumers,” Foothill College business development graduate Yolanda Tavera said.“Buying and selling clothes has become easy, and it is easier to keep up with the fashion trends if wanted.”

Visuals are key for TikTok, making it a platform for various fashion brands.“Most people are visual shoppers, and TikTok is a platform where people can post a visual representation of an item sort of like a real-life modeling of a product,” Carrillo said. “When people see an item and its functions, they are more inclined to purchase it than when they only get a description or a 2D image.”

A driving force for marketing in the fashion industry has been collaborating with influencers big and small.

“Some videos of products being used or demonstrated are quite convincing, so I would consider buying from there in the future if I come by something I really want to try,” Tavera said.

IS TIKTOK A FUTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE FASHION? TikTok has developed a growing group of content creators focused on promoting sustainability such as NoNewNewPlace, Sam Clovers and Summers Threads. These companies are producing and promoting products that are focused on upcycling old clothes to lessen the impact consumers have on the planet.

This includes greenwashing, thrift flips and the use of zero-waste textiles. According to Merriam-Webster, greenwashing is the act of making a product appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is.

TikTok Shop lets people be conscious consumers in working towards sustainable fashion, whether this is through buying or selling products.

“It has created new opportunities for small businesses and independent creators to showcase their unique styles,” Zaragoza said. “It has also made shopping more convenient and accessible for people who can now find and purchase items without leaving the app.”

According to a 2024 article from Earth. org, fashion production makes up 10% of total global carbon emissions. It dries up water sources and pollutes rivers and streams. 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year.

As more awareness comes to this, people are moving away from fast fashion, and into an eco-friendly environment utilizing more materials such as organic cotton, hemp and recycled polyester.

Public relations senior Amaya Reynolds Photo by Tracy Escobedo

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DEATH TO THE RAVE DRAWER

By Sophia Sipe Staff Writer Buried beneath a pile of innocent fuzzy socks, lies the land of every mother’s worst nightmare: the rave drawer.

Categorized by sequined thongs and fishnet tights, this onestop shop takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to festival fashion.

Often spanning several days, popular rave festivals like EDC warrant the purchasing of multiple outfits to showcase each day. And most partygoers dress to impress. Online shops like Shein, Dollskill and iHeartRaves turn a mean profit at the expense of the climate’s health.

Teen Vogue reports that “a recent study found that single-use outfits for music festivals accounted for approximately 7.5 million outfits per year — a total of $307 million worth of clothing.”

Disguised as an economic enhancement in a skintight dress, raves’ increasing popularity is sinking its teeth into the climate’s flesh and leaving behind a gaping, oozing wound. Side effects include long-term detrimental pollution, low-wage labor and the accelerated depletion of the planet’s natural resources, as detailed in a 2024 article by Earth.org.

“Overall, the best part of raving is the culture and the vibes,” aviation senior Alex Chang said. “One of the best feelings is to be able to scream and shout the lyrics with others knowing you’re truly heard and understood.”

Among the newgoers, was kinesiology junior Khan Tran, who called her first EDC “nerve racking” but enjoyed Wasteland, a hardstyle stage.

“Getting to see different styles of art and outfits was really cool,” Tran said. “I was able to enjoy the music with people who came from all around the world.”

While perfect for a night out, the skimpy albeit creative designs make styling rave items difficult for casual wear. More often than not, rave outfits collect dust burrowing among Goodwill lingerie. Inadvertently, the single-use nature of these clothes makes them wasteful, lending a dyeing and treatment.

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Humanities and liberal arts freshman Dominique Thomas Photo by Sean Siquig

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hand in the heightened turnover rate of fast fashion. While perfect for a night out, the skimpy albeit creative designs make styling rave items difficult for casual wear. More often than not, rave outfits collect dust burrowing among Goodwill lingerie. Inadvertently, the single-use nature of these clothes makes them wasteful, lending a hand in the heightened turnover rate of fast fashion.

In spite of efforts to obtain rave attire secondhand or recycle the outfit, 85% of all textiles still crowd landfills every year according to Earth.org. All signs point to one major deduction: the production of clothes is surpassing the decomposition of clothes, and festival fashion brands are creeping by without so much as a belt to the butt.

“I don’t think that individuals can do this alone or even mostly,” Robert O. Vos, associate professor of the Spatial Science Institute at the University of Southern California said. “Individuals need better product choices and lifestyle choices from choices made by large institutions like corporations and the government.”

Despite at least 2.7 billion people experiencing water scarcity as of 2018, the fashion industry is the second largest industry consumer of water as reported by UNECE. To match the high demand for various textiles, water pollution is becoming a widespread problem.

“The use of water for irrigation in parts of the apparel supply chain may have long-term effects related to depletion of groundwater, especially as the climate is changing and therefore changing hydrology,” Vos said. “Impacts are complex and interrelated. It’s sort of like death by a thousand cuts.”

During the process of creating textiles, water is heavily polluted by chemical dyes.

Published by The Guardian, it’s estimated that 17% to 20% of water pollution originates from clothing

Of these, 8,000 man-made chemicals are used and released into freshwater.

From the metaphorical realm to reality, these cuts have manifested in the stomachs and brains of both animals and humans. Originating from clothing fibers, researchers suggest that microplastics, such as the ones found in mass-produced rave tights, create adverse effects on biological processes relating to tissue growth and the respiratory system.

Turning plastic into clothing is a laborious process, demanding extreme amounts of petroleum. As a chemical response, hydrogen chloride and similar acids are released into the environment.

“My understanding is that the race to get goods to market sometimes means the use of air freight, which is very impactful for climate change,” Vos said.

Similarly, on a societal level, the implications are just as dangerous. The industry carries itself atop exhausted and underpaid workers who are subjected to poor conditions. More often than not, health issues arise as a result.

“I typically buy swimsuits and try to follow a theme with the colors I bought,” Tran said. “I’ve worn my basic outfits many different times at events because they are simple.”

This way, the swimsuits can be reused and fully functional, rather than existing solely as a costume. Finding creative ways to reuse rave clothing essentially builds a capsule wardrobe, which is one of the most sustainable options.

Find accessories like bandanas and scarves that can be bought second-hand and used as cover-ups, headgear or upcycled fabric. The key is versatility. “ I’m kind of a basic raver and I wear jerseys, but I’ve been exploring and wanting to diversify my rave outfits,” Chang said.

If you must have the latest and greatest holographic one-piece, buying from reputable businesses with eco-friendly carbon footprints is a great starting point. Websites like Good On You dedicate their entire brand to ensuring this information is accessible to every consumer on the market.

The most obvious, yet overlooked choice, is to be attentive towards quality. Paying an adequate price for a lasting bralette will always trump paying a cheap price several times for a quick-to-fall-apart factory one.

In any case, return to the drawer with hopeful hands and dig away. Sure, those tights may be stale and stiff. Those muscle tanks probably already debuted on the gram. But when the neon lights cascade among the crowd, and the beat finally drops, no one will realize that they’ve seen the same outfit twice.

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K POP With the popularity of K-pop (Korean pop music), fans dancing to its choreography has become popular on YouTube. People from all over the world come together to learn and perform the dances of their favorite K-pop groups. These “dance covers” often have dancers dress up to fit the theme and thrifting or making clothing is common for fans to do. Apart from sourcing the materials, creating the outfits can take a few hours to a few days.

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Photo of SJSU’s Official Dance Team Parang by Marc Pryor Jr.

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SUSTAINABILITY

Communications sophomore Gianluigi Manco Photo by Analyn Do

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Mechanical engineer sophomore Joshua Peternel Photo by Analyn Do

The Green Race

By Maya Pettiford Managing Editor

Men’s vs. Women’s Fashion

In the dynamic world of fashion, where trends reign supreme, a subtle shift is occurring and the sustainability debate takes center stage.

It is no secret that women’s fashion has dominated the industry for years. While men’s fashion is in the conversation, it has never felt like the main focus, instead it is a secondary player. New trends in women’s fashion fly in and out of the market at rocket speed and the industry thrives on this fast-paced style. However, among this, men’s fashion still seems to stay more constant.

Coveteur, a fashion and beauty magazine, interviewed Josh Peskowitz who has worked at Esquire, Bloomingdale’s and Moda Operandi.

“Trends come and go over the course of years, rather than seasons,” when referring to men’s fashion trends.” Peskowitz said.

Think about men’s fashion for a second.

It usually consists of a high-quality hoodie or a signature flannel, and a lot of times a durable pair of baggy jeans.

What seems to differentiate men’s and women’s clothing trends is that the pieces men buy are long lasting and overall better quality.

According to Society 19, it is obvious

that “If you have ever compared the fabrics used in both male and female clothing, you will have noticed a change in the quality. Men’s clothing tends to be made of thicker fabrics that are not only warmer but more durable, meaning they will last longer than women’s clothing which is prone to wear and tear faster.”

All of this raises the question: Is men’s fashion inherently more sustainable than women’s?

Coveteur also spoke with Aaron McWilliams, the senior men’s merchandising manager at The RealReal and he said that “women are generally driven more by trends and influence when it comes to how they dress.”

He then added that “Men, on the other hand, have always gravitated towards what they know and are comfortable with. We’ve seen this a lot with men shopping our site.”

This overwhelming feeling of needing to keep up and always be on the latest trends is what keeps this market of fast fashion and micro trends alive. However, not everyone feels this pressure to stay on trend.

“I think I create the fashion trends, I just wear what I wear, I don’t care about people’s opinions,” advertising sophomore Christopher Spring 2024 | ACCESS MAGAZINE | 13

Mechanical engineer sophomore Joshua Peternel Photo by Analyn Do

Castro said. “And I feel like whatever makes me happy, is what I’m gonna do. Because if I want to wear all blue or all green like I do sometimes.”

The absence of makeup in men’s fashion could potentially be one of the biggest contributors to their fashion being overall more sustainable. According to the social justice platform TRVST, “beauty packaging amounts to 120 billion units annually. That includes plastic, paper, glass and metals, all of which end up in landfills year after year.”

At the center of men’s fashion are quality staple pieces. When made well, simple things such as sneakers, denim and outerwear are the most noteworthy pieces in men’s fashion today.

“Staple pieces are kind of like a must, I always have to have a black pair of baggy pants in my wardrobe and I feel like with having those there’s less need to buy more stuff.” political science sophomore Jackson Colla said.

In comparison to women’s fashion, there is a tendency to need a larger quantity of clothes to make outfits.

This can have a very large impact on the environment.

“I feel like men’s fashion might be a little more sustainable in my opinion than women’s,” aviation sophomore Julia Sutter said. “Because it’s okay as a male to repeat what you’re wearing multiple times. I think that it’s more socially acceptable for men to just wear the same thing, or wear the same patterns. You don’t have to be different or show off as much as a male in society. But I think with women there is more pressure to stand out and not wear the same white shirt.”

Another big factor in the men’s fashion industry is sneaker culture and the resale market. According to a 2023 Resale Report done by ThredUp, the global secondhand market is set to nearly double by 2027, reaching $350 billion. In the United States alone the secondhand

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market is expected to reach $70 billion that same year.

“A lot of companies like to do collaborations with artists and I think that’s one way the resale market is definitely staying alive,” Colla said. “I mean if I see my favorite artists wear a new pair of shoes and they look good on them. I’m obviously going to want to try and get them for myself.”

Companies will only release a limited amount of shoes, making them more coveted. The lower the amount of shoes that are made also makes them more valuable, and they can be sold for a higher price on the resale market.

Despite often high prices, for years the market has been able to push on and continues to thrive today.

Lots of people’s obsession with sneakers will lead them to continue buying no matter what the price may be.

“Reselling has been going on for years, and people have been having shoe collections for years. And, you know, that’s something that’s so unique. People idolize that, and I think that’s why it thrives.” Castro said.

The sustainability debate in the fashion industry is complex, and declaring one gender’s fashion more sustainable than the other is challenging. However, factors in men’s fashion such as long-lasting trends, quality staples, and a thriving resale culture, suggest that men may be taking the forefront in the sustainability race.

That does not mean that there are any true winners when there is still a long way to go to reach a more sustainable future.

“This should be talked about, and a lot of people aren’t aware of what sustainability is or how we can make women’s and men’s fashion more sustainable. So I think just create a conversation about it with those you know, I think that’s the easiest way to spread the message,” Sutter said.

From left: Communications sophomore Gianluigi Manco Mechanical engineer sophomore Joshua Peternel

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BE

By Loren Ball Social Media Manager

BE CLEAN.

Clean Beauty, Sustainable Ingredients and Eco-friendly

Photo by Analyn Do

Journalism senior Loren Ball

Consumers’ interest in clean beauty, also known as non-toxic beauty, has skyrocketed. Especially amongst younger generations. The Conscious Insider, a lifestyle blog focused on non-toxic living and clean beauty, shows statistics that the clean beauty market was valued at $6.5 billion in 2021 and the value is expected to grow up to $15.3 billion by 2028. These profits that brands made from the mass consumption of beauty brands

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have persuaded them to commit to cleaner and sustainable ingredients.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research company that promotes healthy living and healthy choices, said that toxic ingredients used in cosmetic and personal care products can be linked to serious health problems such as cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm. Both sustainability and toxic ingredients play a big role in consumption of these products.

“Some of the more common ones like parabens, fragrance and phthalates, they’re known endocrine disruptors,” environmental studies professor Amy Petersen said. “And so that means that they can have adverse effects on our hormones and so they can mimic hormones they can cause issues with our hormones and that can in turn affect fertility can cause earlier puberty and a number of other issues.”

Healthline, a health information and lifestyle site, said that non-comedogenic refers to products designed not to block pores.

“Talc, for example, is definitely something that is comedogenic,” Petersen said. “I know that some people don’t do well with silicone and there’s a natural alternative known as squalene.”

Talc is a natural mineral from earth that is composed of magnesium, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen as explained for the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It can be used to absorb moisture in the skin, or improve the overall texture of a product. Cleveland Clinic describes squalene as a saturated oil to not only help increase

the hydration of the skin, but it acts as an anti inflammatory to help with acne and eczema.

“It’s [squalene] supposed to be a little bit easier on the skin,” Petersen said. “So it’s definitely possible for some of these products to cause breakouts for sure.”

Environmental studies junior Christy Velazquez, changed her skincare routine to “cleaner” ingredients after breaking out because of college stress and toxic ingredients in her skincare products.

“I had so much bad acne, so when I kept seeing social media saying ‘how to get glass skin’, ‘how to make sure these ingredients are so good’ and ‘how these will clear your skin with no acne scars and no blemishes they will be gone in two months,’ I saw a lot of that and I couldn’t believe it,” Velazquez said. ccc Velazquez said that it was challenging for her to form trust with influencers selling products to people who had a different skin type than her.

“When I tried out different skincare, I noticed a lot of vegan options were the ones that did not mess up my skin or have my skin get super dry or have a lot of breakouts,” Velazquez said. “They were actually nicer on my face versus the ones where I am like ‘okay let me try this one’ and my skin had a totally bad reaction which is different for people’s skin types.”

Skin is not the only target that these ingredients have.

These products also have a harsh effect on the environment and ecosystems, such as the ocean. Petersen added that another harsh ingredient that has this effect are UV filters.

“There are a lot of sunscreens out there that are not good for not only your skin, but for marine life,” Petersen said. “Things like homosalate, have been linked to coral bleaching and can cause the symbiotic algae within the coral to get a virus or get sick and be expelled.

It’s a suspected endocrine disruptor so again, it can mess with your hormones, it doesn’t degrade and there’s a lot of concern around those.”

Environmental studies senior Nina Ghadiri said she was warned to not wear sunscreen her whole childhood because it was not safe for the ocean.

“Using sunscreens that are ‘reef safe’ are so important,” Ghadiri said. “For places like Hawaii, there is an influx of tourism. They feel the most harm and like it is noticeable within their coral reefs.”

According to Earth.org, an environmental news source covering critical issues affecting the planet, the reason behind “coral degradation” in Hawaii is “overtoursim.” The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii said that Hawaii had about 300,000 tourists and by 1980, the number rose to approximately 3.9 billion. By the year 2000, this number reached about seven million.

Velazquez said that it can get tricky when it comes to labels on packaging because even though it states they are “clean” or “recyclable,” it may still be unrecyclable because of restrictions within the city or county one resides in.

“The wastefulness is definitely concerning because I noticed that even though a lot of packaging says it’s sustainable or it’s cruelty free, I noticed that it comes in a glass container or plastic,” Velazquez said. “There’s a lot of different plastics that actually aren’t recyclable. You either have to separate it or take it apart.”

Most packaging on brands are made to draw attention to the consumers. EDL, a Massman packaging company, said that product design can convey emotion, leading the consumer to believe the product is trustworthy and will more than likely make a purchase.

“For me, a lot of stuff is so expensive now,” Velazquez said. “The best thing that I try to do when practicing is to avoid over-spending on products and thinking ‘Oh do I really want this because I need it?’ or ‘do I want it because I saw it on the internet so many times?’”

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Tips To Be

By Maya Pettiford Managing Editor

Buy Less, Choose Wisely

When you head out to buy new pieces make sure you invest in high-quality, timeless pieces that will last instead of fast fashion. Prioritize versatile items that can be mixed and matched rather than a oneoff piece that will sit in the back of your closet.

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Mend and Repair

Upcycling and Do It Yourself (DIY):

Get creative with upcycling old clothing or accessories. Sometimes pieces just need a little refresher to come back to life again. Doing a DIY project will not only be rewarding but you will also be able to transform and personalize your items.

By Learning the most basic of sewing skills you will be able to mend and repair your wardrobe’s best pieces. By fixing small tears and rips the lifespan of your garments can be majorly extended.

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Eco-Friendly 2

Secondhand and Vintage Shopping

Choose thrift stores, consignment shops, or online platforms for secondhand clothing. So many good pieces have already been manufactured and are sitting in thrift stores waiting to be used. Give a new life to pre-loved items, reducing the demand for new production.

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Buy Cruelty-Free and Vegan Products

Choose clean products and cruelty-free when shopping at a local beauty store. Do your research and explore vegan alternatives that don’t use animal-derived ingredients. Also, pick products that have reusable or refillable packaging to produce less waste.

Educate Yourself and Others

One of the most important tips there is, is to stay informed and be aware of what is going on around you. Share your knowledge with friends, and family, and try to incorporate sustainability in your everyday life and encourage others to do as well. The smallest of steps can go a long way in the path to a more sustainable future.

Graphics by Canva

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SJSU FASHION CLUB

MAKE THEIR MARK

Photo of SJSU Fashion Creatives Club Photo by Sean Siquig

Keeping Style Sustainable

By Saturn Williams Staff Writer

The second floor of Dudley Moorhead Hall was alive with chatter of nearly 100 students bustling into a small lecture room, lining up along the walls after all the seats had been claimed for the first San José State University Fashion Creatives Club meeting of the semester.

The club was created in September 2023 and its popularity has since then exploded. The club’s Instagram account, (@sjsufashionclub), has surpassed 2,000 followers in just a few months. According to both the club faculty advisor, Lecturer Fela Anikulapo Uhuru, and president, Alex McArdle,

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its leadership is looking for new spaces to accommodate the unexpectedly large meeting turnout.

“Our goal is to create a safe space where people can express their ideas, culture and creativity through the lens of fashion,” the club’s introductory Instagram post states.

Such unprecedented interest may reflect an untapped creative potential within SJSU. Many of the students attending the meeting mentioned wanting to pursue fashion and creative arts but were disincentivized by SJSU’s business-major-impacted campus.

The Fashion Creatives Club is

already harnessing its popularity momentum into big project plans, such as a fully produced runway at the Seventh th Street Plaza and its very own club magazine.

According to a 2022 study by Simon-Kucher & Partners, a global consultancy firm, consumers are increasingly conscious of sustainability when choosing products, with Gen Z and millennials leading those demographics.

As the rise of fast fashion brands like Shein intercepts this progressive mindset shift, fashion often sits at the center of discourse on labor, waste and environmental impact. In turn, each member of the Fashion Creatives Club provided unique perspectives on the ways they integrate sustainability into self-expression with what they wear.

“I think the Western world needs to think critically about how we, as a human race, are going to move forward when you think fashion, when you think of clothing, when you think about who’s making our clothes,” Uhuru said.

“I think of our brothers and sisters that are out there in so-called ‘third world countries’ that are making these brand name labels for us, and they’re getting slave wages.”

Uhuru started thrifting when he was 16 and inherited his fashion sense from his parents, consisting of Black influenced styles from the ‘60s and ‘70s with their penchant for big hair, bell bottoms and bold, striking colors.

Since then, alongside his studies in anthropology, he has become an advocate for workers exploited by international corporations in the Global South. He reflected on the story of his brother, who was once slaved in a sweatshop in the Philippines, himself an eyewitness to the dire working conditions employed in the service of fast fashion.

“I feel like there’s something beautiful about used and worn clothing, clothing that has been lived in,” McArdle said about his own experience thrifting the vast majority of his closet.

McArdle walked around during the club meeting with the most extreme pant flare he could find. Sweeping the floor, he showed off his love for denim stemming from vintage American workwear. The business marketing sophomore hopes to center sustainable fashion in the club’s activities via clothing swap meets where members’ old clothes can find a new life, as well as sewing and design workshops to teach people how to repair and make their clothes themselves.

Psychology freshman Kokoro Phu wants to learn how to make their own clothes because they feel like their body type is unrepresented in the styles they want to pursue, specifically “provocative” clothing that emphasizes skin and

Marketing and creative adverstising senior Julia Liu Photo by Sean Siquig

silhouettes. Additionally, they hope to subvert the unsustainable consumerism cycle that has plagued fashion.

“I will always try to repair the things I do damage just so they can last longer and don’t end up in landfills,” Phu said. “Also I hate the fact that child labor is used because I do have family members who have experienced that and have shared their experiences with me.”

They also expressed distaste for how fast fashion has devalued the art and labor of making a garment.

“Especially with trends, everything is so in and out,” Phu said. “So I try not to follow trends because you’re just fueling buying something and then getting rid of it so soon because it turns over.”

Avery Cloward, liberal studies teacher preparation junior, said she learned from her aunt how to make clothing with crochet. She creates custom fashion pieces for herself, her loved ones and occasionally her own virtual thrift shop Spring 2024 | ACCESS MAGAZINE |

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“We have enough clothes for lifetimes. In an ideal world, we would no longer manufacture new clothes.”

Avery Cloward Liberal studies teacher preparation junior

to rehome alongside her vintage finds.

Called Avery’s Closet on Depop, the store is a menagerie of different decades in fashion, mirroring the way she mixes and matches styles in everyday life.

“We have enough clothes for lifetimes,” Cloward said, referencing the huge amounts of fashion waste that exists already.

“In an ideal world, we would no longer manufacture new clothes.”

What one wears projects a certain im-

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age of oneself onto the world around them.

Through that, fashion becomes a lens that can magnify art, identity, aspirations, one’s place in society and more. These vignettes only scratch the surface of the stories that are being told through fashion by the members of this club.

Thinking of the fashion-forward cities in the United States, San José might not be the first consideration when compared to the boasts of New York’s Fashion Week or Los

Angeles’ 107-block Fashion District. SJSU doesn’t even have a designated fashion program, but that won’t discourage this group of students from keeping this passion alive while empowering creativity, diversity and sustainability.

“I think San José is a melting pot of different cultures, ideas and people,” McArdle said. “And I think when that’s the case, fashion tends to flourish.”

Animation junior Ernesto Camacho Photo by Sean Siquig

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Tiny Troubles:

The Hidden Harm of Microplastics from sea to grocery shelves

By Jennifer Yin Staff Writer

Microplastics are finding their way storm events.”

The impact on human health is due to the direct into our waterways and even our organ systems, often without us even realizing consumption of seafood that has been exposed to it. Is this a growing concern that we plastic debris, microplastics and synthetic microfibers.

The Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy: Addressing need to pay attention to?

Marine Debris from Source to Sea, published in 2018, Envision a Sunday afternoon spent preparing highlights that marine litter is a widespread problem ceviche, a Peruvian delicacy featuring seafood marinated that affects local, regional, global communities and in citrus. The task requires collecting ingredients like has various negative impacts on human health, the onion, jicama, cucumber, serrano chiles, cilantro, avocado, environment and the economy.

Health complications regarding ingesting lime juice and, of course, the fish. As the mixture takes shape in a bowl, a crucial element slips the mind – a microplastics and synthetic microfibers are currently being researched but a study by the National Institutes pinch of microplastic.

The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) of Health based in South Korea have shown the effects found that storm-driven runoff from major cities of microplastics on marine life. It shows how ultrasuch as the Bay Area is a major pathway for fine microplastic absorption resulted in toxicity within microplastics to enter California’s zebrafish and that microplastics scaling the size of 100 ecosystem.

SFEI said, nanometers can reach human organs after entering the “Plastic products and their body.

Heather Podoll, partnership and advocacy breakdown microplastic particles move through the coordinator for Fibershed, a non-profit organization that environment, traveling through develops regional fiber systems, said how the majority the air, depositing on the of microplastics and synthetic microfibers found within urban landscape, washing our ecosystem derive from synthetic textiles found in into streams, rivers and our clothing.

“Microfibers do not only come off of our coastal locations during clothes when we wash them but they also come off our clothes when we’re walking around our house, work, or neighborhood. Right now, our textile system, our global fashion and clothing system is offering us 70%

Illustration by Chiara Di Martino

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synthetic-based fibers and for a lot of people that’s who are implementing very comprehensive plans on mostly what we have access to.” Podoll said. their farms for land stewardship to maximize carbon San José State University Professor of drawdown, soil health and biodiversity in the cotton and Meteorology and Climate Science, Eugene Cordero wool system,” Podoll said. “What we’re trying to do at explained that the end-of-life of natural fibers can be Fibershed is connect market support so that farmers composted and within several years the fibers would and ranchers have strong markets for the products that turn back into soil. However, in regards to synthetic they’re producing.” fibers, he mentioned that they may take hundreds of So realistically what can consumers do to years or may never decompose. combat the circulation of microplastics within garments Not only do microplastics and synthetic and the ecosystem? Podoll said that the responsibility microfibers affect the health of our ecosystems and should not fall back on the consumers rather we should marine life, but they also contribute to global emissions analyze our options outside of synthetic fibers. and climate change.

Cordero said that the responsibility should fall “If we said that there were 100 units of carbon onto the industry but also for consumers to be mindful going into the atmosphere every year because of human of their consumer habits. “The elephant in the room is activity then five or 10 of those units are coming to consumption and the cheap cost of textiles,” he said. manufacture, to transport, to sell items that we wear,” “It’s a critique of our capitalist system, we could design Cordero said. “We need to look at our whole society a system that doesn’t require us to be so extractive and figure out where the low-hanging fruit is because and we could do things that make the biosphere better we’re going the other direction and we’re not reducing.” instead of worse.”

According to the World Economic Forum, There is no such thing as a perfect product fashion industries alongside electronics are located according to Cordero. He suggests that students and in areas that have a very high-emission energy mix consumers should purchase clothing items that can that is geared more towards the use of hard coal and endure for a longer time, adapt to different settings oil than relying on renewables and natural gasses for and exhibit durability. Additionally, it is crucial to manufacturing processes. In the process, the fashion check if a company’s values align with one’s own industry contributes to 10% of global greenhouse gas before making a purchase. emissions annually.

“I used to shop using websites like Shein since “It’s going to take a lot of political, consumer, it was affordable and I was a teenager but after their public will and energy to start putting enough pressure extremely controversial workplace ethics cases came on both the industry and government regulatory out, I’ve decided to stick to thrifting,” art history and infrastructure to have a stronger effect on changing visual culture junior Natalie Martinez said. “Sometimes those actual materials,” Podoll said. there are bigger secondhand events where vendors all Podoll said that regulating microplastics come together to sell their stuff to the community and concerning synthetic fibers is complicated because it is there is a monthly or bi-monthly event that goes on at so prevalent and common within the fashion industry. the Berryessa Flea Market.”

In addition, because of their small stature in size, Instead of rushing to the nearest Zara or H&M, microplastics are exempted from most regulations. consider embracing the nostalgic charm of wearing a To address the use of synthetic microfibers in family member’s vintage clothing or sharing wardrobe the garment industry, Fibershed has collaborated with staples with friends like in the film, “Sisterhood of Calif. farmers and ranchers to produce natural fibers. the Traveling Pants.” There are creative alternatives “We’re working with farmers and ranchers beyond buying synthetic fabrics, but ultimately, the power lies with the individual’s choices and agency.

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PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS

By Gisselle Escobar Quiroz Staff Writer

Fast fashion has emerged as a prominent topic in recent years, drawing attention to various concerns including the working conditions of garment workers, the affordability of products and its environmental impact according to a 2022 article from Earthday.org. Most of its popularity can be attributed to the price ranges of stores such as H&M, Forever 21, Shein and others.

“Fast fashion is clothing with [an] expiration date and [it’s] disposable,” environmental studies professor Heather Duplaisir said. “It’s both an environmental and social justice issue.”

Furthermore, it creates water and plastic pollution, textile waste in landfills and releases greenhouse gasses, according to the Center of Biological Diversity. The fastmoving trend cycles keep getting shorter and these brands always have the latest fashion choices readily available within days. These unsustainable practices prioritize rapid production and distribution, using cheap materials and outsourced labor. Additionally, the employees in the fast fashion clothing factories have poor or non-existent labor laws.

These stores are extremely affordable, which makes them particularly appealing to the average consumer, especially in an inflated economy where living costs are on the rise. According to a 2023 New York Times article, the rates at which Americans are financially struggling has been increasing every year due to inflation. According to the source, inflation has risen to 35% in 2023 in comparison to 20% from 2021.

Among the demographic of people who are known to face financial hardships, college students stand out as a group more likely to buy from such brands.

Forensic science sophomore Elizabeth Neal said she prefers shopping from places such as Shein and Temu.

“As an extra-small, it’s a lot easier for me to find

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clothes that fits me online and it’s way cheaper.” Neal said.

The convenience of shopping online is another significant advantage that makes fast fashion more appealing and simple. It alleviates people from the hassle of spending long hours at the store in person, dealing with parking and driving.

Price is not a determining factor on whether a brand is fast-fashion. Just because items at a certain store are on the expensive side, does not mean they are sustainable. Lecturer of socio-cultural anthropology, Sung Jay Ou said that there are two ends to fast fashion: the expensive side and the economic side. He brought up Lululemon as an example.

“I still consider it a fast-fashion brand, it has all the markings of it. Materials are cheap, they’re made very fast, the production cycle and design sector are very connected.” Ou said.

Although sustainable clothing is a better alternative, it is not a viable option for many consumers because of high costs. Given the current living conditions, material and manufacturing are an afterthought for the average consumer.

For instance, Nike and Lululemon are not typically grouped with their peers such as GAP, Hollister, H&M and others according to a 2024 article from Impactful Ninja, despite doing the same practice because of their advertising and greenwashing. According to a 2024 article from Business News Daily, greenwashing is when brands are falsely marketed as sustainable and environmentally conscious, a “deceitful marketing gimmick.”

Simultaneously, there have always been people fighting against this phenomenon according to Ou. From mobile applications to see the environmental footprint, to protests and boycotts, a counter-movement has always been present.

The counter-movement against fast fashion has been steadily gaining momentum, particularly among young people who are becoming more conscious of the exploitative conditions prevalent in the industry.

“I think the corporations do really well in terms of probing up an image of being labor and environment friendly but the numbers and reality suggest otherwise.”

Ou said.

Prices and salary aside, many people are frugal and prefer to buy cheaper clothing simply because it means more options for the same price. This preference for affordability is exacerbated by the prevailing consumerist culture, which fosters the belief that everything is easily replaceable.

This is maintained by Dion Terrelonge, fashion psychologist and chartered educational psychologist, in an interview for the Sustainable Fashion Forum, where she said there are emotional and societal factors that drive customers to fast fashion.

“The desire for self-expression and the pressure to conform to fashion trends, can also lead to defensive debate, as some may feel misunderstood or attacked when their choices are questioned.” Terrelonge said.

Environmental studies professor Heather Duplaisir shared her personal approach to combating fast fashion: she no longer purchases fast fashion after becoming more knowledgeable about the industry.

Instead, she opts for sustainable practices such as buying second-hand clothing or organizing “clothes swaps” with friends. These gatherings provide an opportunity for individuals to exchange clothes they no longer need or want, fostering a sense of community while reducing reliance on fast fashion, according to Duplaisir.

“I’ve been doing them for thirty years with my friends…you get your friends together and you put all your clothes that you’re already gonna donate, that

maybe have a hole or something, and those go in the middle pile which is the free for all pile…And everybody does trades.” Duplaisir said.

After this, the leftovers, if any, go to Goodwill.

Other alternatives to combat fast fashion include thrifting or adopting a minimalist approach by buying less. However, a recent critique voiced by experienced thrifters is the influx of fast fashion branded clothing into thrift stores. Despite this, Duplaisir said how this should be viewed as a positive development, as it signifies an attempt to recycle unwanted items and divert them from landfills.

Collage by Simon Haupt

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Photo by Maya Pettiford

THRIFTING’S RISING PRICE TAG

By Amaya Reynolds Staff Writer

Nice days call for spending money, but not too much. When manifesting a new wardrobe, $20 and a cute thrift store equals happiness.

New, but used. Cute, but different and saving your coin! But do not get too excited, things are changing, and $20 will not get you as far as it used to when buying recycled clothes. Prices for resale clothes are rising. Are resellers the problem? Is it potentially a TikTok influence? Or is the economy just too expensive when the seller needs a big profit to stay afloat?

Thrift stores consist of a variety of donations from new to used items such as antiques, a t-shirt someone bought and never wore, or a used accessory needing a new home. Many people donate to thrift stores just to get rid of “something old.”

Thrifting and sustainability go hand in hand.

According to an article by TruEarth, thrifting prevents textile waste production and helps alleviate negative environmental impacts.

“Thrifting reduces the demand for new goods,” environmental studies and member of the Environmental Resource Center at San José University, Simon Maranguis said. “When you thrift you’re

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buying pre-owned items, so there’s no demand from the consumer in return. And reducing demands for new goods helps preserve natural resources.”

Many students and young adults thrift to save their bucks, because everybody deserves to feel at their best with new things. Cheyenne Robinson, a 23-year-old pharmacy clerk in the San Francisco Bay Area, asked the burning question, “Why does it feel like I’m paying full price for recycled clothing?”

Nathalia Buelna, an SJSU alum with a degree in hospitality event management, said that the prices at many thrift stores have definitely become higher as she frequented San José thrift stores when she was a resident.

“My main focus when going to a thrift store is to find something unique that catches my eye, an item that I wouldn’t find at H&M, Zara, or Forever 21,” Buelna said.

Buelna also said that when she is shopping at the local mall at the mainstream stores she is not focused on the price tag like she would at a thrift store.

When buying new clothes the mindset of many is “it is what it is”, but buying an old man’s jacket from the ‘70s at a hefty price is absurd, Robinson said.

Sophia Marin, an associate at Black & Brown, a local thrift/consignment store that has serviced the San José community for over 19 years, laid out the causes of high, but still affordable prices.

“The number one reason prices have gone up is the obvious, inflation,” Marin said. “We’ve got to be able to pay for the rent of the building, so people have somewhere to shop.”

According to a 2023 Investopedia article, inflation has been at its highest since 2021, causing prices to rise.

Marin also said that many “thrift stores” are not clear about whether or not they are consignment. “When buying consignment a lot goes into the process before the clothes are shelved and priced,” Marin said. “The owner has to carefully inspect the garments, determine the longevity of the item, and go on to buy the item and resell at another price.”

Marin said there is a cycle of buyer and consumer that never ends. The big monster that is hiking up the prices is social media influencers.

Goodwill stores now have online stores, so all the “good finds” are going straight online because they know they will get a bang for their buck.

“The culture of thrifting coming back is more of a good thing because it brings a lot of foot traffic to the store,” Marin said when referring to thrifting culture coming back.

Pondering the rising costs and blurred distinction between thrift, consignment and sustainability, there are a couple of reasons why the prices have increased. There is the influence of social media, such as TikTok and Instagram, and the inflation of the economy.

“Although there aren’t any specific technologies that come to mind that enhance sustainability and thrifting, I will say that social media and other online platforms have improved the reach of secondhand markets and thrift stores and have allowed them to reach a much wider audience,” Maranguis said.

In a world grappling with the repercussions of overconsumption and environmental degradation, every purchase holds the potential to either contribute to waste or promote sustainability.

Whether it is at a higher or lower price, thrifting will always be a stepping stone to helping the environment and improving daily life.

“Keeping the pricing affordable allows more people of all economic backgrounds to access these products at thrift stores or secondhand markets,” Maranguis said.

Photo by Maya Pettiford

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GEN ALPHA’S

EARLY CONSUMERISM HABITS

By Denisse Velasco Staff Writer For Generation Alpha, Ulta Beauty and Sephora are the new Toys “R” Us and Justice. Their playground is the skincare isles filled with moisturizers and serums. Children from this generation are being seen shopping for skincare and makeup at the young age of 10-years-old.

Social media is constantly growing and reaching a younger audience. According to a 2023 eMarketer’s article, “Gen Alpha is only the second digitally native generation, making technology a constant in their lives. In the US, 36.2 million children (ages 0 to 11) are active internet users, exceeding teen (ages 12 to 17) internet users by 11.6 million.”

Kids are using TikTok and becoming aware of the trends and aesthetics. By seeing influencers promote new products, they feel the necessity of having to immediately buy it.

According to social researcher and demographer Mark McCrindle, “Gen Alpha is expected to be the largest generation yet, with roughly 2.5 billion people by 2024, and the group is projected to have the greatest spending power in history.”

This has been evident in retail since Gen Alpha are now the customers in beauty stores. “Working in retail, I have begun to see lots of young girls around the age of 9 to 13-years-old coming in to shop for expensive skincare and makeup.” business senior Ellie Thomas said.

Gen Alpha at a young age is already contributing to consumerism and companies are becoming aware of targeting them. In an article from Marketing Brew, “A study conducted this year by digital agency Razorfish and research firm GWI that surveyed 500 members of Gen Alpha between the ages of 8 and 10 found that 51% first hear about brands through YouTube videos.” This younger generation is not being taught the importance of sustainability and how to take care of the environment.

Social media is the leading factor in having exposure to high levels of consumerism. It is essential to teach children ways to incorporate eco-friendly practices into their daily lives especially since it will help shape them into following this routine as adults.

Professor Jill Citron said that parents allow children to use social media and feel that “you can do it because your friends are doing it and then they

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fall into that algorithm.”

Influencers make a profit from commissions when viewers purchase products through the links they provide. An example of this is having an Amazon storefront where consumers are able to organize products into different categories. Amazon pages consist of skincare, makeup and clothing sections.

“As the Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix mentioned, if there is no product being sold to you on a platform, you are the product,” psychology professor Amy Nguyen said. “Social media platforms are free and these companies pay their influencers to make product ads on these platforms because they know their following will purchase products that they review.”

TikTok shop is a newer form used to make a profit from sales by advertising a specific product to followers. Influencers use their viewers as a target to convince them to purchase something in order to maintain the ability to be paid by brands and show how they positively help increase sales. These children feel that if they do not buy the viral product then there is a fear of being behind and not being on top of the trends.

“It’s possible that little girls are watching these beauty influencers put on makeup and idolizing them,” Nguyen said. “As a result, they may think that applying makeup is necessary to look beautiful.

This can potentially encourage or motivate children to purchase beauty products similar to buying toys that are related to their favorite cartoons.”

In order to fit into the idea of being aesthetically pleasing and to reach a level of acceptance in society, these kids feel pressured into buying these items. “When children watch makeup tutorials by their favorite influencers, they are watching how to apply makeup correctly and perhaps, following along as well,” Nguyen said. For children, beauty is valued based on how much effort and money is invested in skincare and makeup routine.

Gen Alpha tends to lack confidence and are prone to insecurities because they compare themselves to what they see on their phones. Living in a country where capitalism is the focus, companies want to target the demographic that will make them the highest profit. Instead of being secure in yourself for who you are, these kids are focusing on whether they have all the products to achieve the “perfect” skincare routine.

Gen Alpha tends to lack confidence and are prone to insecurities because they compare themselves to what they see on their phones. Living in a country where capitalism is the focus, companies want to target the demographic that will make them the highest profit. Instead of being secure in yourself for who you are, these kids are focusing on whether they have all the products to achieve the “perfect” skincare routine.

In an article from Beauty Disclaimer, there is an emphasis in the United States aiming to find the best products to help achieve perfection and make you seem put together at all times.

In comparison, Europe accepts women being more natural and using products to enhance themselves rather than completely change their appearance. This limits excessive spending and leads to less plastic harming the environment.

According to the Dove Self-Esteem Project report, “Toxic beauty advice normalizes unrealistic beauty standards, promotes potentially harmful beauty practices and suggests the key to self-worth and success is physical perfection.” The high standards that women feel are now being felt by little girls. This becomes very toxic to feel pressure to change the way you look with bronzing drops, anti-aging serums and products to achieve “glass skin” before even hitting puberty.

This not only impacts children but also the rest of society. The constant spending habits are shaping a whole generation from an early age and will likely continue to get worse as they grow.

Graphics by Canva

In an article from LinkedIn, “$24 billion in estimated annual spending for American kids and teens alone.” Because of unnecessary purchases, every new product that becomes available throws out whatever is out of style. This creates high waste that ultimately causes immense environmental harm.

Packaging from these products has lots of plastic that makes plastic pollution. The plastic ends up being found in landfills and oceans. It is linked to increasing the chances of natural disasters and climate change.

According to TRVST, a social justice platform, “Beauty packaging amounts to 120 billion units of trash each year, including plastic, paper, glass and metals that are improperly recycled and ultimately end up in landfills.” The waste and plastic found will drastically increase as Gen Alpha grows and has more financial access to enable their consumer habits.

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SJSU Fashion Creatives Club | Photo by Sean Siquig.

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Executive Editor Tracy Escobedo

Managing Editor Maya Pettiford

Content & Copy Editor Jillian Darnell

Copy Editor

Marie Antoinette Aquino

Social Media Manager Loren Ball

Illustrator

Chiara Di Martino

Graphic Designers

Ava Cenizal, Simon Haupt, Winny Kung, Lillian Nguyen

Photographers

Analyn Do, Sean Siquig, Marc Pryor Jr.

Staff Writers

Jennifer Yin, Amaya Reynolds, Taylor Shepherd, Denisse Velasco, Saturn Williams, D’Netrus Chevis, Sophia Sipe, Gisselle Escobar Quiroz, Unathi Zibi Lebbie, Elizabeth Bravo Rebolloso

Adviser

Nisha Garud Patkar

Spring 2024 | ACCESS MAGAZINE | 35

Mechanical engineer sophomore Joshua Peternel Photo by Analyn Do