the fashion industry has a fatphobia problem. WORDS JESS FERGUSON
Too often, mid- and plus-sized fashion creators on social media are shamed by commenters for supporting fastfashion companies. Fast fashion, motivated by capitalism, is the mass production of clothing sold at cheap price points at the expense of workers. Some examples of fast-fashion brands are Forever 21, SHEIN, H&M, Primark, and Urban Outfitters. Their focus is to produce trendy, cheap clothes that will often go out of style quickly, prompting consumers to buy more clothes to keep up with the ever-changing
142 | EM SPRING 2021
trends. Naturally, these pieces are appealing because they are so inexpensive, allowing shoppers to participate in trends like cow print, puffer jackets, and corsets without breaking the bank. Once the style inevitably goes out of fashion, they won’t have to worry about wasting their money. However, this perpetuates a damaging cycle in which buyers are constantly purchasing and discarding clothes, contributing to a massive textile waste problem, which in 2018 alone totalled 17
million tons, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. As much as I try to avoid fast fashion whenever possible, I—like many others—am guilty of buying it, too. When not shopping second-hand, some of my go-to stores include American Eagle, Old Navy, and Target because they I know what the sizing is like and don’t have to worry about getting something that doesn’t fit. Since many in-person stores closed their fitting rooms due to COVID, it’s easier for me to buy a pair of jeans from American Eagle that I know will