Did you know the fashion industry is accountable for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions? It poses as one of the planets most polluting industries, and with over 2,625 kilograms of clothes sent to land fill each second, it’s evident the fashion industry is having a detrimental impact on our environment. But are we doing much to change these stats? Sadly, not enough, in fact the culprit currently fuelling the fashion industry is social media. On average we check our social media sites 10 times a day.
This exposesus to a variety of brand advertising content and influencer posts. Social media has become a “critical marketing tool” for fast fashion companies and further, influencing consumers to stay up to date with the latest trends. 74% of consumers state they rely on social media to assist them with clothing purchase decisions, which signifies the extensive influence social media is having upon excessive consumerism.
2
I’m sure you’ve heard the of term fast fashion before, what does it actually mean? Fast fashion is the manufacturing and production of poor-quality garments at a high volume. The production entails the use of low-quality materials and fabrics such as polyester, which are poorly constructed in a very short time frame for the lowest cost possible. Dangerously, 100 billion fast fashion clothing products are made every year. Often these fast fashion garment styles are replicating expensive and trendy pieces within the industry, enabling consumers to purchase the latest trends at a much lower price. And more often than not, fast fashion lovers wont just purchase one or two pieces, yet instead place orders of up to 5-15 items due to the item’s affordability. Why not buy 10 of the latest trendy rip-off pieces, instead of one high quality made fashionable items. However, as enticing as this might seem once those trends have expired these cheaply made clothes get thrown in the bin landing straight into landfill.
In a year of purchase, three out of five fast fashion clothing items wind up in landfill, with only 13% of clothing and footwear being recycled each year. What happens once we say bye, bye to our beloved only worn once fast fashion items? The microplastics from these syntenic fabrics such as polyester aren’t able to break down, moreover polluting our waters, air and land. Over a third of microplastics found in our ocean actually originate from the fast fashion industry. The toxic chemicals and dyes used in the production of fast fashion clothing end up leaking into water supplies. The industry is responsible for 10% of the worlds carbon emissions through its rigorous supply chain processes such as the transportation involved. And just when you think it can’t get much worse, the people who are making your trendy fast fashion items aren’t paid a liveable wage, forced to work excessive hours and are sadly exposed to dangerous working conditions.
4
With fast fashion becoming a significant issue amongst the fashion industry it’s vital for us to start making positive changes in our buying habits. The easiest way to help reduce our impact on the fast fashion industry is to avoid buying from fast fashion brands. Shock horror, this might include some of your favourite and most loved brands out there. A lot of popular brands sadly run unethical and unsustainable procedures in the production of their garments.
Here is a list of some of the most well known fast fashion brands, just to name a few, that you might want to avoid on your next clothing splurge: •
Zara
•
Urban Outfitters
•
Pretty Little Thing
•
Zaful
•
H&M
•
Brandy Melville
•
Nasty Gal
•
Beginning Boutique
•
Boohoo
•
Ripcurl
•
Fashion Nova
•
Princess Polly
•
Missguided
•
Showpo
•
Shein
•
Nike
•
Topshop
•
Stüssy
6
“Fast fash like fast After the rush it ju leaves a b in your mo
hion is food. e sugar ust bad taste outh.”
- Livia Firth
what is social media doing to fast fashion? Despite the many serious and harmful implications, the fast fashion industry is having upon us, we can easily turn a blind eye to it all thanks to our bestie social media. Unfortunately, a study found that 50% of gen z consumers said they’ll continue to purchase from fast fashion brands despite knowing the impacts it is having on our environment. Social media plays a significant role in the way we as consumers overlook the negative impacts of the industry. If Cardi B is prompting the latest collection by Fashion Nova, how bad can it be? Just because Molly Mae has come out with a new Missguided Edit doesn’t mean Missguided is no longer a bad practice fast fashion brand.
Sure, it’s easy to YOLO it and ignore the fact that these brands are playing a shocking contribution to global warming and slavery if the latest Instagram add is telling us we need it to look like our fav influencer. Social media has become the primary marketing tool for many fast fashion brands’ such as PLT and Misguided, utilising Instagram, TikTok and social media influencers to drive their sales. With our screens continually plastered with posts related to the latest fashion trends, brands newest products and influencers current favourite clothing items it’s easy to ignore the negative effects of the fast fashion industry. But fast fashion isn’t a shove under the rug or a out of sight out of mind problem, it’s an issue that will eventually catch up with us and our future generations.
10
what is social media doing to fast fashion? Social media has triggered our excessive fast fashion consumption habits. It’s influenced us to imitate our favourite influencers everchanging looks, suffer from fashion FOMO, and make us feel like we need to stay up to date with the latest trends to be considered stylish on social media. It’s easy to fall under social media’s spell, and why wouldn’t we fast fashion brands sell these trendiest pieces for an absolute bargain of a price. Oh, and let’s not ignore the stigma social media has created around outfit repeating. According to a survey 22% of 16- 24-year-olds will throw away an item after being photographed in it fewer than three times. Another study found that “41 percent of women ages 18 to 25 felt pressure to wear a different outfit every time they went out”. At this stage we’d rather increase the level of micro plastics in the ocean than be caught wearing the same clothing out twice. God forbid if we outfit repeat in our insta pics, the social media police will be out to get us.
12
I wonder what they’ll do? We need to make a change, succumbing to social medias fast fashion influence will only do us more harm than good in the long run. And let’s not forget just how versatile clothes are, they can be styled in a variety of ways. A McKinsey study found that Americans alone buy a piece of clothing every five days, shock face emoji. The fast fashion industry has grown at a rate of 1.2% over the past five years. The accessibility and reach social media has provided these fast fashion companies, is an attributing factor of this growth rate. If consumers continue to turn a blind eye to the effects of fast fashion and irrationally rely on social media to fuel their fast fashion consumption habits, the growth rate of the industry will continue to rise along with the negative impacts the industry is having on our environment, scared face emoji.
“Fashion be a univ player i protect the plan
n can versal in ting net.”
-Pharrell Williams
Let’s slowDown fast fashion So, what can you do to slow the frocking fast fashion industry down? Buy Less from Fast Fashion Brands Recognising when you’re being fooled by a fast fashion clothing add or post on social media will help limit your consumption of fast fashion. A lot of the time these adds, or promotions entice us to feel as though we need new clothes, yet a lot of the time this need is only a want. Being more conscious about your choices and purchasing decisions will not only help you save into the long run, yet also recognise whether it truly is worthwhile contributing to the damaging impacts these organisations are having upon our environment and society at large. Do you really need that jacket that you’ll only probably wear for one season from Pretty Little thing? Just because Shani Grimmond is wearing the latest edit from nasty gal, does it mean you need to buy it too?
Invest in Long-Lasting Pieces Less is more, especially when it comes to slowing fast fashion down. Investing in good quality garments made of ethical fibres such as 100% organic cotton or bamboo have a more positive impact on our environment as once thrown away, they are able to breakdown naturally. Despite the fact these pieces might be a little bit more on the pricey side they will last you much longer than any garment from a fast fashion label. You’ll be able to wear them more and have them for ever. Rent Clothes Next time you have that fancy event rent a dress, as opposed to buying a dress you’ll only wear once. Renting clothing, particularly items that are only sought for an once time occasion helps you save money whilst also feel like getting really crafty you can grab some old patterns and vintage fabric from an op-shop and make your own clothes or learn how to crochet or knitting.
16
Let’s slowDown fast fashion Shop & Drop at Charity Shops Op Shopping is a fantastic way to repurpose only garments. Not only is much more ethical than fast fashion, yet it helps limit the amount of clothing that end up in landfill. It’s cost-efficient and provides you with the opportunity to have unique or one pieces that no one else has. Have you got a pile of clothes at home you no longer want? Don’t throw them in the bin, help give them a new life. If the clothing is in a good condition drop them at your nearest op shop.
Be a Cautious Online Shopper There’s nothing worse than getting an online order where nothing fits, or clothes look nothing like in the photos on the website. 40% of those who have purchased clothes online are sent back. This staggering number contributes to the high rate of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the industry through transport emissions. When shopping online, reading reviews, size measurements and fabric descriptions will help avoid receiving ill-fitting or poorly made clothes that then have to be sent back.
Make or Mend Your Clothes Have a lil rip in your fav jeans? Stress less, a small rip can be easily fixed with a cute patch or a few stiches. A lot of the time most small damages or clothing to big can be easily salvaged. Finding ways to repurpose damaged clothing is a fantastic way to contribute to slow fashion. If you feel like getting really crafty you can grab some old patterns and vintage fabric from an opshop and make your own clothes or learn how to crochet or knitting.
Download Slow Fashion Apps Considering the amount of time we spend on our phones these days apps that assist in combating fast fashion are a fantastic help. Depop, an online op-shop is a great app for reselling your preloved goods, whilst also giving you the opportunity to purchase prebought one-off items. Good On You is an ethical fashion app that ranks all of our loved brands and more from ethical to least ethical. It’s an amazing app to assist you in making ethical purchase decisions as a consumer. Outdress, Rent it Bae and High Street Fashion are all ‘rent a dress’ apps that enable you rent your favourite looks right at your fingertips.
18
mff x stfd exhibition infromation A virtual and interactive exhibition exploring the way in which social media contributes to the excessive consumption of fast fashion. 9:00am – 8:00pm | Monday to Saturday On from the 14th to the 19th of March 2022 The George Paton Gallery Level 2, Union House, Tin Alley The University of Melbourne, 3010 Free Event
www.slowthefrockdown.com.au 20