There is a constant push for new trends within Gen Z and pop culture. Language, politics, values, or style: trends change at startlingly fast rates. Our consumer-driven generation is bombarded with boundless stimulants through technology, teaching us never to be completely satisfied. Most companies’ primary goal is to appeal to consumers, but in the process, they are disregarding the environment and those working for them. Fashion is no longer about art and expression; in the past 20 years, it has become more about convenient sales and easy profit. It is a market that earns a staggering $1.2 trillion per year, according to Luz Claudio, writing for Environmental Health Perspectives.
The term for this phenomenon of convenient, cheap clothing is Fast Fashion. Raging consumerism, primarily in Western countries, drives our generation and stresses clothing companies trying to appeal to their customers. According to Luz Claudio writing for environmental health perspectives “With the rise in production in the fashion industry, demand for man-made fibers, especially polyester, has nearly doubled in the last 15 years” She explains that the manufacture of synthetic fabrics requires large amounts of crude oil and releases toxic emissions that damage the ozone layer, cause acid rain, contribute to global warming and can cause or aggravate respiratory disease. To satiate consumer demands, many clothing companies disregard the well-being of their employees and our environment. Companies like Shein are not the only ones to blame for Fast Fashion. While Shein is a valid example, many other everyday brands still export from factories practicing child labor and modern slavery, legally or illegally. According to figures from the U.S. National Labor Committee, some Chinese workers make as little as 12–18 cents per hour working in poor conditions.
Too many brands use inhumane manufacturing methods to cheaply produce low-quality clothing for name-brand stores. The $80 you paid for your Nike hoodie was not used to pay the employees that made it. Many companies commit white-collar crimes while designing their business models, ensuring that audits are made by people with little to no knowledge of the factories. As a result, astounding injustices and misconduct are overlooked. Workers do not resist abuse due to fear of terminated contracts.
Why are Americans so concerned about ethics and the environment and choose not to apply that to our fashion-based purchases? As consumers, we need to minimize our negative impact on the rest of humanity and the environment. Our collective mindset has been molded by capitalist-based corporations whose sole motivator is money. This upcoming generation of consumers needs to shift our focus to ensure our future on Earth. Instead of shopping from outlets like Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, or Levis, consider shopping second-hand. Search for items on websites like eBay or Poshmark or go to your local GoodWill. Your purchases will be significantly cheaper than buying new ones, and you reduce the chance that those used items will pile into our landfills.
