Words by Amy Wild

In todayÔÇÖs busy world of rampant consumerism and throw-away-fashion itÔÇÖs hard to make the right decisions about sustainability when buying clothes.

It probably wonÔÇÖt surprise you that Generation Z and Millennials are more active than older generations in addressing climate change, income inequity and poverty on and offline. Seventy percent of 16-19-year-olds agree that sustainability is an important factor when purchasing fashion items comparing to just 20% of 65-to 74-year-olds [Mintel, UK Fashion and Sustainability Market Report 2021]. However, this is increasingly ironic as Gen Z is also undeniably the biggest consumer of fast fashion.

It’s funny to think that our generation has produced both Greta Thunberg, the climate change activist who excoriates the fashion industry, and also Love IslandÔÇÖs Molly-Mae Hague, who recently signed a seven-figure deal with ultra-low-cost fast-fashion brand PrettyLittleThing.

It is without a doubt that the rise of fast fashion is intertwined with the rise of social media and its influencers. The newly formed influencer culture has resulted in the inability to repeat an outfit (both in person but especially seen online), as well as the unnecessary and wasteful purchases of every new garment to remain on-trend. The rise of TikTok has made fashion trends come and go faster than ever.

Before, trends were only created by A-list celebrities and designers, eventually trickling down to the general public through the high street shops. But now, almost anyone can create a trend, as the ability to reach millions of people online in mere minutes, generates micro-trends in their thousands and thousands.

It’s great for consumers that there is now such a variety in fashion, that tastes are becoming more diverse, and that clothing options are no longer so heavily limited to a singular style. But it’s the sheer speed at which these new trends die out which is terrifying. Think about how quickly the satin pink/green Zara dress became popular through TikTok but probably won’t be worn for any of the next balls. I saw that dress six times when working at end-of-year balls, but it probably won’t be worn again because it will be far too popular and therefore last season.

Brands respond to fast-changing trends by manufacturing clothes more and more rapidly. This results in designs that are lazy. To lower the costs of making clothes, cheap polyester is chosen, which consists of plastic and releases a larger number of emissions than cotton would do. These microplastics then end up in the human food chain, causing harmful effects to our health. So fast fashion isnÔÇÖt just damaging to the environment its damaging to us, as a species, as well.

Disposable fashion has knock-on effects, too. Low-priced and on-demand fashion means that itÔÇÖs more or less cheaper to buy new clothes from Primark than it is to wash your clothes in Circuit Laundry. In the UK, it is estimated that a garment is worn on average only fourteen times before it is thrown away. Brands are purposefully manufacturing clothes designed not to last: itÔÇÖs planned obsolescence. 

Some people make the argument that fast fashion is the only way that those with lower incomes can dress trendily. Well, yes. But isnÔÇÖt that still exploiting people with even lower-incomes overseas? In Boohoo and its sister brands’ factories, they allegedly pay wages as low as ┬ú2-3 per hour in their UK Leicester factories [The Guardian 2021]. If fast fashion companies gave even a slightly bigger percentage more of their profits to their employees it would begin to solve numerous ethical problems that stem from the clothing industry. But many companies would rather drive for the biggest profit margin that they can. Human rights violations lie at the heart of fast fashion.

Some brands have begun to market more ÔÇÿsustainableÔÇÖ ranges like H&MÔÇÖs Conscious range and Amazon’s Aware range. But these ranges are still fast fashion. The turnover of clothing in these ÔÇÿsustainableÔÇÖ collections can mean that they can never truly be sustainable.

Fast fashion is a social movement. You can be a leader by moving in the other direction. ItÔÇÖs important we analyse our own behaviour and consumer habits. Will we wear the item of clothing in a year or two years’ time? If not – don’t buy it.

I try and stick to a 90/10 rule where 90% of my clothing is second-hand from charity shops, car boot sales and second-hand clothing sites like Depop and Vinted, and the other 10% is brand new clothing that I think I will wear for years to come. But this might not work for everyone. Shien and Boohoo, for example, offer a more size-inclusive range than sustainable brands and vintage shops.

Beginning changes to break from the cycle:

1. Shop from sustainable and ethical fashion brands if you can.
2. Buy less often and buy higher quality clothing.
3. DonÔÇÖt recycle or throw away your old clothes. Sell them on Depop, eBay or Vinted or just go to your local car boot sales. Plus, you will get a little bit of extra cash. Donate them as a last resort as more than 80% goes to landfill.
4. Buy or rent second-hand clothing from a provider near you (especially for an event or ball where you will only wear it once).
5. Repurpose/ repair/ tailor old clothing.
6. Use the 90/10 rule when shopping.

It’s unfair to condemn Generation Z for being consumers of fast fashion when people of all ages keep the system going or at least fail to challenge it. The people we look up to for fashion inspiration, such as influencers and celebrities, should adapt too.

Shopping second-hand is becoming more and more the norm and almost trendy in itself. Influencers that exclusively shop second-hand are popping up on TikTok and YouTube and positively changing the fashion industry. Tasha Ghouri from the most recent series of Love Island is a good example of this, she has partnered with eBay to promote pre-loved fashion. This gives hope that sustainable influencers will inspire the younger generation to do the same.

It is not just up to consumers to change the fashion industry. Brands must operate in a transparent way, including signing the transparency pledge and publishing supplier lists.

Everyone likes new clothes. ItÔÇÖs time we all about thought whether a smart new dress or a classy jacket is the best choice for the wider environment. ItÔÇÖs important to remember that the most sustainable garment is the one already in your wardrobe.