In a culture so easily influenced by screens, fashion is bound to cause more damage than you think.
We get out of bed every morning, decide which tops and pants go together, and close the closet doors. We rarely think about the processes involved in our clothing.
Once a means of self-expression, clothing is now considered a commodity. The way you dress now shows your social status and financial level. The problem is that clothes are associated with exclusivity and belonging. Active shoppers hate feeling like they’ve been left behind.
Fashion feels more and more like conforming to aesthetics and the desire to be associated with certain labels. This is especially true in a society driven by consumerism, capitalism and contentment.
This is closely related to social media and how it can quickly increase the popularity of an item, contributing to overconsumption. Since the pandemic, people have been online more than ever. With the rise of social media platforms like TikTok, users are endlessly scrolling, trying to keep up with the latest trends. The algorithm affects our lives, making it challenging for us to stop and consider what we wear and buy.
This phenomenon is largely driven by our innate desire to fit in and connect with those around us. When we admire an outfit that someone else is wearing, we immediately think of buying it and the cycle continues. We are presented with so much content that it is challenging for us to think independently.
As someone who loves fashion, I find this troubling. What’s the point of buying a whole new wardrobe when I can just buy timeless pieces that I can wear for years? Why does shopping feel so different now?
A trend forecaster is a word I’ve been hearing a lot lately. This is just another word for a fashion analyst. A trend forecaster predicts what will be fashionable in the future.
These trend predictors appear throughout my algorithm, mostly in the form of TikTok and Instagram scrolls. I’m tired of seeing their content. Trends seem to come and go very quickly. What is fashionable today will not be fashionable six months, let alone a year from now.
We’ve seen the creation of microtrends as a result of this hyper-cycle, which are particular trends that quickly fall in and out of fashion. Even the microtrend cycle has accelerated. It used to take three to five years for a microtrend to pass; now, it only takes a few months or weeks.
Why is this bad? The faster trends change, the faster garment workers must work. There is no minimum wage or hourly wage guarantee for fast fashion workers. They often earn piece rates, earning up to 3 cents per item. Many factories are staffed mainly by poor women and children, especially in Asian countries. These workers work up to 16 hours a day, seven days a week in unsafe conditions.
Carcinogenic chemicals such as nonylphenols are used in the production of clothing, so factory workers regularly breathe in these chemicals and are predisposed to cancer.
The pace at which these trends develop also contributes to a culture of waste. As a result, the global second-hand market is saturated with unwanted clothing. Garbage colonialism continues in the Global South with piles of clothing. This term describes the tactics used by developed countries that export waste to underdeveloped areas of the world.
This exploitation also leads to environmental degradation. According to an article from Insider, fashion production accounts for 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, dries up water sources and pollutes rivers and streams.
I usually buy my clothes second hand, but every few months I find a piece of fast fashion clothing that blends seamlessly with my sense of style. I feel guilty if I buy it. Fast fashion is both a matter of human rights and the environment.
Cecilia Wolthausen, a Chico State student who runs an online store called Vintage Garden, hopes to break the current fashion cycle by retailing her clothes at a cost that is affordable for college students.
Wolthausen uses Instagram to market her clothing. Customers can shop via direct message after she lists the item, size and price. She seeks to encourage sustainable consumption with her audience, which is primarily Chico State students.
“Reselling an item instead of throwing it away is one of the best ways to act sustainably,” Wolthausen said.
According to Wolthausen, the consequences of fast fashion come from many trends. She discusses how there are many trends and consequences. We are all aware that fashion has an overconsumption problem. As uncomfortable as it is to admit, we just buy a lot of stuff.
“I really hope people become more educated about this topic,” Wolthausen said. “It’s all about consumers.”
I’ll admit that I’ve felt the urge to restart my wardrobe because I got tired of what I was wearing. I still felt like I was dealing with overconsumption.
There are few actions we can take to slow down fast fashion, but saving the planet will undoubtedly take time.
Buying less is the easiest way for consumers to reduce their impact on the planet because it bypasses all the headaches and contradictions that come with trying to buy sustainably. It’s even better when you buy secondhand.
Additionally, there are online marketplaces such as Depop, Ebay, Grailed and Poshmark that make it possible to find unique items. I’ve recently started swapping clothes with friends so we can all have new wardrobes without wasting anything. Giving away your clothes to your friends is not only environmentally friendly, but also sentimental. It makes me excited to know that people I care about have my clothes. A fresh life is given to the piece.
To stop the cycle, we can all contribute in our own ways. While implementing these changes may seem trivial, if we act as a community, even our individual decisions can have a significant impact on the fashion industry.
Jolie Asuncion can be reached at [email protected].
