Fast fashion has always been an important topic. However, with recent events circulating on the media I wanted to raise awareness and also educate others on how we should reject fast fashion in any ways we can, big or small.
What is fast fashion?
Fast fashion is essentially fashion that keeps up to date with the current trends. It can be described as cheap and trendy clothing that is quickly coming in and out of style seasonally but also weekly. Major fast fashion retailers constantly introduce new products, multiple times a week, in order to stay on trend. Their clothes soon become outdated and unfashionable and which in turn leaves customers constantly wanting to shop for new, trendier clothes.
We are all enablers of fast fashion. If we go through our wardrobes, most of our clothing is from fast fashion brands because paying for high fashion at a low cost is more appealing and convenient. We maximise profits for these fast fashion companies which attracts customers thanks to their ability to mimic luxury fashion trends despite having a very short life span. Fast fashion items are designed to be deliberately cheap and low-quality, thus inevitably disposable. It is important that we are aware of the issues surrounding fast fashion in order to help.
PAYUP:
Fast fashion uses cheap labour that is often sourced from sweatshops. The workers suffer in inhumane working conditions for extremely long hours only to receive a shockingly low wage.
In Bangladesh over 4.1 million, 85% of whom are women, are garment workers who are not being paid (@nabela on Instagram). The workers are being exploited by some of your favourite fast fashion brands such as Primark, Forever 21, GAP etc. Workers have been pushed into extreme poverty and are at risk of being homeless. They are underpaid and work in unsanitary conditions. The exploitation of Bangladeshi workers has been an ongoing issue for decades and manufacturers are still inhumanely treating their workers.
#PayUp was created on social media to raise awareness which was launched by Remake, to pressure brands to pay Bangladeshi factories. Sign the #PayUp petition.
Why is Boohoo trending?
You may have noticed that the company Boohoo is trending all over social media.
The Sunday Times revealed that Boohoo is facing a slavery investigations as workers in Leicester are producing clothes with a wage of only £3.50 per hour.
This means that the garment workers are not getting paid minimum wage. In the UK, minimum wage for those 25 and over is £8.72. It is appalling that they are not meeting the minimum wage which is a legal requirement.
Boohoo and the pandemic:
The factories in Leicester have been operating despiteLeicester being in a localised lockdown, and even when the nation was in full lockdown. Leicester factories, mostly producing for Boohoo, have been putting workers at risk of COVID-19 infections. The factories have also not been following social distancing rules and have had a lack of PPE for workers. According to a report by “Labourbehindthelabel”, Boohoo sources 60-70% of its production from Leicester but during the pandemic this has increased to around 80%. Boohoo has profited during the pandemic with sales being up by 45% in the last three months up to May.
Since the allegations have been out, Next and ASOS have dropped Boohoo clothing from their website. However, during this pandemic, sales have increased so much that bosses are in line for a £150 million bonus. Boohoo Group PLC owns, PrettyLittleThing, NastyGal, BoohooMAN, MissPap, Karen Millen, Oasis, Warehouse and Coast and the fashion retailer group is now valued at more than $4.3 billion (businessinsider). There is so much that they must do to help.
Read below for their statement regarding the situation:
What you can do to help:
Understandably, not everyone can afford to shop at sustainable friendly brands. It is not completely possible for everyone to be able to completely cut out fast fashion. However, there are changes that we can make to help avoid fast fashion.
“I have nothing to wear” – We all say this, especially when we have an upcoming event, but this does not mean we should buy new clothes. Instead, cleaning out your wardrobe, revisiting old pieces and adapting them to your style.
“Quality over quantity” – Buy staple pieces. Invest in clothes that you need and will use, ensuring that they are durable and will last. This will also allow you to be more creative with your wardrobe.
“Stop impulse buying” – Try shopping less, especially online when there is always a sale, influencer partnerships and latest trends being released weekly. Trying to cut out impulse buying can make a huge difference.
“Buy second hand” – Instead of constantly buying new clothes, look at alternative options. With platforms such as Depop becoming increasingly popular, and young people are being encouraged to shop sustainably. This can also include thrift stores, flea markets, other second-hand apps and repairing/reinventing new clothes.
Follow accounts to educate yourself:
I also got in contact with Becky also known as @theniftythrifter_on Instagram. Becky uses her account to share her sustainable and secondhand style, but also uses her platform to educate people on the problems surrounding fast fashion and ways to be more sustainable. I wanted to share some of her advice.
Becky says: “everyone is on their own journey. It may take some people longer to break up with fast fashion than others. To start off with I would say to stop HAULS – honestly hate everything about that word these days! There is simply no need to haul new clothes (some exceptions do pertain). If you are still buying fast fashion – think about what you really need and buy only one or two items that you really think you’ll wear and cherish.”
As mentioned above, Becky also advises consumers to shop through Depop or Vinted. “Both shops have an array of second-hand that are priced reasonably,” she explains.
She also mentioned the importance of supporting small businesses and Black-owned businesses. Becky also suggested other alternatives of swapping clothes and reinventing the ones you already own. Becky recommends following @thedresschange on Instagram, “a Black-owned business that promotes the importance of the swap!”
However, she wants people to understand that it is okay if you cannot eradicate fast fashion entirely. Becky explained that we should be attempting to make more sustainable choices. She says “If you can’t buy sustainably all the time the best thing you can do is assess how much you buy. This works for both fast fashion shopping and buying second-hand. Do you really need it? Is it going to be something that you will wear often? Is this something you really love?”
“Buy less, Choose well, Make it last” – Vivienne Westwood
Whilst researching for this article, keeping up-to-date with the news and browsing through social media there is so much that I have learnt and that I am still learning. We can all do the same. Making small changes can make a big difference so I hope that this is an eye-opener.
