Fast fashion contributes to enormous waste and pollution, and more consumers are waking up to the industry's environmental impact.
One shopper sparked outrage in the r/CasualAllure subreddit after calling out an influencer for reselling massively overpriced clothing from fast-fashion giant Shein.
What happened?
The poster shared a screenshot of a Bailey cardigan going for $66 at Eleven Eleven, a boutique in California. What you can't tell from the photo of the woman modeling the piece, however, is that it supposedly came from Shein, which isn't exactly known for high-end clothing.
"Doubt people are buying anything from her site such cheap material and so overpriced. Can find a better quality for 15$ at Ross," the original poster wrote.
"This is actually insane cause this is on Shein for $8," one user said.
"She buys from SHEIN and swaps out the labels. It's insane! Stopped shopping from her when I found out," another shared.
"She is the SHEIN queen," someone else joked.
Why does fast fashion matter?
The fast-fashion industry may provide consumers with a vast selection of affordable clothing, but it comes at a huge environmental cost. According to Greenpeace, the industry produces a staggering 100 billion pieces of clothing annually, with around 101 million tons being dumped in landfills.
Because fast fashion encourages a throwaway culture where people buy trendy items and toss them after just seven to 10 uses on average, landfills, informal dumping sites, and waterways are becoming clogged with mountains of deteriorating clothing.
Most fast-fashion items are made from synthetic materials, such as polyester and nylon, leading to microplastic pollution in soil and waterways. Textile dyeing and finishing also contaminate streams and rivers since the untreated wastewater is often dumped illegally, harming aquatic animals and ecosystems and potentially polluting drinking water sources.
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Set strict regulations 🚫 In addition, Earth.org reported that the industry is the second-largest consumer of water and accounts for 10% of global carbon pollution. Emissions from textile manufacturing will likely double by 2030 if no actions are taken to curb fast fashion waste.
Fast-fashion megabrands such as Shein have also come under fire for appalling labor conditions in their factories, where workers are underpaid and expected to work long hours without breaks. The company also uncovered multiple child labor cases in its facilities in 2023.
What's being done to reduce fast fashion's impact?
Many companies have launched sustainable clothing, from swimwear to workout apparel to casual pieces, signaling a gradual shift in the fashion industry.
Plus, a new textile recycling process could keep millions of pounds of discarded clothing out of landfills, and shopping apps are helping consumers find secondhand versions of new clothing.
If you're ready to break up with fast fashion for your wallet and the planet's sake, thrifting and supporting eco-friendly brands are great ways to upgrade your wardrobe with high-quality clothing.
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