4 Ways To Combat Fast Fashion

Fast fashion .. it keeps me up at night .. when I let it .. it’s not so fun or happy, and believe me, I’d rather be taking about something else too .. but we must keep learning and growing to become better versions of ourselves.

what is fast fashion

Have you heard the term “fast fashion”?

Fast fashion is a term used to describe the marketing practices of quickly moving product and changing trends to drive more sales – this started roughly in the 1980s when American garment makers started moving their operations overseas.

As with many things, there are two sides to the coin – fast fashion did help bring down prices of clothing, making it affordable to more consumers. Which was great for folks with low income. But the lower prices gave the perception that fashion was disposable.

And what we don’t see is HOW companies were able to bring down these prices.

For example, if you get something tailor made for you, it is going to cost you much more than if you buy something from the mall. Why?Well first, the tailor is going to use your measurements to make a one of a kind garment.They won’t be making this over and over again so each time the expertise required changes, keeping the price of the tailor’s skills higher.

On the other hand …

A factory divides up the process of making say .. a t-shirt in to many smaller tasks – an assembly line. If the factory is making 100 t-shirts, they will cut all the fabric at once, then each person in the assembly does only 1 or 2 things to all 100 shirts.

This is efficient, saving time and money – bringing down prices for the consumer.

From the 1960s to present day, the percentage of clothes manufactured in the US went from 95% to 2%!!

And now, even 10 years later, not much has changed.

All this and we haven’t even started discussing the impact on the environment!

We know many big companies are using fast fashion techniques to make millions and not paying their workers all the while polluting the planet as the 2nd largest contributor of waste!

Aaand..

By now you have heard about the companies such as Temu and Shein. Or seen their relentless ads everywhere.

When I first started seeing the ads, I knew they were bad news!!

As a maker, I know what it costs to make a shirt or a dress and if you are getting something for rock bottom prices then somebody somewhere is NOT getting paid!

It’s just simple math. If you are paying $10 for a shirt, but materials alone cost that much, then what is the worker who sewed up the shirt getting paid? Next to nothing.

And there are many articles now that are reporting that many of the suppliers for these companies are forcing people and children into labor, making them work long hours.

So why should you care?

While the deals seem impossible to pass up – participating by buying the goods tell the companies they are doing something right.

And according to this ​Times article​, Temu is shifting the blame and responsibilities of forced labor or banned goods on consumers

Temu also argued that its use of direct shipping meant that the U.S. consumer, not Temu, would bear the ultimate responsibility for adhering to the ban on Xinjiang goods.

What can you do?

The simple answer is to stop buying from companies that are not caring for their workers, for the planet, or really you. You as the one with the money can use that to “vote” for companies that are truly sustainable and ethical.

I said it’s the simple answer – not the easiest or most feasible.

I know what you are thinking… sometimes you have to buy from these companies and some people can’t afford to buy sustainable brands as they are more expensive.

And this is where yourself have to ask these four questions:

1. Are you buying because you need something?

This is a big one, have you heard the phrase “retail therapy”?

It’s not the best way to feel better – sure you’ll get a dopamine hit, but it is short lived. I encourage you to talk to someone about your feelings, whether it be a friend, family member, or a therapist. Mental health is important but the right steps will lead to better healing.

Being mindful of why we are buying something helps cut down on what we bring into our house in the first place – saving us the money and stress of what to do with it when we don’t want it anymore.

2. Are you able to commit to taking care of the product, for it to last as long as possible?

Does your purchase require dry cleaning or hand washing? Are you going to be able to keep up with the cleaning process? 

And what about when there are stains or holes – can you mend them to make it last longer? Iron-ons or paint are a fun way to mend holes or hide stains so you can pick some up for your next mending project.

Personally – I only buy clothes or fabrics that can go through the machine cycle because I know that hand wash garment is going to sit in the dirty pile for weeks.

Even if a dry clean only garment somehow makes it through my doors, it also gets thrown in the wash, and I’ll take it out and hang dry it instead of putting it in the dryer. 

For non-garment items, can you repair it when it breaks or is it of good quality that it will last for long? 

3. Can you find a similar item second hand?

Thrift stores are full of great finds. You DO have to be patient. So if you need something immediately, this method of shopping may not work out for you.

Estate sales and thrift stores are also great places to buy things for around the house – seasonal decor, furniture, mugs (so many mugs), even stationary and office products! You’ll be surprised what gets donated. 

I usually go to thrift stores for “fabric” shopping.

There are fabrics that I have limited myself from purchasing new/virgin because they are detrimental to the environment, fabrics like –  bamboo, rayon, polyester, chiffon, things that are lovely to wear. So I’ll buy clothes at the thrift store so I can upcycle it into something I can wear. Simply put, this is my loophole for wearing synthetics..

4. If you are a maker, can you upcycle something to suit your needs?

Speaking of upcycles.. Giving new life to something old is one of the best ways to be sustainable. 

If you are new to upcycling – try making kids clothing – you can take an adult shirt and make it for a kid. Or take old PJs and make one for your child. Like ​turning old clothes into undies.

If you don’t have kids or want to upcycle for yourself but can’t find enough “fabric” in the garment you are looking at, I suggest using different coordinating fabrics to give you a unique look. Take a look at this dress and shirt that I made.

I got tired of one of my dresses – and remade it into a kurta, and now I wear it more often. There was another shirt I had bought many years ago. I didn’t like the fit but loved the fabric. It is back in my closet as one of my favorite dresses. Similarly, a skirt that didn’t fit my style anymore became a button down shirt and again gets worn so much more!

I’m not trying to shame, judge or make you feel bad.

It’s really about changing perspective. Shifting some of the responsibility on us as consumers and using our money as our voice by spending where it can make a difference in someone’s life.

Making a difference is the main reason I set up Bee Threadly in such a way that 20% of profits are donated to the Malala Fund, helping girls around the globe get a higher education so they can in turn make a difference in their own communities.

You may be thinking, “well, Anjori, you are selling me a product too, isn’t that hypocritical?”

Yes and no; yes, I’m making you aware of what I sell. But I am not looking to mass produce my products or sell them without intention.

I’m all about slow fashion and I want you to buy my iron-ons with a purpose – whether it be adding positive messaging to your daily armor or hiding a stain or hole.

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