As consumers are slowly being educated on global responsibility and the damage fast fashion can bring to the environment, sustainable fashion is becoming more and more popular and viewed as a desirable way in which to shop and support both the environment and economy.
Fast fashion causes non compostable waste, air pollution, and overworked/underpaid labor. Fast fashion is the cheap solution to the high demands of ever changing hot new styles and trends. However, it is not worth putting our current and future planet at risk. Sustainable clothing items insure resourceful production (for example using as little water as possible rather than waistline countless gallons), lasting quality, and fair treatment to workers. These articles are engineered to last longer, and made with natural fibers such as cotton, and linen, rather than cheap synthetics like polyester, and spandex that come from chemicals and polymers. Toxic garments like these can take up to 200 years to decompose. Crazy, Right?! While some argue sustainable clothing items are “too pricey”, in the long run with its lasting product quality and the stability it provides for the economy, purchasing these items are very much so worth it.
Furthermore, for those driven away by the price tag on sustainable clothing, thrift shopping has become the new “thing”. Thrifting is very affordable (and always guarantees an adventure scavenging through unique clothing articles of all sorts) and often proceeds even go to non profit organizations or charities, for example, Salvation Army, while also providing jobs and creating resourceful solutions to throwing out used clothing items and accessories. It is often argued that thrifting becoming a hot new trend is damaging to those with low income who greatly rely on thrift stores to shop for their actual day to day needs. However, an increase in thrift shoppers has only proved to provide more donors, so prices have remained relatively unchanged, and thrift stores have gained more business than ever. Thus, these thrift stores are ensured to not go out of business while also stealing attention from stores that support fast fashion.
In addition, Instagram ads provide viewers with sustainable clothing brands that may be hard to find at your local mall. Online shopping has made purchasing and advertising sustainable clothing easier than ever, and has encouraged consumers to make wiser decisions with their spending. Also, many influencers on social media post about their unique thrifted pieces, causing viewers to be encouraged to go hunt for their own cheap, one of a kind items that can be found only through thrifting. This new culture of caring about the production and origins of clothing is reasonable to anyone and benefits both our current and future planet. Who wouldn’t want that?!
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Source: Ellevate. “Why Sustainable Fashion Matters.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 7 Oct. 2019, http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2019/10/07/why-sustainable-fashion-matters/?sh=7576949f71b8.
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