Fashion Focus: fast fashion

In my previous article on Y/Project, I concluded by stating: ‘fast fashion practices […] are more destructive and detrimental to the environment, human rights, as well as to fashion and art.’ I would like to spend some time developing this point, which has become increasingly pertinent with a recent hearing between Shein, and a British parliamentary committee which focused on the rights of workers in its supply chain.

It is undeniable that the fashion industry is harmful, being responsible for 8-10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions

Fast fashion describes the rapid production of inexpensive and low-quality clothing. It has been argued that fast fashion, as a model of production, emerged in the 1970s, and the term was coined by the New York Times in the 1990s when the brand Zara arrived in New York. This mode of production revolutionized the fashion industry through the development of ‘micro-seasons’. This move overhauled the paradigm in which collections were produced in two seasons (autumn/winter, spring/summer) which is still reflected in the ‘Big Four’ Fashion Weeks. Therefore, the industry became plagued by haste, which has forced brands and labels to become reliant on rapid production to maintain relevance. Moreover, pace can only be maintained if production is cheap which encourages reduced quality and poorer work conditions.

In terms of environmental impact, fast fashion has been incredibly damaging for a variety of reasons. Firstly, if we consider carbon emissions, it is undeniable that the fashion industry is harmful, being responsible for 8-10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. This is due to the manufacturing process, which has expanded with the development of fast fashion, requiring greater rates of production to profit from micro-trends. Similarly, emissions from transportation have been heightened by fast fashion as its production processes occur in Asia to reduce costs of wages, while the products are often bought by retailers and consumers in Europe and America.

Beyond heightened greenhouse gas emissions, fast fashion encourages textile waste, as manufacturers cut corners on fabric quality to keep costs down, causing the quality of the product to suffer. As stated by Isabel Slone in Bazaar, “a pair of jeans purchased at the Gap in 1995 was made of thick 100% cotton and constructed to withstand years of heavy wear. Now, the same pair of jeans […] has added elastane, and is liable to fall apart after several washes.’ It is this factor, alongside the encouraged consumerism of fast fashion, which results in the production of 92 million tonnes of textile waste every year.

We could continue this damning discussion of fast fashion in relation to the environment, considering the use of water, chemicals, and acts of deforestation. However, I think we should move to consider the element of human rights. Recently, the BBC spent several days in Panyu – ‘Shein village’ – and highlighted the harsh working conditions employees are subjected to. Notably, one worker told the BBC: “If there are 31 days in a month, I will work 31 days,” and it was found that the workforce is subjugated to around 75 hours a week, despite Chinese labour laws mandating 40 hours as a limit. Similarly, one woman stated, “We usually work, 10, 11 or 12 hours a day,” which opposes the standard schedule of 8 hours per day, and risks exceeding the three-hour overtime cap. These extreme forms of exploitation: illegal and violating basic human rights, are enshrined and entrenched within fast fashion processes.

The prominence of fast fashion breeds a culture of triteness, in which artists are not encouraged to create, and producers are not required to innovate

Albeit less important, the dominance of fast fashion has been to the detriment of creativity and artistic vision. There is not a day that passes where I don’t see a small, indie designer on social media complaining about a large fast fashion brand, such as Shein, Zara, and H&M. The nature of fast fashion production, in comparison to the production process of an individual designer, allows for the larger corporations to undercut the original designers, and in turn, harm their business and profit off their design. Moreover, the fashion climate, as mentioned in my previous article, has become unsuitable for ethical brands to thrive, and thus the immoral conglomerates are able to dominate the market. Therefore, I will conclude by arguing that the prominence of fast fashion breeds a culture of triteness, in which artists are not encouraged to create, and producers are not required to innovate.