Fast fashion is all about making trending clothes quickly and cheaply. But have you ever thought about what happens to these clothes before and after you buy them? To find out, we will explore the journey of fast fashion and we will see how it affects people and the planet.

1) The birth of a trend

Fashion trends start at big fashion shows where designers show off their latest ideas. Fast fashion brands watch these shows and quickly copy these designersț ideas and make similar clothes at lower prices, which means that we can buy the newest styles without spending a lot of money. 

However, fast fashion moves very rapidly. Instead of changing with the season, new clothes come out every week. To make this happen, brands use factories in countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam and China. These factories can make clothes cheaply though often have poor working conditions and low wages for workers.

2) The environmental impact

Did you know that making just one cotton t-shirt can use up to 2700 liters of water? Also, the process of dyeing fabrics releases harmful chemicals into rivers and lakes, polluting the water. 

Many fast fashion clothes are made from materials like polyester, which is produced from oil. When we wash these clothes, they release tiny plastic particles called microplastics that end up in the ocean. Moreover, these clothes are designed to be worn only a few times before they are thrown away, creating a huge amount of waste.

3) The consumer culture

Promenada mall Sibiu. Image: Anastasia Teodorescu.

Fast fashion encourages us to buy new clothes often and throw away the old ones. This throwaway culture leads to huge amounts of clothing waste. In the USA for example, about 11 million tons of clothes end up in landfills each year. These landfills are often located near poor communities, further impacting those who are already struggling.

4) The future

Despite these issues, there still is a little hope. More people are becoming aware of the impact of their fashion choices and are looking for sustainable and ethical options. Brands are responding by using eco-friendly materials, improving transparency in their supply chains and offering recycling programs. Innovations in textile recycling and circular fashion present avenues for reducing waste. These methods focus on creating clothes that can be easily recycled or upcycled, extending their life and reducing waste.

 To sum up, the journey of fast fashion has many hidden costs beyond just the price we pay. By choosing clothes more carefully and supporting brands that care about people and the planet we can make a difference.