Fast fashion. We’ve all seen it, perhaps even wear it. Nonetheless, we’ve heard of industry names such as ZARA, Forever21 and H&M. We don't see a problem with them, after all, they have what we want to wear. So why are they unsustainable in the fashion world?
This society is a consumerism society. The average person bought 12 pieces of clothing in the 1980s, now we buy 68 pieces of clothing. We’re used to getting what we want instantly through a click and lured by the idea of ‘necessary’ items. Click and it is delivered to your door. You don’t have the trouble of going outside and spending effort to get a product. It is now a part of life. Amazon gets 66 orders per hour, no wonder everyone uses it. But it's not about amazon. It's about how heavily we rely on products which link to fast fashion. We were used to seeing luxury brands and dreaming we’d get such clothing but now easily brands can create knock-offs and you too can look like flashy models only for a cheaper price.
Zara, for example, made Amancio Ortega (the founder) the seventh richest man alive. Instead of business models in fashion week where designing and manufacturing can take up to two years, Zara can design something fast and only make more products if it is popular. That way, distribution is streamlined and most important, profit is earned.
Dynamic assortment is also used, a method of new clothes every week , which is how they sell new products all the time. This has to keep up with demand and trend forecasting. And all this profit and money comes at a cost. Poor working conditions for child workers, environmental problems. It's like we, as consumers are oblivious to the condition and problems we are causing through such avoidable products. And this is buying clothes. Even more happens through disposal of them.
Buying clothes that you like is not a crime. And it is avoidable by wearing items longer. But the constant consumerism needs to end. Otherwise, what will be left of fashion except for knock-off?
