Easy, fast access to trends at record-low prices every season. Fast fashion stores became the foundation of style and the go-to stores for consumers looking to stay up-to-date with fashion. But what is behind all the affordable price tags we see? This post sets the first of a series investigating how the fast fashion industry keeps their prices low and their production capacity so high. 

What is fast fashion? 

Fast fashion, an industry that raked in an estimated 1.7 trillion dollars in 2023 and employed over 300 million people worldwide, lives up to its name by outpacing traditional fashion. It extends beyond the season, with rapid production cycles churning weekly and even daily trending items. Shein, the industry leader, uploads an average of 6,000 new styles to its website daily! However, a significant downside of this industry is the disposable nature of its products. Many items are worn a maximum of seven times before they are discarded, contributing to the growing problem of textile waste. 

How do they keep their prices so low? 

Fast-fashion retailers are known for their low prices and seemingly constant sales. This drives consumers globally to buy trending items “guilt-free” because of the low prices they pay. Unfortunately, although you may receive a deal, someone else is paying the price somewhere else. One of the easiest ways to drive down costs is to drive down the wages of garment workers within the supply chain. They often seek to employ garment workers in factories in parts of the world that do not have the highest labour standards. 

After the tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza in 2013, it was confirmed that many famous fashion brands were employing garment workers in unsafe conditions. Among the brands were Joe Fresh, J.C. Penney, Benneton, and Primark. This unfortunate incident happened over a decade ago, yet we continue to see evidence of these poor working conditions globally. Recently, in 2022, a Shein factory was exposed by a Channel 4 documentary, highlighting that consumers’ demand for cheap clothing is keeping these factories running.

What is fast fashion’s impact on sustainability? 

Unfortunately, fast fashion is one of the most environmentally damaging industries globally. It heavily impacts the environment through emissions levels, run off, microplastics and waste and water usage. It is responsible for emitting more greenhouse gases than flights and maritime shipping combined and is accountable for 10% of annual global carbon emissions. Additionally, 87% of the total fibre input for clothing items is incinerated or in a landfill. The industry is incredibly resource-intensive, utilizing 93 billion cubic meters of water annually.

Much can be discussed about fast fashion and its negative impact on our society and environemnt.

Join us in this new series examining the complex and intriguing topic on how fast fashion brands are able to maintain their prices so low and accessible to consumers.

In the posts to come, we’ll discuss in more details the ethics and labour behind fast fashion, the impact on our environment, and the human cost behind it all.