Fast Fashion

The fast fashion industry produces masses of clothing from cheap, unsustainable materials, exploiting workers in the developing world. 

Fast fashion is produced using cheap, unsustainable materials, often exploiting workers in order to get a large quantity of each product from design to store at a rapid speed. This endless stream of clothing is causing serious harm to those who make the products and the planet which we live on. 

The human cost of fast fashion is considerable. Within the supply chain, garment workers provide the greatest amount of work and receive the lowest wage. CEOs of fast fashion companies make millions and pay their garment workers mere pennies, how is this fair? Well, put simply, it is not fair, and it needs to change!

One example which highlights this issue is the collapse of the Rana Plaza, in Dhaka, Bangladesh in April 2013. Over 1,132 people were killed and thousands more sustained life altering injuries, as a result of poor working conditions within the factories. Bonnmarché, Matalan, Mango and Primark are just some of the brands using that factory. To this day, the families of the deceased have not received a single penny of compensation and continue to walk past the wrangled ruins of the factory as they head to work. 

This is just one of the many accidents which take place in garment factories every year. Not only does this demonstrate the lack of an inspection or regulatory system which is there to protect the workers in their place of work, but also the non-existent worker rights. The low wages, the long working hours and the pressure from management to meet impossible deadlines, only add to the issue, making this a severe and overlooked human rights issue.

Not only is fast fashion a prominent human rights matter, it is also an industry and culture which is adding to the climate crisis. Low quality and cheap clothing reach landfill much sooner than other garments. Around 10,000 items of clothing are sent to landfill every 5 minutes! Just think about how many pieces of clothing that is per day? Or per year!

I believe that in order to make any progress within this industry it is companies that need to take responsibility for their impact on the environment and their workers. It is time to improve worker rights and minimise the impact of fast fashion on the environment. Action is needed, and it is needed NOW. These companies need to stop causing damage and pay up! 

If many people were to take up small actions and cut down their spending on fast fashion, there is potential for dramatic change in the landscape of this industry. It is important to recognise that many people making small changes to the way they consume fashion can have a significant impact. In doing so, these actions can signal the need for change to large fast fashion companies. 

There are many small actions which you can take within your everyday life to make a difference. For example, mending your clothes when broken, shopping at charity shops, using apps such as Vinted and Depop (where you can buy and sell ‘second-hand’ clothes) and doing clothes swaps with your friends. Change starts at home. Actions Speak Louder.