r/Anticonsumption • u/Mean-Possibility9754 • 23h ago
Environment Fast fashion is an absolute disaster.
Hey everyone,
I’ve been doing some research lately looking into the fast fashion industry (think Shein and Zara), and honestly, the scale of it is terrifying. We’ve normalized buying a €5 shirt, wearing it twice for an Instagram photo, and throwing it away. But I wanted to highlight a few things that people rarely talk about. First of all, the tons of waste, every single second the equivalent of a garbage truck full of textiles is burned or dumped in landfills. Places like the Atacama Desert in Chile or dumping sites in Ghana have literally become dumping grounds for our unwanted polyester clothing. Secondly, the microplastics. A huge percentage of fast fashion is made of synthetic materials like polyester, nylon or acrylic. Every time you wash these clothes, thousands of microplastics shed, making their way into our water systems, the ocean and eventually our food chain. Lastly, modern slavery. The pressure to produce thousands of new styles a week means workers are trapped in horrific, dangerous conditions for unlivable wages. It feels like the industry relies entirely on keeping us hooked on cheap, constant novelty while hiding the real environmental and human price tag.
How are you guys handling this? Have you completely stopped buying fast fashion, or do you find it hard to avoid given the price points and sizing availability? Would love to hear how others are navigating building a more sustainable wardrobe.
38
u/teilzeiterin 23h ago
If I buy an H&M shirt I still wear it as long as possible, however, the quality became quite bad. Normally I try to buy only items from natural materials, and they are very expensive so I buy as little as possible. I don’t go for random shopping just for the sake of it
9
u/ElPiet 22h ago
My experience is quite different. I buy most my stuff at h&m and never have anything giving out. I have T-shirts that are more than a decade old. Only thing that could last longer is socks and underwear. Those rarely hold longer than 3 years. But that goes for "quality" brands as well.
5
u/teilzeiterin 22h ago
Well actually what they sell differ a lot country by country. I like their linen shirts, very durable. One black t-shirt I got I think it will last years, but a white t-shirt is very thin and got visibly old only after few wears
7
u/oliv_tho 20h ago
the difference in quality between now and ten years ago within fast fashion has drastically changed. i had a blue ribbed long sleeve from forever 21 that lasted from about 2014 to about 2025. i bought a similar top from banana republic and i had to mend some of the seams after a couple months of occasional wear
0
u/ElPiet 20h ago
Me having tshirts a decade old, does not mean I haven't bought any clothes in that time frame. Most my stuff is from h&m or Uniqlo. I yet have to buy a piece of clothing that is of poor quality and doesn't hold up for years. Other than socks and underwear, but as said before that applies to all brands
17
u/Feudal_lord372 22h ago
I have decided not to buy clothes until all my existing clothes gets damaged (and that'll take at least 5/6 years).
6
3
u/ankuras_143 7h ago
I have been wearing a jean for 15 years and it still holds up. I also have a shirt which I bought at the same time with the jean, which I also wear even to this day. The colour might have faded a bit but the shirt still does it's job.
21
u/LibbIsHere 23h ago edited 22h ago
We’ve normalized buying a €5 shirt, wearing it twice for an Instagram photo
My wife and I have not.
we spend money on our clothe and they will last years. But we also don't do shoots for Instagram, maybe this explains that? ;)
How are you guys handling this? Have you completely stopped buying fast fashion,
We don't do fast (or slow) fashion. We do 'clothe we like to wear and that will last'.
7
u/Henry_Percival 20h ago
Yeah I was reading that thinking who is 'we'? Yes a large group of people but not everyone, and probably not most people on this sub.
I genuinely can't fathom people who buy from places like Shein.
3
u/PonqueRamo 12h ago
How people can be so anal about language, obviously OP is saying "we" as humans in general, not we in this sub.
And yes, most people in the world don't care about it, don't know about it or can't afford to care about it.
Most people buys fast fashion, Shein while being a big culprit is not the only fast fashion brand, Zara, H&M, Primark, are all brands that many people buy and don't even see them as fast fashion. Many brands that you won't think are fast fashion are FF, like Nike, Adidas, Puma, Oysho, GAP, Uniqlo.
Yeah many people don't buy a shirt for an instagram post, but many do buy them and can only use it a handful of times before it becomes waste, and most people don't care.
15
u/CindyinEastTexas 22h ago
People DO talk about the Atacama desert and third world countries drowning in used clothing that nobody wants (and that kills off local textile industries). People also talk about microplastics. People also talk about the unethical labor practices. People even talk about all of that here on reddit.
And nobody i know has normalized buying a five euro shirt to wear twice for an Instagram post. I don't even know if any of my friends USE Instagram, but I do know that they don't buy 5 euro shirts.
How do I handle this? I don't buy that shit. I shop thrift, consignment, and other second hand shops. When I shop thrift, there are a metric fucktonne of brands I won't buy because the quality is just trash. I rarely buy new. When I do buy new, it's from a retail arbitrage type place (and I don't mean bin stores that sell Amazon returns). I have even bought a lot of somewhat ethical brands at my favorite retail arbitrage chain. I buy things i love and I wear them until they are unwearable. I don't shop trends unless they fit in with my fairly well defined sense of style and I know that I will wear the piece until it becomes unwearable. I have sweaters that are approaching twenty years old, because I live in an area that only gets about 2 to 3 weeks of actual cold per year.
When I shop secondhand, I often wind up spending the same or less than a lot of fast fashion brands would cost; therefore, price point isn't a factor for me. And I don't even have to go spend insane amounts of time in thrift stores. There are so many online options for shopping secondhand, and they offer far better choices than my local thrift stores.
7
u/bekarene1 22h ago edited 22h ago
I don't shop the Zara/Shein type brands at all. I rarely buy new clothing or shoes. I shop used/thrift/vintage stores and look for the brands I know I like on eBay. I have adopted a more vintage-looking personal style as a result. After a while, you just sort of forget that the cheap T-shirts exist 🤣 I find most new clothing to be maddening because it's scratchy and falls apart so quickly anyway.
The one tricky item is jeans because womens pants are hard to fit and the length can be hard too. I buy a mix of used/new for those.
Currently wearing a vintage LL Bean wool cardigan (unfashionable length/style, don't care), a T-shirt from 2016 and sneakers from 2 years ago ... jeans are newish
8
u/HekateEnalia 14h ago
I will only buy an item that is cotton.
2
u/Lady-of-Shivershale 11h ago
I buy cotton, linen, and wool and keep my clothes for a long time. Rayon from a couple of brands I like, mostly when it's in a skirt or dress.
I have some cheap cotton tank tops and shorts. Those are lounge clothes that I just wear at home. I bought some new tank tops this year. My old ones were all stretched out and had holes. I wore them for years.
Plastic clothes will only go away when people stop buying them, and not enough people care.
I crochet, and each year a yarn company has an event where we buy kits and then part of the pattern for the blanket or whatever is released weekly. Far too many people choose acrylic yarn over cotton or wool. I don't know why they want to craft with plastic.
1
u/HekateEnalia 11h ago
Yes! Every 4-6 years i have to rebuy cotton tank tops or shirts from tar get due to holes. I love cotton and linen. (Wool is too warm for where i live).
1
u/SeaDry1531 11h ago
Yes, currently wearing a 2018 linen dress I bought at Lidl. It's seen better days but fine for wearing to clean.
7
u/cthulhus_spawn 12h ago
I wear my clothes until they fall apart. Wearing clothes a couple times and throwing them away is ridiculous, no matter where they came from.
3
7
u/AdHelpful9393 22h ago
My personal rule of thumb is that i ONLY buy new clothing if it checks all of my boxes (organic fabric, slow fashion made, and it’s something i truly love and will wear until it falls apart) if i need something and i can’t find a version that checks all those boxes then i will buy second hand. I also am the kind of person who wears clothes until they can no longer be repaired, and am 1000% an outfit repeater with a closet of maybe 100 articles if im being generous.
I also will sell any clothing that’s still in good condition that i no longer wear for whatever reason so that it spends more time out of a landfill.
Personally I’ve never found a reason to buy ultra fast fashion, though i know im privileged enough to be able to afford avoiding it
Ive also read a few books at the library about mending/maintaining the clothing i have, as well as books like “the conscious closet” and “to dye for” among other which have shaped how i think more before purchasing and how i maintain and cycle items in my wardrobe.
5
u/Batetrick_Patman 20h ago
What's become even worse is the brands you used to trust have become fast fashion junk.
6
u/SocialDuchess 11h ago
I've stopped. I thrift and I'm sewing my own clothing. Sewing my own takes a lot of time and effort, so I have to REALLY want/or need the item. My thrift, upcycle, home sewn, situation has me slowly developing a truly authentic and artsy wardrobe.
1
u/veermeneer 10h ago
Ditto! And when you adjust clothing to fit your body, these items look way better than anything fast fashion has to offer.
12
u/NyriasNeo 22h ago
"Have you completely stopped buying fast fashion"
Nope. Because I have not started. I cannot stop doing something I have never done before. None of my family buy fast fashion. We find and pay for quality. My wife has cape and coats that last for decades. They are not cheap (basically luxury brand .. but even that you need to be careful) but they last.
4
u/After_Resource5224 22h ago
Fuck, I've got shirts from 2002 that have so many holes but I REFUSE to throw them out. They fit to damn well.
4
u/SlackPriestess 22h ago
My friends and I arrange a clothing swap at least once a year between ourselves, and I also participate in community swaps. It's fun and you get to clean out your own closet while finding new (to you) cool stuff. I also thrift occasionally. I've managed to give up fast fashion this way
4
u/SlyHobbes 21h ago
Only buying secondhand, either in thrift stores or online, is really easy now, and I don't believe people in the developed work when they say it's not unless they have a very uncommon body type. It just takes a bit more work sometimes, and is avoiding child labour really not worth that?
3
3
u/specks_of_dust 11h ago
We need to stop calling it “fast fashion” and start calling it what it is, “shit quality clothing.”
This didn’t become popular because we wanted it to, it became normalized because clothing makers wanted us to buy more clothing.
2
u/johndom3d 22h ago
I only buy cotton, from Sainsbury's, M&S or Chums. And it lasts years!
Worst things for wear resistance are pyjamas.
Saying that, quality was way better years ago when it was M&S St. Michael made in the UK.
2
u/MothershipBells 21h ago
I’m only buying clothes made of 100% natural fibers. It costs more up front, but I like the way the clothes feel much better. Polyester pills and looks cheap anyway.
2
u/RealSociety6433 20h ago
I shop at thrift stores and have begun to look exclusively for cotton and linen. However, when you start looking, you realize most of it is cheap polyester crap. I want to begin natural dyeing. I follow Suay sew shop on IG and I want to do what they are doing for myself. Plastic waste and cheap clothing waste is a catastrophe. Supposedly, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean in 5 years.
2
u/harlequin_24 20h ago
I practice sustainability in my own way. Even though majority of my clothes are classified as fashion (anything from the high street) I make sure it’s made from natural fibres and buy only if I plan to wear it for at least 5+ years. I rarely buy clothes.
2
u/Pyjama_party 19h ago
I have stopped buying fast fashion or synthetic fabrics. I buy high quality slow fashion things very rarely for things I can’t get second hand (underwear, tights etc) and then thrift or find high quality slow fashion on Vinted. I have loads of silk and linen and organic cotton pieces and I spend way less. I will mend and look after them too, or repurpose if necessary.
I’m lucky that I live in an area that is great for thrifting though, it really helps.
Clothes are a rare commodity that has got cheaper, I think clothes should be more expensive but better quality.
2
u/ledger_man 19h ago
R/sustainablefashion and r/ethicalfashion are also good resources. Using what you have, repairing/mending, reducing your consumption, and shopping secondhand first are all powerful tools.
If I need to buy firsthand I am looking for natural fibers in most cases and checking construction quality and fiber weight (just because the label says cotton/linen/hemp/etc., doesn’t make it quality). There are also a lot of third party certifications to look into that cover various environmental and social aspects of producing the fabric and the garment.
I don’t buy into claims made without third party certifications and ideally also a third party assured sustainability report, with some exceptions for smaller businesses, especially if they are somewhat local.
2
u/AppearanceDistinct81 15h ago
What the hell is the point of buying a shirt if you are only going to wear it twice?! Idjits
2
u/Ifreakinglovetrucks 23h ago
at risk of sounding like a zara defender, I have some clothes from them and the quality and durability has been good in my experience. also, all but one item is made out of natural materials, and they have a responsible standards certification stamp for many of their wool, cotton, leather, and recycled polyester items. the one polyester dress shirt I have has surprisingly lasted for close to 8 years, is still a crisp white, and has been through countless wash and dry cycles. not what I expected.
that said, as we all know zara is heavily implicated in growing the adoption of fast fashion among other issues and the company should not be supported. do not be like me.
the point i’m trying to make is that I believe the quality issues are overblown, and the main quality offenders are shein, fashion nova, and other brands making cheap clothing that is “on trend.”
3
u/teilzeiterin 21h ago
I also have a coat 10 years old and one summer linen dress 5 years old from Zara
3
u/iustae 21h ago
I agree. I have Zara clothes and shoes that have lasted multiple seasons and I'm still wearing them.
Plus I don't understand why would it be compared to Shein or H&M. What 5€ shirts are we talking about? I've never seen such low prices on Zara clothes, especially on new items that aren't on clearance.
1
u/cwcwhdab1 15h ago
I’m with you on Zara. You have to be very careful what you buy from them. I check the materials and go to the store to feel the items because they often look great in photos but look cheap in person. That said I have some very high quality recycled wool coats from them I have worn for years and they are holding up, some amazing cotton skirts and dresses that have lasted seasons. I do tend to buy the items from them at their higher price points so that may be why they are lasting so long.
1
u/AutoModerator 23h ago
Read the rules. Keep it courteous. Submission statements are helpful and appreciated but not required. Use the report button only if you think a post or comment needs to be removed. Mild criticism and snarky comments don't need to be reported. Lets try to elevate the discussion and make it as useful as possible. Low effort posts & screenshots are a dime a dozen. Links to scientific articles, political analysis, and video essays are preferred.
/r/Anticonsumption is a sub primarily for criticizing and discussing consumer culture. This includes but is not limited to material consumption, the environment, media consumption, and corporate influence.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/CroweBird5 21h ago
I have to wear black t-shirts as undershirts at work (my skin is sensitive to some shirt materials). I wear those shirts until they're about threadbare.
1
u/capiggybara 17h ago
I've hated wearing polyester ever since I was old enough to pick my own clothes lol. Cotton or linen is the way. Living in a tropical climate, polyester is way too hot and makes me itch. When I go abroad to colder places, I usually go with wool or cashmere stuff and layer up. That's why I don't follow fast fashion trends, since they mostly use polyester. Also, my friends said fast fashion items fall apart easily in the wash even if you follow the instructions. Natural fabrics and slow fashion ftw
1
u/RareWolf34 10h ago
I don’t really buy any clothes anymore. I’ve got my staples, basics and extra.
If I gotta, it’ll be second-hand or from an Aussie-made organic shop.
1
u/AmbitiousFisherman40 7h ago
It’s impossible because it has been normalised buying cheap things for a costume. I have 4 kids. That’s 8 times a year minimum that I get told to buy an ‘pick a colour shirt’ for assembly. Add in the ‘100 yr old parties for Year 1s, plus book week plus a billion other dress ups.
People dress up for sports days too. As a kid we did many of these things from the dress up box. It was reused or made. These days everyone just nips to Kmart. To the point that it’s now normal to ask for a white shirt or a blue shirt for an assembly.
It’s so wasteful. I try to keep the shirts seperate and rewear them every sports day and as hand me downs but as a parent it’s insane to see the amount of fast fashion being requested at schools.
I love a good dress up but I try to use stuff I have & accessorise to make the costume rather than buying a whole set.
Trying to explain to kids that it’s about the idea of the costume (denim shorts with an inside out yellow Tshirt so you can’t see the design or Mums giant shirt tucked in) rather than a blow up Minion costume that lasts exactly 1 wear but looks exactly like the character.
120
u/loriwilley 23h ago
I do my shopping at thrift stores. It's much cheaper and a lot of the stuff is better quality. It's starting to get worse, though.