To fulfill the demands of the public, manufacturers of fast fashion rush to bring to market low- priced, stylish outfits that borrow elements of the catwalk or the world of celebrities. The goal is to get the newest trends available to consumers as soon as possible so they may buy them while they are at the peak of their popularity and then throw them away when they become unfashionable. It echoes the idea that wearing the same thing twice is a fashion breach of etiquette. It’s an integral element of the system of excessive consumption and manufacturing. This system made the fashion industry one of the top pollutants worldwide.
What Caused Fast Fashion?
We need to take a step back in time in order to discover the origins of rapid fashion. In the years before the nineteenth century, fashion moved at a snail’s pace. Getting wool or leather, processing it, sewing it, and finally making the clothing all fell on your shoulders. New technologies, such as the sewing machine, emerged throughout the Industrial Revolution. As textile production methods improved, garments could be mass-produced with greater efficiency and at lower cost. There was a rise in tailoring boutiques to serve the growing middle class.
Sweatshops appeared at about the same time, bringing with them the usual set of safety concerns. In 1911, a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Industry in New York City was the first major incident at a garment factory.
There remained a clear delineation between high fashion and high street even as youth
culture spawned new trends in the 1960s and 1970s. The decade between the late 1990s and the early 2000s was the zenith of budget clothing. The rise of e-commerce paved the way for the dominance of fast fashion chains like H&M and Zara. These labels copied the silhouettes and details of high-end designers and sold them for a less expensive price.
In fact, this is a common practice that is often taught at colleges and other institutions. In general, modern students are educated about the principles and consequences of fast fashion. If you also want to learn more about this industry, but due to study overload, you may not be able to work on it, Edubirdie’s online essay writing service can be a great help. With the stress of studying, you may not have the time to write your essay, so professionals will do it for you. With more time to learn new things, you will be able to accomplish your educational goals.
Identifying a Fast Fashion Brand
Some defining characteristics shared by fast fashion labels are:
● Extremely extensive variety, including thousands of variations that reflect all the current fashions.
● The time it takes for a new fashion trend to make its way from the runway or the media to store shelves is incredibly short.
● Production takes place in countries with the lowest cost of labor. It involves outsourcing to countries where employees are paid less and have less protections.
● Polyester and other low-quality fabrics have the added problem of losing microscopic fibers after a few washes, so people tend to throw them away after only a few uses.
Teaching about Fast Fashion and Sustainability
Students interested in learning more about rapid fashion and environmentally friendly manufacturing may find a wealth of information online. U4SC’s Teaching About Sustainability and Sustainable Development and Teaching About the Sustainable Development Goals are great resources for teachers who wish to introduce their students to sustainability in a broader context.
Get Redressed Lesson Plan
To reduce and repurpose textile waste in the fashion industry, Redress was founded as a Hong Kong-based green nonprofit. Consequently, Redress has developed a curriculum to educate students on recyclable materials, prompt them to consider their own role in the crisis via self-reflection on their consumption, usage, and disposal of clothes.
Rethinking Fast Fashion After Bangladesh
In this article, a young woman goes on a tour to Bangladesh and hears horror stories about the working conditions in the local factories. As a result, she returns to the United States committed to raising awareness about fast fashion and to never buy items created in sweatshops. Teachers can use this article and the associated exercise to spark a class discussion on consumerism and encourage students to learn more about the origins of their apparel.
You Know Fast Fashion Is Bad For The Planet. So Why Can’t You Stop Buying It?
Read this article from the Huffington Post to learn how to stop supporting the fast fashion industry even when you know it’s harmful for the planet. The essay describes the industry’s root issues, explains why quick fashion is not solely to blame, and suggests solutions.
Putting the Brakes on Fast Fashion
In a recent piece, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) argues that the fast fashion industry has to slow down. The human and ecological toll of fast fashion are examined in this article, along with its implications for the fashion industry’s future. Teachers may also want to share the news release UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion Addresses Damage with their students. It will help them learn more about the problems caused by the fast fashion industry.
Author’s BIO
Charlie D. Kenney is a journalist and a big fan of the fashion industry. In his recent articles, Charlie highlights the issues caused by fast fashion. He also emphasizes the importance of avoiding fast fashion, especially in light of today’s environmental disasters. He does his best to promote sustainability, educating his reader on it.