New styles pop up so quickly it’s hard to keep up, but fast fashion companies make that effort to stay trendy and cheap. 

Fast fashion is clothing designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores to keep up with trends, they are typically made to be very affordable. The clothes are also made to be trendy, so production time has to be very fast. Therefore, quality is put at a disadvantage. 

“It’s basically a type of manufacturing that uses inexpensive labor and often inexpensive materials to quickly make clothing that keeps up with trends.” Mady Pfiel, a frequent online shopper said.

How do you tell if you are shopping in fast fashion? The sites typically offer thousands of trendy items at a cheap price, and the material is low-quality. Popular sites for fast fashion are Shein, Romwe, Zaful, Fashion Nova, Forever 21, H&M, and more.  

Fast fashion has been around a long time, but is increasingly popular now more than ever. There are many reasons for this, such as convenience, accessibility, and affordability.  

Products offered by fast fashion sites are convenient for consumers because they are easily accessible. Cheap shirts, pants, bags, makeup, and more are available at their fingertips. Plus, it is possible to be shipped to you within a week or less.

The affordability is what has people hooked. Any item you get from a fast fashion site is usually under $15. It is great for people who do not want to spend a lot on their clothes. 

Although, there is a reason prices are so low. “The low price means the quality of the quality of the clothing isn’t as good, so there could be loose threads or the fir of the clothes could be weird.” Pfiel said. Another reason is the workers are being underpaid. When companies spend less money on the fabrics for the clothes and don’t pay the workers very much it makes it possible for prices to be so low.  

Forced labor trafficking is a major issue in China, along with illegal child labor said Human Trafficking Search. The children work long hours, without proper hygiene and in terribly dangerous working conditions. They are forcing kids into the production process so consumers can get the latest styles. 

The pressure of low prices has a horrible effect on the environment. Producers use cheap and toxic dyes, so pollution is heavily increased. Trends go out of style quick, so these clothes are often thrown away, and millions of clothes are wasted. 

“According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 35 percent of microplastics that enter the ocean come from synthetic fibres” Lots of clothes are made of synthetic materials, and everytime they are washed a little gets into the oceans.

Fast fashion is not something to put your money into. Instead you can thrift, which is also cheap and provides better quality clothes that will last you longer. Shop from local businesses, they will probably not be as expensive as name brand shops and will appreciate your purchase. 

Do your research on what brands are worth buying from. Buy from somewhere that you know is sustainable and donate your unused clothes to prevent waste and help others.