Fast Fashion Debate: Who Should we be Mad at?

Since sub-sections of society have started cottoning on to how exploitative the fast fashion industry is, it’s been a rollercoaster in which many of us are not sure where to direct our frustration.

Who should we be mad at? Do we have a right to judge people for buying from Shein or should we solely direct our angst towards those in positions of power that could fix the fast fashion industry?

It’s complex but for good reason. The CEOs of fast fashion companies definitely need to step it up and reduce their massive profit margins (for the sake of people and the planet), but we’ll look at both sides of the story. 

‘It’s all I can afford’

There’s no denying that we need fairly priced clothes to cater to families and members of society that can’t afford to buy from sustainable brands or don’t have the time to browse charity shops. 

However, as Aja Barber points out- it’s not those struggling to make ends meet that are overconsuming at the climate’s expense. The issue lies with those with enough disposable income that they feel the need to buy four new tops a week, sucked in by PLT ‘flash sales’ (which literally happen every week).

Those buying from clothes Primark and wearing them for years are not at fault. I am a little more skeptical of people that could afford to buy from ethical brands but are prioritising quality over quantity (because that’s what capitalism tells us is important) and use the excuse that it’s all they can afford (when they are spending upwards of £300 on Shein, etc). Why not spend less money on second-hand clothes, or buy one quality item that will last longer?

It cannot be denied that Shein workers are treated horribly and needing a new outfit is not an excuse to support organisations exploiting women, women of colour particularly.

In their factory in China, Shein workers are not paid the amount advertised in the job application until they have worked for over a month. Their pay is withheld for the first month and deducted when they make ‘mistakes’- which is very likely when they have to meet a ridiculous quota to get any money at all.

To earn the wage advertised, they have to make over a hundred garments in a day. Some workers reported making 90-100 pieces in one morning. To meet this quota many of them end up having to work 8 am to between 1-3 am in the morning. And they get ONE day off per month…

In what world is your urge for a new outfit worth more than a person’s chance of working for an ethical company? If you need new clothes and you’re financially strained, anywhere but Shein is the best place to buy them. Shein makes other fast fashion giants like H&M and Zara look ethical (which they are very, very far from it and virtually no better).

The fact that Shein doesn’t even ask for the clothes back when people want to make returns (because it’s not financially beneficial for them) says it all. It’s a whole-heartedly corrupt business that mainly exploits vulnerable women – so yes, I might slightly judge someone for shopping from there, sorry.

Eat The Rich

What’s even more ridiculous is that I’m getting frustrated with the everyday person, when the real issue lies with the fast fashion CEOs lining their pockets and creating a division between sustainable and fast fashion shoppers.

While the CEO of BooHoo enjoys a six million pound bonus (!!!!), the garment workers' lives do not improve and neither does the quality of their clothing. The profit margins stay the same and the unethical materials continue to be used.

Business owners know what they are doing. An influx of flash sales, reduced steps to making purchases so you check out faster, opening “resale marketplaces” and starting conscious lines (alongside the 24 seasonal collections they bring out every year)- are just some of the ways brands gaslight to buy into their exploitative company.

There’s literally no other reason that CEOs and company leaders choose to keep making these choices that impact vulnerable women, some men, and their families: money. It pains me that solutions have been found by sustainable brands and slow fashion organizations, yet fast fashion brands continue to monopolize.

Not only are they exploiting the garment workers, but the people buying their clothes too. You’re buying into a corrupt capitalist system and you’re not even getting a good quality piece out of it! Zara, Urban Outfitters, Mango – no matter the price, high street fast fashion brands don’t use good quality materials. You are more likely to have to repurchase a broken item or be sucked in by other ‘lines’ or ‘sales’.

What brands could do:

• Stop greenwashing. Brett Staniland pointed out that H&M’s conscious line labels are green, which suddenly look very similar to the rest of H&Ms regular clothes. They made their regular (extremely unethical) clothing labels look similar to their “eco-conscious” line to trick people into thinking they are purchasing more sustainable clothes, when in fact they aren’t.

• Stop with the whole ‘eco-conscious’ collections. Producing more garments and more collections is not and never will be ethical. What would be better would be to half the amount of clothes you’re producing. Or change your return policy so you’re not shipping garment waste to the global south.

• Use quality materials & manufacturing processes with a low carbon footprint. When you see an item made from recycled materials – actually take a second to look at the percentage of recycled materials it includes. Most of the time the lining of the blazer will have a small % of recycled material in it, and the rest will be good old polyester or nylon, which will take eons to biodegrade.  How much energy does it take to make this recycled fabric? If the machine uses 10x more energy and they are overproducing with this new collection, maybe it would be better if it didn’t exist. Sticking the world recycled on an item does not equate to sustainability. 

• Read up. Consumed by Aja Barber and The World is on Fire But We’re Still Buying Shoes by Alex Leach are great places to start.

If you need me, I’ll be angrily researching more horrendous facts and figures about the fast fashion industry and planning my next piece to expose the fat cats for who they really are. 

If you’re in a position where you need new clothes, shop second-hand or support independent, queer, or POC-owned brands rather than fast fashion labels, please please do.

Whilst the everyday shopper is not the one to blame, we do have a part to play.