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Zawna Woodard

ENG 1201

Professor Hunter

8 February 2022

Is Fast Fashion Clothing Worth its Environmental Effects?

In many wardrobes alike, most can find at least an item or two that has come from a form

of fast fashion. However, easily accessing the latest trends at an affordable rate may just be too

good to be true. While profits and consumerism are up, so are greenhouse emissions and strains

put upon the environment. Firmly posing the question, Is fast fashion worth it?

Decades ago, the act of shopping was only prescribed on a must-need basis. Saved for

special events or when closets became overwhelmed with clothes that no longer fit. This era of

clothing was pricier, made out of durable resources, and had quality production services

attached. However, about twenty years ago, the fashion industry would take a new form.

Nowadays, leisure shopping, faster trend cycles, and cheap clothing have become the new norm.

Thus, giving life to a new realm of the garment industry, fast fashion.

Ethical Consumer, the UK's leading alternative consumer magazine, published the article

“What is fast fashion and why is it a problem?” by Alex Crumbie. Here, Crumbie awards the

consumer appeal of fast fashion to its ability to quickly adapt. Stating, “Fast fashion is ‘fast’ in a

number of senses: the changes in fashion are fast, the rate of production is fast; the customer’s

decision to purchase is fast; delivery is fast; garments are worn fast – usually only a few times

before being discarded” (Crumbie).

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However, many public figures are standing up and taking action against this “need for

speed”. Climate activist, Greta Thunberg, states in an interview with The Guardian, “The fashion

industry is a huge contributor to the climate-and-ecological emergency, not to mention its impact

on the countless workers and communities who are being exploited around the world…” (Elan).

To produce at a cost-effective rate, cheap materials therefore are being used. Plastic

fibers such as polyester is a recurring ingredient within the fast fashion industry. The idea that

the clothing we put on can’t directly impact our bodies and environment, is a large

misconception. As unknown to most, the same fibers have been found from the summit of Mount

Everest to even the placentas of unborn babies (Crumbie).

Though, regardless of the negative impacts, arguments supporting the economic benefits

from the fast fashion industry swarm. Alexandra Rese, a marketing and innovation professor at

the University of Bayreuth, is among those whose focus is on the financial gains. Rese suggests

that low production rates allow highly fashionable products to be bought at affordable prices

(Rese). Now allowing middle and lower-class shoppers the convenience of finding trendy

apparel within their price range. Fashinnovation editor, Anna Swatski, also credits the huge

financial impacts in the fashion industry to the rise of the fast-fashion realm. Swatski refers to a

study done by Panaprium. Here, the study highlights a revenue growth of 5.91 percent since

2017, and an expected reach of 713 billion dollars in 2022 (Swatski).

Despite this, routes seeking financial benefits, whilst taking a more sustainable approach

have been explored. Provided by the latest Pulse Report, a sustainability measurement tool

developed by the BCG (Boston Consulting Group) and SAC (Sustainable Apparel Coalition).

The report has formulated a $192 billion benefit to the global economy by 2030, simply by
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addressing environmental and social problems created by the fashion industry and taking action

(Drew).

Although sources signify that the fast fashion industry brings in a healthy amount of

revenue. Other studies show that evolving out of fast fashion and allowing environmental and

economically friendly fashion to co-exist as one is what’s best for our planet. With alternative

avenues addressed, this further emphasizes that fast fashion is not worth the toll it adds to the

environment.
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Works Cited

Crumbie, Alex. “What is fast fashion and why is it a problem?” Ethical Consumer, 5 October

2021,www.ethicalconsumer.org/fashion-clothing/what-fast-fashion-why-it-

problem. Accessed 4 February 2022.

Drew, Deborah “By the Numbers: The Economic, Social and Environmental Impacts of Fast

Fashion” World Resources Institute, 10 January 2019,

www.wri.org/insights/numbers-economic-social-and-environmental-impacts-fast-

fashion. Accessed on 5 February 2022.

Elan, Priya. “Greta Thunberg: ethical fast fashion is ‘pure greenwashing.” The Guardian,10

August 2021, www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/aug/10/greta-thunberg-ethical-

fast-fashion-

greenwashing. Accessed 4 February 2022.

Rese, Alexandra, et al. “The Need for Services and Technologies in Physical Fast Fashion

Stores: Generation Y’s Opinion.” Journal of Marketing Management, vol. 35, no.

15/16, Nov. 2019, pp. 1437–59. EBSCOhost,

doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2019.1665087. Accessed 4 February 2022.

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Swastika, Anna. “The Economic Impact of the Fashion Industry.” Fashinnovation, 10 June 2021.

https://fashinnovation.nyc/the-economic-impact-of-the-fashion-industry/. Accessed 7

February 2022.