In our modern world, over-consumption and murky ethical gray areas surrounding the origins and production of garments are more prevalent than ever. Due to the capitalistic ideals we have all agreed to abide by, consumers may feel pressure to purchase from non-ethical businesses for the sake of affordability and convenience. Being realistic right off the bat, there is no true, perfect ethical consumption possible at this point; however, there are a myriad of alternatives that can reduce the overall damage. 

Fast fashion consumption in America is booming at a steady rate, increasing by 10.74% from 2024. The fashion industry contributes 10% of global carbon emissions and uses up our natural resources, with water being a main contender. A whopping 35% of the microplastics polluting the oceans come from the mass production of clothing needed to keep up with our over-consumerism. Not only does fast fashion damage the environment, it affects its employees, the ones making all of the garments. 

Workers in the fast fashion industry are normally not treated very well. Employees are being underpaid and overworked while working in dangerous conditions. Since the employees have to keep up with the massive amounts of clothing that have to be made and need wages to live in this world, a lot of people don’t have an option to get out. The U.S. Department of Labor discovered that 80% of contractors were not following the laws in terms of paying their employees; there was over $892,000 in unpaid wages that were discovered. 

Role of the buyer

This may come as a shock to some, but individuals do have an environmental impact. While, yes, big corporations are a significant source of pollution and waste, people also need to focus on how everyone else can contribute to the reduction of waste. Everyone says they disagree with fast fashion, in terms of how workers are treated and the waste it creates; however, there is clear evidence that no one is following that moral, with the industry increasing by 10%. A big issue within consumerism is passivity. 

Most people accept everything as it is, no questions asked, and if they do know about how unethical or environmentally damaging something is, they feel like they, as a single person, cannot do anything to change or help the destruction. This is a significant problem. If everyone thinks that they cannot impact the environment or market positively, not enough people will operate sustainably, and we will continue our mutilation. It can be difficult to make the change because a lot of sustainable fashion options, like buying long-lasting, high-quality clothing, are not accessible to everyone, as those garments are more expensive. To reiterate, there is no perfect ethical consumption at this point, but we as buyers can make small changes to move towards decreasing our impact. 

Ethical forms of consumption

So, how do we combat the environmental effects of fashion while still consuming? Well, as mentioned before, purchasing high-quality pieces that will stay in your closet long-term is a good way to reduce waste, but again, it is not the most accessible way to be more sustainable when it comes to your wardrobe. Purchasing second-hand items at a thrift store or clothes from recycled materials are also good ways to ethically obtain clothing. 

Another way is to look for brands that use environmentally-friendly fabrics, but what are considered environmentally unfriendly fabrics? These would be synthetic fabrics like nylon, polyester, acrylic, conventional cotton and rayon. These fabrics do not break down and are usually made with toxic chemicals. Alternative fabrics to look for are pineapple leather, banana fiber, hemp, cork fabric, organic cotton, wool, linen and bamboo. However, there always has to be an obstacle. Before you can indulge in eco-friendly couture as you would with the clothes you buy now, clothes made with the better alternative fabrics are still pretty costly and are just starting to gain traction in runway designs. Meaning we could still have a chunk of time before we start seeing them as mainstream options. 

All in all, the rise of fast fashion has brought us negative effects on the environment with pollution and waste, as well as human mistreatment by underpaying workers while overworking them. It is important to know that you do have an impact, that you can help lessen the problems fast fashion is causing by using ethical forms of consumption and by neglecting to give your attention to fast fashion practices. 

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Hi! I’m Hannah Planey, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.