The Notion of Fast Fashion (Essay Sample)

The Notion of Fast Fashion
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The Notion of Fast Fashion
Fast fashion denotes a trend typified by rapid changes and cheap pricing to supply clients with popular collections that resemble celebrity styles and runway presentations. As a result of globalization, the fast fashion business is flourishing, with most clothing manufacturing in the developing world working in sweatshops. In a world where there is a growing concern for environmental and social justice, there is a need to scrutinize the fashion industry. Fast fashion has severe ecological and human rights consequences, necessitating a reappraisal of a broken system. This essay uncovers the actual price of fast fashion.
By outsourcing labor overseas, the costs of producing clothing have dropped substantially, and as a result, apparel prices are falling dramatically. This drop in craftsmanship, material quality, and price has yielded several outcomes, such as presenting the consumer with the choice to purchase a piece of attire cheaply. Because the cost is so meager, the buyer is ready to sacrifice material quality and purchases a $3 shirt knowing that they are buying substandard clothing. This low-cost production that is profit-driven results in inferior fabrics that eventually tear. Because of the existing fashion business framework, customers appear to be okay with this sorry state of affairs.
Because of the cheap cost of production and poor quality of the fabrics used, most of these outfits are discarded typically within two years after purchase. This has resulted in a significant increase of fabrics in landfills. The vast majority of these fabrics are not recyclable and will remain in landfills for centuries, spewing toxic substances. A few people may say that giving clothing to charities or thrift stores is better than dumping it in landfills. While philanthropy is a viable alternative, many thrift businesses are swamped by the volume of clothes donated. According to Claudio, only 15% of the apparel donated to flea markets is sold (Claudio, 2007).
Many businesses outsource manufacturing to developing nations with lax workforce protection laws, resulting in the widespread usage of sweatshops. Unfortunately, this low-priced apparel production comes at a high cost, including low pay, manufacturing mishaps, and deplorable working conditions. Currently, 40 million garment workers are employed. Women make up 85 percent of these laborers, and many are paid under $3 per day (Bartley, 2005). These laborers are among the lowest-paid globally, earning a paltry $10 per month in some instances. It is astonishing and u