According to The Good Trade, fast fashion is a design, manufacturing, and marketing method focused on rapidly producing high volumes of clothing. There have been ongoing debates and conversations surrounding the sustainability and ethics of the fashion industry as many brands use unsustainable modes of production. These fashionable, budget-friendly companies are sought out by teens and adults all over the world and because of this, many of them have become even more unsustainable as they are trying to keep up with this large increase in demand.

As a staff, we believe despite the affordability and trendsetting aspects of fast fashion, the pros do no outweigh the cons. Manufacturing these garments has harmful impacts on the environment and workers. The fashion industry used to consist of four seasons: fall, winter, spring, and summer. But now, “fast fashion brands produce about 52 ‘micro seasons a year — or one new ‘collection’ a week” (The Good Trade). Many have heard about the Nike sweatshops, “but they’re just one of the many fast fashion brands violating human rights for the sake of fashion. The people who make out clothes are underpaid, underfed and pushed to their limits because there are few other options” (The Good Trade).

Along with the unethical treatment of employees and unsustainable modes of productions, the industry is the main contributor to pollution levels as apparel companies make “53 million tons of clothes into the world annually. If the industry keeps up its exponential pace of growth, it is expected to reach 160 million tons by 2050” (Fast Company). Many of these garments are discarded as the trends pass, resulting in massive amounts of clothes piling up in landfills around the world each year.

Although we do see the allure of inexpensive clothing, we do not believe the few pros outweigh the massive cons of the fast fashion industry.