A recent post by The Cut, NY Magazine‘s fashion blog, really makes you think, are you a smart consumer?
Fast-fashion is putting many third-world factories in panic mode due to massive orders they’re unequipped to handle but must carry out. Although large fashion retailers claim to maintain humane working conditions, it’s hard to imagine what one of these “panics” would involve: few employee breaks, overtime, unsanitary workspaces, and aching fingers, all for the sake of moving a button on a jacket.
We are all familiar with fast-fashion stores and probably shop at them from time to time–or at them only. Forever 21, Zara, H&M, Wet Seal, Charlotte Russe, etc., these stores are all able to spot trends and reproduce runway looks and have them in stores in six weeks or less. The prices are unbeatable, with almost everything under $40 (Zara and H&M being exceptions).
Many shoppers feel a constant need to have the most current, trendy clothes, but they cannot afford anything other than those fast-fashion buys. This usually results in poor-quality clothing that will not last more than a handful of wears and washes. And there’s also a more troubling thought–what did the factory workers have to go through to make this $10 top?
So who is to blame for poor factory conditions? Consumers? The large fashion retailers? Careless inspectors? Each plays a part in the fast-fashion frenzy.
What can you do to be a smarter consumer? Eco, fair-trade, and U.S.-made clothing does carry a higher price tag, so for many, those are not feasible options.
I quoted the famous Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli before: a woman “should buy little and only of the best or the cheapest.” My advice is along those lines. If we purchase quality items, they will last longer and we will value them more. Donate your old clothes. Shop vintage, thrift, and consignment–just remember, be selective, go for timeless, and always go for quality.
Designers can also help. A recent group of designers and design schools are experimenting with zero-waste design. Read the New York Times article about it here.
It was interesting to read the final posts of the Six Items or Less Experiment–many participants learned the same two things: quality is most important, and as long as you look put together, no one cares what you’re wearing. Isn’t that something?
