Confessions of A… fast-fashion shopper

 Confessions of a is an anonymous column that looks to unearth viewpoints from unique individuals at Massey University. Each week we will give the spotlight to someone new, so If you think you’ve got an interesting story to tell, please get in touch with Editor@massivemagazine.org.nz  

Confessions of A… fast-Fashion Shopper

A boy at school once made a backhanded comment to my face about my mustard-coloured knitted jumper one day at school . While it was pretty harmless, I was left feeling like all I could and should wear was skinny jeans and Topshop crop tops because that’s simply what the girls all wore. But at uni, cardigans and jumpers are, dare I say it, cool? With newfound access to a student loan, I definitely over-consumed from fast fashion brands as I revamped my wardrobe, going from being a teenager to a student who didn’t feel like neon crop tops really fit her vibe anymore.

Fast fashion, cheaply and rapidly produced clothing at low prices to keep up with current trends, is a problem we are all thoroughly aware of through social media, especially TikTok, as sustainability makes its way through the algorithm. Last year, one popular YouTuber posted a TikTok showing her new top from a sustainable company, stating that “fast fashion sucks” and encouraging us to thrift or invest in good quality pieces that will last. What she didn’t share was that the top in question cost $250, to account for the more expensive long-lasting materials and ethical production. As one TikTok commenter pointed out, this equates to around 20 hours of work at minimum wage for 18–20-year-olds. At the end of the day, fast fashion is widely available at low prices. Sustainable clothing is less accessible, and I don’t think it is up to others to police our habits, because sustainable fashion is a privilege, a very worthwhile one, but still a privilege to access and promote.

However, with more knowledge of the problems surrounding fast fashion, I have made a concerted effort to reign in my consumption. Do I still buy fast fashion? Yes. Because if I need a basic top, I will buy one for ten dollars instead of the prices charged by ethical companies, which range from $50 to $70 per top. I, and likely most students, can’t afford those prices regularly. But I still feel guilty if somebody asks where something is from, and I have to admit it’s an unethical H&M piece.

We all deserve to look and feel nice in our clothes and more blame needs to be put onto the companies producing the clothes rather than blaming consumers, many of whom do not have the luxury of shopping sustainably elsewhere. While sustainable advocates may not like it, fast fashion allows more people to get involved in fashion and keep up with the trends when the price tags of designer brands like Balenciaga are out of reach. And I don’t think it is up to environmental advocates to make people feel guilty for wanting to enjoy clothes on a budget that is accessible to them, however worthy the cause may be. What environmental activists should be doing is instead voicing what the average shopper can do to help, rather than highlighting everything they are doing wrong.

I’m not here to say that fast fashion is fine, and we should just keep going as we are because it is convenient. The fast fashion industry is awful, with the operation of sweatshops to manufacture the clothes, producing microplastics that pollute our oceans and is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions. But I do think there are unrealistic expectations for average shoppers to solve this issue, when there is a lack of a consistent, affordable market for alternative sustainable clothing. We have become used to low prices for clothes for decades now, we cannot expect everyone to suddenly just accept that basic wardrobe pieces now cost hours’ worth of work.

Purchasing more thoughtfully and less often is perfectly adequate for the average person. Charity shop when you can, and if your budget lends itself, absolutely support ethical companies. Do what you can with what your clothing requirements and budget allows. Fashion should be enjoyed and expressed with confidence, not something we should be made to constantly feel guilty about.