The Dangers of our Global Fast-Fashion Market
By Serena Perl
In recent times, fast-fashion e-commerce companies have gained more popularity than ever by creating dupes of clothing from high-end brands at a low cost. Brands such as Shein, Zaful, Cider, and Romwe have begun to make a name for themselves in the fashion industry by providing cheap and mass-produced articles of clothing. These companies are headquartered in East Asia while the majority of their consumers live in North America. While the concept of buying inexpensive and trendy clothing seems appealing to the average shopper, the reality of global fast-fashion brands is detrimental to their employees, our economy, and the environment.
According to a recent study, 51% of Gen Z claimed price as the top factor they considered while shopping for clothing. For Shein and these other fast-fashion brands, Gen Z is the most important consumer group and their target market. They can market their products heavily through social media and create affiliation programs for influencers to promote the brand and post content. The hashtag “#shein” on TikTok has garnered over 6.5 billion views and continues to grow by the day. Shein offers inexpensive clothing to these impressionable minds and can convince them to buy into fast-fashion. There is clearly a colossal market for these products, but the labor necessary to meet the demands raises significant concerns.
A recent press release revealed that Shein releases roughly 500 new items modeled after high-end fashion trends or celebrity styles each day. Shein needs enough labor to support this influx of cheap clothing, often resulting in massive sweatshops with dangerous working conditions. Low-cost manufacturing companies revealed that Shein products are produced at contract factories, many of which disregard fire and labor safety regulations. Moreover, a Swiss advocacy group reported that some workers are forced to work up to 75 hours a week in brutal conditions. Labor laws in East Asia are not as legitimate as the United States and allow for child labor. This issue is only getting worse, and a report published by UNICEF stated that “COVID-19 will push more children into joining the workforce due to economic strains on their households”. While it is generally understood that this is ethically wrong, most buyers are unwilling to sacrifice how inexpensive fast fashion is, even if it means that children and other employees are suffering. If our generation doesn’t collectively decide that human rights are more important than cheap fashion, this problem will further spiral.
We are also able to see the consequences of these global e-commerce brands on our environment with fashion holding the title of the second highest polluting industry in the world. Most pollution is caused by production and the process of creating articles of clothing. However, fast-fashion clothing is not made to be long-lasting and often follows current trends that will be out of style within the year. People throw away clothing after it deteriorates due to poor quality or simply goes out of style, causing even more waste.
Our society needs to make a greater push for shopping locally and acknowledge the accountability that comes with it. By purchasing from local brands, consumers can be confident that their clothing was not created by exploited workers who have faced human rights violations. Locally produced fashion also tends to stimulate the economy within the community and be more eco-friendly. While Chinese fast-fashion brands have gone global and conquered the West through their inexpensive costs and marketing techniques, it is crucial to be mindful of the consequences of these brands and make more conscious purchases.
According to a recent study, 51% of Gen Z claimed price as the top factor they considered while shopping for clothing. For Shein and these other fast-fashion brands, Gen Z is the most important consumer group and their target market. They can market their products heavily through social media and create affiliation programs for influencers to promote the brand and post content. The hashtag “#shein” on TikTok has garnered over 6.5 billion views and continues to grow by the day. Shein offers inexpensive clothing to these impressionable minds and can convince them to buy into fast-fashion. There is clearly a colossal market for these products, but the labor necessary to meet the demands raises significant concerns.
A recent press release revealed that Shein releases roughly 500 new items modeled after high-end fashion trends or celebrity styles each day. Shein needs enough labor to support this influx of cheap clothing, often resulting in massive sweatshops with dangerous working conditions. Low-cost manufacturing companies revealed that Shein products are produced at contract factories, many of which disregard fire and labor safety regulations. Moreover, a Swiss advocacy group reported that some workers are forced to work up to 75 hours a week in brutal conditions. Labor laws in East Asia are not as legitimate as the United States and allow for child labor. This issue is only getting worse, and a report published by UNICEF stated that “COVID-19 will push more children into joining the workforce due to economic strains on their households”. While it is generally understood that this is ethically wrong, most buyers are unwilling to sacrifice how inexpensive fast fashion is, even if it means that children and other employees are suffering. If our generation doesn’t collectively decide that human rights are more important than cheap fashion, this problem will further spiral.
We are also able to see the consequences of these global e-commerce brands on our environment with fashion holding the title of the second highest polluting industry in the world. Most pollution is caused by production and the process of creating articles of clothing. However, fast-fashion clothing is not made to be long-lasting and often follows current trends that will be out of style within the year. People throw away clothing after it deteriorates due to poor quality or simply goes out of style, causing even more waste.
Our society needs to make a greater push for shopping locally and acknowledge the accountability that comes with it. By purchasing from local brands, consumers can be confident that their clothing was not created by exploited workers who have faced human rights violations. Locally produced fashion also tends to stimulate the economy within the community and be more eco-friendly. While Chinese fast-fashion brands have gone global and conquered the West through their inexpensive costs and marketing techniques, it is crucial to be mindful of the consequences of these brands and make more conscious purchases.