Classism Behind Shaming Fast Fashion Buyers

I came across a video the other day while going around social media, asking pedestrians to reveal where they purchased their clothing. They all had in common that the attire they were wearing was primarily high end despite the fact that each person who was stopped had a completely distinct sense of style and taste, resulting in their items coming from various places. One woman, however, stated that her clothes came from various fast fashion retailers. The woman's buying decisions drew a lot of criticism in the comment section. This incident made me realize how ignorant individuals are of their own privilege and how little informed they are about how the fast fashion industry is actually organized. Fast fashion caters to the working class and the poor, while buying sustainable fashion is a privilege.

What is fast fashion really? Merriam-Webster defines fast fashion as “an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers.” Within this system, clothing is produced quickly and cheaply, allowing the average person to purchase larger quantities of clothing at a reduced price. These trendy but low-quality items have contributed to an industry-wide shift that has resulted in excessive levels of consumption, and the impact of this consumption is far from victimless. The environment, including many animals, as well as laborers in manufacturing and ultimately, consumers, are being negatively affected by this issue. Fast fashion’s overconsumption is not just an accidental byproduct of the demand for new clothing/material items but rather a pillar that is inextricably linked to the industry’s business strategy. Many businesses have profited by tapping into the most basic human desires, such as the desire for comfort, pleasure, and acceptance. Simply put, the psychological need to be deemed fashionable and attractive and, thus, fitting in with a group, drives overconsumption far more than the actual clothing on display. Consumers, especially those who do not possess sufficient wealth, will continue to buy fast fashion so long as it is readily available and aids them in garnering a sense of belonging with others. While sustainability is a desirable goal, the global market has not established a framework that allows environmentally conscious items to be within the reach of the average consumer. As a result of this inaccessibility, most middle-class and lower-class people resort to fast fashion for everyday wear due to the costly nature of more eco-friendly brands. The idea that someone should be precluded from purchasing fashionable clothing because they cannot afford sustainable clothing is classist and stems from a lack of acknowledging one's own privilege.

Dr. Karen Bell, who wrote the book Working-Class Environmentalism: An Agenda for a Just and Fair Transition to Sustainability, speaks to this philosophy: “People do not like to own their privilege. They like to think they acquired their wealth through merit, superior intelligence, and hard work”. To understand the connective nature of sustainable fashion and privilege, we need to first understand the meaning of privilege. Privilege is the possession of authority over others and the recognition that there are inequalities in the world due to disparities in money, employment prospects, healthcare, housing, and more. When it comes to fashion, it is a privilege in itself to be able to choose a sustainable lifestyle. To produce clothing more ethically, corporations must utilize better production practices, but this has the adverse effect of significantly increased costs for consumers. The ability of individuals to participate in climate action is thus greatly influenced by socioeconomic status, since sustainable alternatives are not viable options for the average person. Across academic disciplines, scholars understand this phenomenon–if a person is unable to meet basic needs such as paying for food or housing, they are much less likely to engage in behaviors that are unnecessary for immediate survival. Applying this reasoning, the family of six who is struggling to make ends meet at the grocery store is not going to have the luxury of buying a zero waste pair of trousers that cost $200. It is vital to understand this issue of privilege, but the conversation should not end here as it usually does. If we stop here, we have only reasoned our way into another dead end, one that would lead us to throw up our hands in frustration and cast all hopes upon a potential future where better options exist. That kind of inaction is not only unhelpful, but it also fails to bridge the gap between this conversation of privilege and exploitation. Hence, if we are to address this conundrum, we need to look beyond the masses to the root of the problem: the industry itself.

The problems posed by fast fashion can be traced back to unethical business practices and the corporations that set the very system up. In general, the fashion industry is riddled with overconsumption, with clothing production doubling since the year 2000 and 85% of that clothing going to waste. The rapidly evolving trend cycle keeps consumers engaged; with companies pumping out thousands of new articles of clothing weekly, the highly accessible and cheaply crafted products are difficult to refrain from for consumers. It would be remiss to deny the role that fast fashion plays in the modern fashion industry's explosive growth and wasteful culture; the truth is that inexpensive clothing was never meant to last. In fact, several major retailers even create items that are "made" to be worn just 10 times or fewer, and nearly 25% of young people report throwing away clothing after just one wear. Overconsumption is just a small part of the detrimental machine that is fast fashion. Most fast fashion brands exploit their workers, involving child labor, poor working conditions, long hours, and unfair wages. Similarly, the actual quality of the product is poor using mostly synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester. Not only are these products bad for the environment because of their poor quality and slow decomposition times, but the production process is also a burden due to the mass amounts of water and chemicals it takes to create the items.

Though it is easy to blame the consumer, unfortunately it costs to shop morally. Fast fashion is a problem that almost everyone is aware of, but some people may not be able to afford ethical shopping when it is only available at independent or antique stores where items cost far more than say, twenty dollars. Not all purchases are an accurate reflection of one's morals. The fast fashion industry is set up to exploit those who cannot afford sustainability. It exploits the environment by use of detrimental practices and products, the underprivileged workers by forcing them into long hours and poor working conditions, and lower class consumers by preying on psychological desires and providing unethically made clothing at a price they can afford. In essence, the industry exploits at every step in the economic process.

If all of these statements about the industry’s abuse are truthful, then, aside from disparate financial circumstances, why do millions continue to support it? Fashion moguls are able to successfully market their products and hide their unethical business through the use of social media. Social media influencers are often given brand deals to promote these products, which drive their followers to purchase from these corporations. Social media is a massive piece in the puzzle of fast fashion’s tremendous revenue. Influencers have the power and following to shape the minds and opinions of millions on the internet. By choosing to promote unethical fast fashion brands, influencers continue to push impressionable minds in the direction of fast fashion. This goes hand in hand with sponsorships and partnerships that are marketed in popular TV shows and movies. For example, when contestants on The Bachelor is seen wearing multiple different outfits a day, every day, week after week, it reinforces the idea that one can never have too many clothes, aka overconsumption. The audience for The Bachelor and similar reality tv shows is generally a younger audience, meaning they are much more susceptible to social pressures. Many influencers also partake in greenwashing, a practice in which companies trick their consumers into thinking that their products are more environmentally friendly than they actually in an attempt to increase sales. Greenwashing is extremely unethical because it preys on those attempting to make better choices for the environment. Conversely, many influencers advertise overly expensive sustainable brands. In recent years, sustainability has become more of a trendy fashion statement rather than an environmental consideration. This culture-bound selling point often causes eco-friendly brands to up-charge prices that do not necessarily reflect the actual supplier expense; influencers advertise and pay these high prices for an ethical and sustainable look. This is arguably just as detrimental, as it leads to the upper class gatekeeping sustainability. It is not enough to be sustainable if you shame those who cannot afford to spend their income on a sustainable yet overpriced article of clothing.

Furthermore, some argue that the poor and working class can avoid fast fashion by purchasing second hand items and thrifting. Though thrifting is economical, sustainable, and ethical, it is not a viable solution for many groups of people. Several studies have shown that the poor and low income class is associated with higher rates of obesity and disability. Larger sizes and adaptive clothing are scarce in thrift stores which requires these individuals to turn to fast fashion to find appropriate fits for their bodies. In addition, the thrifting scene has been gentrified by middle and upper class groups in attempts to find designer labels. This process overtime has made thrift store prices slowly rise. Now, some thrift stores are priced the same as fast fashion retailers.

In all, fast fashion is a class issue. It is set up by large corporations to exploit the poor and working class. These predatory businesses capitalize on people’s psychological need to be desired and attractive through clothing at a low price, which is cheaply and unethically made. The consumer is not to blame but rather the corporation and influencers they pay to target such consumers. The expectation for lower and working class citizens to shop sustainable while the ultra wealthy profit from exploitation is a classist idea that stems from a lack of knowledge about one's own privilege. Because of its exceptionally complex nature, there is no silver bullet solution for fast fashion. However, if one thing is certain, it’s that laying blame on the shoulders of the working class will not address the ultimate problem nor will it save the environment from the dangerous tactics of the world’s wealthiest.

xoxo,

Amelia's Closet