Opinion: People should not be judged for buying from fast fashion

I work as a hostess once or twice a week. With my paycheck, I have to budget my money between gas and clothes, so I have to be stingy with how I spend it. 

Fast fashion is cheap clothing rapidly produced in direct response to new trends. It is extremely cheap to buy, easily accessible to the public and available in many different styles. All of these factors contribute to why I buy from fast fashion. And because of these conveniences, people should not be judged for choosing fast fashion as an alternative to newly bought clothes from the store. 

According to Note in the Pocket, 2 of 5 children in America experienced clothing insecurity in 2023. Buying from fast fashion allows families with lower incomes to purchase new clothes instead of going without them. 

A graphic shirt from Shein can cost as low as $3, whereas one from Target would be $14. Because people pay less, that means its workers get paid less, and they use less money for materials. The drop in quality is a sacrifice, but for everyday wear, the clothes still can last a while.

The convenience of buying from fast-fashion websites makes it easy to keep buying. Instead of having to go out to stores and try clothes on, buyers can stay in the comfort of their own homes and have the items delivered straight to their houses. This ability takes the burden of having to find a way to make it to stores and allow more people to buy them. 

The different styles and types of clothes vary extremely. Many styles you can find on Shein look like popular clothing brands without the large price tag. These websites also are constantly updated with new items, so it’s easy to find things that suit different styles or aesthetics. 

However, it would be ignorant not to point out some downsides of fast fashion. These include child labor, unfair working conditions, environmental issues, and social issues. 

Earth.Org states that fast fashion productions emit 10% of total carbon emissions. The dyes and microplastics in the fabric like polyester cause a large amount of ocean pollution, and the clothes can end up straight in landfills. 

Because of these negative effects, people should only purchase fast fashion if that’s what they can afford. Judging people for only being able to afford fast fashion is ignoring the root of the problem, which is why people have to turn to buying fast fashion over better quality clothes. 

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)