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116 Fast Fashion Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Fast fashion has become a major trend in the fashion industry over the past few decades, with brands like Zara, H&M, and Forever 21 leading the way. This trend is characterized by the rapid production of inexpensive clothing that follows the latest trends and is meant to be worn for a short period of time before being replaced by the next new thing. While fast fashion has its benefits, such as providing affordable and on-trend clothing to consumers, it also has many negative impacts on the environment, economy, and society.

If you're looking to write an essay on fast fashion, there are plenty of topics to choose from. Here are 116 fast fashion essay topic ideas and examples to help get you started:

  • The history of fast fashion
  • The impact of fast fashion on the environment
  • The role of social media in the rise of fast fashion
  • The ethics of fast fashion production
  • The psychology behind fast fashion shopping habits
  • The effects of fast fashion on garment workers
  • The rise of online fast fashion retailers
  • The impact of fast fashion on traditional fashion retailers
  • The connection between fast fashion and body image issues
  • The relationship between fast fashion and consumer culture
  • The influence of celebrities on fast fashion trends
  • The impact of fast fashion on the global economy
  • The rise of sustainable fashion as a response to fast fashion
  • The cultural appropriation in fast fashion
  • The impact of COVID-19 on the fast fashion industry
  • The future of fast fashion in a post-pandemic world
  • The role of influencers in promoting fast fashion brands
  • The impact of fast fashion on small businesses
  • The connection between fast fashion and fast food culture
  • The effects of fast fashion on mental health
  • The role of advertising in promoting fast fashion
  • The impact of fast fashion on local economies
  • The connection between fast fashion and climate change
  • The influence of fast fashion on fashion trends
  • The role of technology in the rise of fast fashion
  • The impact of fast fashion on the textile industry
  • The connection between fast fashion and social media influencers
  • The effects of fast fashion on waste and landfill
  • The relationship between fast fashion and consumerism
  • The impact of fast fashion on developing countries
  • The connection between fast fashion and globalization
  • The role of fast fashion in shaping cultural identity
  • The impact of fast fashion on the LGBTQ+ community
  • The effects of fast fashion on labor rights
  • The connection between fast fashion and body positivity
  • The influence of fast fashion on gender norms
  • The role of fast fashion in promoting diversity and inclusion
  • The impact of fast fashion on the fashion industry as a whole
  • The connection between fast fashion and social justice movements
  • The effects of fast fashion on the beauty industry
  • The relationship between fast fashion and self-expression
  • The influence of fast fashion on identity politics
  • The impact of fast fashion on traditional craftsmanship
  • The role of fast fashion in promoting sustainable practices
  • The connection between fast fashion and cultural appropriation
  • The effects of fast fashion on the luxury fashion industry
  • The relationship between fast fashion and the music industry
  • The influence of fast fashion on streetwear culture
  • The impact of fast fashion on the art world
  • The connection between fast fashion and activism
  • The effects of fast fashion on the second-hand market
  • The role of fast fashion in promoting consumerism
  • The impact of fast fashion on the beauty standards
  • The relationship between fast fashion and social media influencers
  • The influence of fast fashion on body image
  • The role of fast fashion in promoting sustainability
  • The effects of fast fashion on the economy
  • The relationship between fast fashion and social media
  • The influence of fast fashion on self-esteem
  • The impact of fast fashion on cultural appropriation
  • The effects of fast fashion on the environment
  • The relationship between fast fashion and labor rights
  • The influence of fast fashion on body positivity
  • The impact of fast fashion on consumer behavior
  • The connection between fast fashion and technology
  • The role of fast fashion in promoting diversity
  • The effects of fast fashion on traditional fashion retailers
  • The relationship between fast fashion and social justice
  • The influence of fast fashion on the music industry
  • The impact of fast

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What is fast fashion?

A chambray mens dress shirt floating weightlessly against a light blue background.

Fashion is fun. If you’ve ever seen a makeover montage in an ’80s movie, you’re well familiar. Trying on, buying, and keeping clothes to reflect our various moods fulfills complex human needs for comfort and individual expression—as well as for consumption.

Get to know and directly engage with senior McKinsey experts on fast fashion

Anita Balchandani is a senior partner in McKinsey’s London office, Achim Berg is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office, Gemma D’Auria is a senior partner in the Milan office, Clarisse Magnin-Mallez is a senior partner in the Paris office, and Patrick Simon is a senior partner in the Berlin office.

Fashion is also serious business. In 2023, the global industry was estimated to be worth $1.7 trillion . And more than 300 million people all over the world work on clothes, somewhere along the value chain. From 2000 to 2014, clothing production doubled  and the number of garments purchased per capita increased by about 60 percent. This is due, in part, to the rise of fast fashion.

Fast fashion retailers move, well, faster than their traditional counterparts. This means that they compress production cycles and turn out up-to-the-minute designs, enabling shoppers to not only expand their wardrobes but also refresh them quickly—and cheaply. And shoppers, it turns out, love a new look: according to the recent The State of Fashion 2024 report, published by Business of Fashion and McKinsey, 40 percent of US consumers and 26 percent of UK consumers have shopped at fast fashion giants Shein or Temu in the past 12 months. If you include other fast fashion retailers, the number would likely be much larger.

For all the growth it generates, the fast fashion industry is also responsible for considerable waste. Fast fashion consumers are quick to throw clothes away: some estimates suggest that consumers treat the lowest-priced garments as nearly disposable, discarding them after only seven wears . For every five garments produced, the equivalent of three end up in a landfill  or are incinerated each year. And total greenhouse gas emissions from textiles production clock in at 1.2 billion tons a year—that’s more emissions than those emitted by all international flights and maritime ships combined. Reports also indicate  that some clothing factory workers are underpaid and exposed to unsafe workplace conditions.

The true costs of fast fashion are coming into focus, especially for millennials and Gen Z . Young people are becoming more mindful  of sustainability with respect to how they consume. They’re also keenly aware that the fashion industry is a major contributor to global warming. And they’re walking the talk too: half of Gen Z shoppers in China , according to a recent survey about sustainable consumption, said they aimed to buy less fast fashion.

How can the fast fashion industry give itself a sustainability makeover? Read on to find out.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Retail  and Sustainability  Practices.

What is ultrafast fashion?

If fast fashion retailers speed up traditional product cycles, ultrafast fashion moves even faster. Back in the 1990s, the Spanish retailer Zara was one of the first fast fashion retailers to break the mold, offering hundreds of new items per week. As of 2023, the Chinese ultrafast fashion retailer Shein  consistently churns out up to 10,000 new designs a day. And Shein’s products are, on average, significantly less expensive  relative to the company’s more established fast fashion counterparts: Shein’s average SKU price is $14, compared with $26 at fast fashion retailer H&M and $34 at Zara.

Circular, white maze filled with white semicircles.

Introducing McKinsey Explainers : Direct answers to complex questions

Shein grew dramatically during the pandemic. Due in part to a surge in online sales and digital adoption rates, the company more than doubled its market share in the United States during that time; it’s now the second-most-popular  shopping website among America’s Gen Z (after Amazon). In a 2022 funding round, Shein’s value was set at $100 billion (in 2023, it reportedly dropped to $66 billion, likely in anticipation of increased regulation).

How are fast fashion companies evolving the business model?

Ultralow prices are critical to the success of the fast fashion business model, as are condensed turnaround times. Upstart fast fashion retailers such as Shein and Temu are updating the model in the following ways :

  • Agile, scalable manufacturer-to-consumer supply chains . Some next-generation fast fashion companies have developed large networks of suppliers who often manufacture exclusively for these companies.
  • Data-driven product design and testing . Shein, for instance, uses demand-driven trend modeling to design and select its products. This includes a range of data inputs from current trends to viral products to customer perception.
  • Loyal and growing customer bases . These are fed by affiliate marketing influencer  programs and organic social community building, which lower customer acquisition costs.
  • High app adoption rates and engagement tactics . Companies have gamified their app experiences, allowing customers to earn loyalty points by setting up accounts, leaving reviews, watching live streams, and more.

How are fast fashion organizations addressing sustainability concerns in their C-suites?

One way fashion companies, fast and otherwise, are preparing for the sustainability challenges ahead is by restructuring their C-suites. According to McKinsey’s State of Fashion 2024 report, the C-suite teams at almost all of Europe’s 25 biggest fashion companies include at least one executive with environmental, social, and governance experience. These executives oversee a series of sustainability strategies, from shrinking their companies’ carbon footprints to reducing waste to improving labor relations.

The brands that execute sustainability strategies most successfully incorporate sustainability components into existing roles rather than create entirely new ones. For example, the UK-based fast fashion retailer Primark put Michelle McEttrick, the company’s first chief customer officer, in charge of leading sustainability strategy. And success as a sustainability executive can open doors to the top job, as in the case of Helena Helmersson, who was appointed CEO of H&M in 2020 after serving as the company’s head of sustainability.

How can the textile industry make business models more sustainable?

Many fast fashion players are considering how to make their business models more circular, in response to climate pressures and a quickly evolving regulatory landscape. In a circular model of value creation, resources are deployed over and over . Conversely, a traditional linear model begins with extraction and concludes with end-of-life disposal, with the expectation that consumers will discard goods and buy more.

Here are a few ways in which fashion companies can work toward complying with changing regulations.

  • Improved traceability . Achieving full supply chain visibility across all tiers of manufacturing will be a critical enabler for regulatory compliance. Advances in blockchain and other technologies may help companies to enable more transparent and efficient monitoring. Brands such as Brooks Sports and Renfro Brands have deployed TrusTrace’s digital traceability platform to achieve traceability at scale.
  • Sourcing and production . Upstream supply chain activities account for the majority of carbon emissions in the apparel industry, so in the future there may be a sharper focus on decarbonizing the production of materials and garments. Brands may increasingly shift to new suppliers or join strategic alliances. The luxury retail brand Hermès, for example, has partnered with start-up MycoWorks to secure access to its engineered mycelium (a network of fungal threads that can be used to produce a product similar to leather ).
  • Design . A new emphasis on longevity and durability may demand fresh attention to design details such as stitching and seams. Materials that cannot be separated in recycling may be avoided in the future, meaning designers might have to think more creatively about their design choices.
  • End-of-life waste . New business models are coming to the fore to minimize production and waste. Resale continues to grow through brand partnerships with secondhand marketplaces, such as the RealReal and Vestiaire Collective . There is also an opportunity to accelerate closed-loop recycling, a process whereby a product can be used and then turned into a new product many times over. Stockholm-based Renewcell is ramping up the world’s first at-scale fiber-to-fiber recycling factory and is already working with global brands including H&M and Levi’s.

As global business reckons with increasing climate pressures and a changing regulatory environment, the fashion companies that cut new patterns for sustainability are the ones most likely to excel in the future.

Articles referenced:

  • “ The State of Fashion 2024: Finding pockets of growth as uncertainty reigns ,” November 29, 2023, Anita Balchandani , David Barrelet, Achim Berg, Gemma D’Auria , Felix Rölkens , and Ewa Starzynska
  • “ Great merchandising never goes out of fashion ,” March 15, 2023, David Barrelet, Matthew Chapman, Erik Eklöw, Julia Huang, Felix Rölkens , and Hannah Yankelevich
  • “ The State of Fashion 2023: Holding onto growth as global clouds gather ,” November 29, 2022, Imran Amed, Sarah André, Anita Balchandani , Achim Berg, and Felix Rölkens
  • “ In search of fashion’s sustainability seekers ,” June 28, 2022, Elisa Albella, Anita Balchandani , Nic Cornbleet, and Libbi Lee
  • “ State of Fashion 2022: An uneven recovery and new frontiers ,” May 2, 2022, Imran Amed, Achim Berg, Anita Balchandani , Pamela Brown, Hannah Crump, Amanda Dargan, Saskia Hedrich , Jakob Ekeløf Jensen, Leila Le Merle, Felix Rölkens , Michael Straub, and Robb Young
  • “ Is luxury resale the future of fashion? ,” December 14, 2020, Miriam Lobis
  • “ Refashioning clothing’s environmental impact ,” July 25, 2019, Clarisse Magnin-Mallez  and Saskia Hedrich
  • “ Developing products for a circular economy ,” November 14, 2016, Eric Hannon , Marianne Kuhlmann, and Benjamin Thaidigsmann
  • “ Style that’s sustainable: A new fast-fashion formula ,” October 20, 2016, Nathalie Remy, Eveline Speelman, and Steven Swartz

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In search of fashion’s sustainability seekers

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opinion essay fast fashion

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If you’ve been on the internet in the last five years, you likely encountered articles, tweets, or videos decrying the fast fashion industry. Their tones are often quite alarming, telling you that you are supporting modern slavery by buying a shirt from H&M. On the other hand, they can be overly dismissive as well. Either way, you’re left feeling desensitized and detached, like your actions don’t matter anyway. The issues posed by the fast fashion industry are two-fold: its violations are both an environmental issue and a human rights issue. 

The production of garments is a water intensive process that often uses nonrenewable resources. The waste products are eventually dumped into local water streams, killing rivers worldwide. Garment workers are often paid poverty wages as little as $95 per month , and are forced to work long hours under unsafe conditions.

If you’ve spent as much time on the internet as much as I have, you would have also heard arguments defending fast fashion such as “boycotting fast fashion is classist,” “not everybody has the money to buy sustainable fashion or access to thrift stores,” “sustainable fashion doesn’t accommodate plus-size people,” and lastly, “but I’m giVinG pEoPLe jObs.” There is certainly validity to these arguments, and there’s lots of room for nuanced conversation. However, it is hard to take these arguments seriously when the people espousing them are neither poor nor plus size. Let’s make one thing clear: a poor person buying an item from H&M because they need it is different from a consumer spending hundreds of dollars on one of their regular shopping sprees; only one of them is sustaining the fast fashion industry. 

As one commenter shared on a YouTube video:

“As a plus size and relatively poor person in a rural area who exclusively buys thrifted and slow fashion, it’s pretty frustrating to see people tokenize people like me to justify their shitty overconsumption. Trust me, you have options if you actually bothered to prioritize something other than having the same clothes as your favorite influencer.” 

Personally, it is harder to address the last argument. Being from a third world country myself, I recognize that I’m a lot more privileged than the average person where I’m from, many of whom, especially women, rely on the factory jobs these fast fashion companies offer. But giving someone a job that barely allows them to sustain themselves or live with dignity is not a good excuse for your own overconsumption. 

Remember, if you’re not paying the price, someone else is. So buy from brands that pay their workers fairly, and buy quality things that can be enjoyed for a long time so the environment won’t have to pay for your shopping habits. If consumers vote with our dollar, fast fashion companies will be forced to change as they lose out on profits and sales. 

Oftentimes, these conversations can place the bulk of the responsibility on the consumer to do the right thing, but we can also pressure fashion companies to be more transparent, and vote for legislations and regulations that will make that happen. We can make things better for the people who make our clothes if we stop thinking of ourselves as individual actors but rather part of a collective. The slow fashion movement has pressured brands to increase standards for their workers across the board, evidence that it is effective in fighting against fast fashion.

Perhaps, the reason why fast fashion is so contagious and toxic is because we as consumers don’t know what it means to be happy without buying clothes that won’t be trendy after a month. Living in a consumer society means that we identify with the products we buy, and “if we are the product we buy, then we buy in order to be.”  

The fast fashion industry exploits our needs for love, connection, and belonging to manipulate us into buying things we don’t need. My goals for this year is to fulfill those basic human needs in connecting with friends, creating art, reading more books, and doing things that bring true joy, which can’t be bought by spending another $5 on a top you’ll definitely throw out after one wear. 

Kant says to treat people as ends in themselves, and not a means to an end. Modern advertising has people believing they have to buy, and churn the wheels of capitalism, but we can do so much better. As the saying goes, “shame the fast fashion brand, not the people who buy them.” Mend your clothes, and love the things you own for a long time.

Personally, it is harder to address the last argument i agree

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Harvard’s Fast-Fashion Crisis

opinion essay fast fashion

Harvard students generally care about conserving the environment, fighting climate change, and preventing human rights abuses. Yet, in the choice between sticking to our values and repping our clubs with socially and environmentally harmful fast fashion, we usually choose the latter.

Within the first week of arriving on campus, my closet was filled with boxy t-shirts from FOP, my freshman dorm, an IOP info session, and PBHA (which I’m not even involved with!).

T-shirts aren’t the only swag endlessly thrown at first-years to persuade them to join clubs. Stalls at the fall activities fair overflow with customized stress balls, water bottles, and stickers. This gear is mostly made from flimsy plastic requiring significant quantities of water and toxic chemicals to produce, which will likely be used once then end up in a landfill or as ocean microplastic .

Our misplaced motivations are fueling a fast-fashion crisis at Harvard. Fast fashion is a clothing production method focused on rapidly producing high volumes of cheap and low-quality clothing with a high environmental and social cost. To align our consumption choices with our values, students can replace fast-fashion advertising with meaningful experiences to attract new members. We may find that doing so will strengthen communities in addition to benefiting the environment.

Even the most vocal advocates among us fall prey to fast fashion. In preparation for a 2019 rally protesting the University’s investment in fossil fuels, Divest Harvard purchased hundreds of bright orange t-shirts. One of them now hangs in my closet — the color clashes nicely with my auburn hair.

While these cheap shirts seem innocent, they were made in Nicaragua, most likely under the inhumane working conditions that abound the garment industry. The half non-organic cotton and half polyester shirts require significant resources to produce: 2,700 liters of water , one-third pound of pesticides , and 2.1 kg of CO2 are needed to make a single cotton t-shirt. A polyester t-shirt is responsible for 5.5 kg of CO2 . The microfibers that shed from synthetic materials like polyester contribute to 35 percent of the primary microplastics polluting the ocean.

There is no denying the sentimental value of college gear. We accept or purchase swag because it is a way to show school spirit and pride in the House and organizations we belong to (a subtle, more socially acceptable way to drop the H bomb is by wearing it). After college, gear reminds us of all the good times we’ve had. How else would I remember that I was a Matthews Meerkat and not a Mole Rat during my first year if not for my Harvard-supplied shirt?

While everyone is entitled to purchase items with sentimental value, Harvard has a problem with quantity and quality. By the end of college, students wind up with dozens of unflattering t-shirts that do little to grow their memory bank of experiences. Instead, these clothes clutter our closets and our minds until they are thrown out.

One potential solution to Harvard’s fast-fashion problem is to buy environmentally friendly and responsibly produced products. There are now a plethora of cheap clothing brands using responsible methods. The College can do its part by purchasing 100 percent organic cotton t-shirts for Orientation week and Housing Day. Organic cotton , while undoubtedly more expensive, uses 91 percent less water than non-organic cotton and is pesticide-free. The University can also set up year-round donation bins or recycling stations for torn clothes to limit waste.

Unfortunately, purchasing from responsible brands is not enough. Switching suppliers does not force us to reexamine our unsustainable practices and hollow devotion to overconsumption. In addition, I have yet to come across a company that can produce mass quantities of customizable t-shirts using socially and environmentally responsible practices at a price low enough to satisfy college organizations’ slim budgets.

Given the lack of sustainable, customizable, and cheap clothing manufacturers out there, the most reasonable alternative is to reduce consumption.

Elizabeth Segran, a senior writer for Fast Company, argues that companies should supplement single-use promotional products with meaningful experiences that ultimately form stronger interpersonal connections, while reducing waste.

Harvard student groups can do the same. Clubs can advertise to new students by setting up photo booths, hosting a baking event (vegan, of course), or finding other ways to leave passersby with positive experiences rather than another scrap of plastic. If board members insist on swag, take a field trip to one of Boston’s many thrift stores. You will lose some brand recognition, but you’ll gain lasting memories and consume less in the process.

We all need to make sacrifices to promote environmental and social justice. Trading crappy t-shirts and single-use chachkas for positive experiences and greater interpersonal connection is a price I am more than willing to pay. If you agree, it's time to wear your values and perhaps think twice before accepting the next piece of free plastic you are offered.

Ariel G. Silverman ’23, a Social Studies concentrator, lives in Mather House. Her column appears on alternate Tuesdays.

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The Negative Impact of Fast Fashion on The Environment and The Society

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Published: Apr 11, 2019

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Fast fashion: argumentative essay, effects of fast fashion, what can be done, works cited, environmental issues, social issues.

  • Bhardwaj, V., & Fairhurst, A. (2010). Fast fashion: response to changes in the fashion industry. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 20(1), 165-173.
  • Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2019). Business research methods. Oxford University Press.
  • Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Textiles: Material-specific data. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data
  • Fashion Revolution. (2022). Fast fashion facts. https://www.fashionrevolution.org/about/fast-fashion-facts/
  • Gwilt, A., & Rissanen, T. (2011). Shaping sustainable fashion: changing the way we make and use clothes. Earthscan.
  • Hendrickson, M. K. (2021). Fast fashion and the shifting ethical landscape of the global clothing industry. In M. K. Hendrickson & S. S. D’Souza (Eds.), Sustainable fashion: governance and new management approaches (pp. 1-17). Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Hill, R. P., & Wang, C. (2014). An analysis of environmentally sustainable practices in the apparel industry. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 7(3), 137-148.
  • McNeill, L., & Moore, R. (2015). Sustainable fashion consumption and the fast fashion conundrum: fashionable consumers and attitudes to sustainability in clothing choice. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39(3), 212-222.
  • Press, A. (Director). (2015). The true cost [Motion picture]. United States: Life is My Movie Entertainment.
  • Taplin, I. M. (2014). The fast fashion conundrum. Journal of Design, Business & Society, 1(1), 97-110.

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opinion essay fast fashion

104 Fast Fashion Essay Topics & Fast Fashion Research Questions

Looking for fast fashion essay topics and discussion questions? Look no further! Here, you will find best fast fashion titles related to environmental and ethical problems of fast fashion industry and its sustainable alternatives.

🔝 Top 10 Fast Fashion Essay Topics

🏆 best fast fashion topic ideas & essay examples, 🔎 interesting fast fashion topics to write about, 💡 good fast fashion research topics, ❓ fast fashion research questions, 🤔 discussion questions about fast fashion.

  • Fast Fashion and Body Image
  • Strategies to Reduce Textile Waste
  • Working Conditions in Fast Fashion
  • The Carbon Footprint of Fast Fashion
  • The Psychological Impact of Fast Fashion
  • The Impact of Fast Fashion on Local Artisans
  • Cultural Aspects of Fast Fashion’s Global Reach
  • The Ethics of Fast Fashion Borrowing from Different Cultures
  • The Role of Fashion Influencers in Promoting Fast Fashion
  • The Societal Implications of a Disposable Fashion Culture
  • The Effects of the Fast Fashion Industry on the World This led to the creation of shops that made garments to meet the needs of such a category of people in the community.
  • Zara, H&M, United Colors of Benetton: Supplying Fast Fashion Benetton has adopted the technology strategy in its distribution by automating its warehouse activities to store, pack, and assemble individual orders for all its retail outlets.
  • Fast Fashion Brand Advantages and Risks in Chinese Market The paper also looked at the risks that the fast fashion brand has to face in the Chinese market and ways in which these risks can be managed to help the organisations consolidate its advantages.
  • Fast Fashion and Sustainability This paper includes a brief analysis of the ways to address consumers’ fashion-related needs and reduce the negative environmental impact of the fast industry.
  • Fast Fashion’s Negative Impact on the Environment And this is the constant increase in production capacity, the low quality of the product, and the use of the labor of the population of developing countries.
  • Fast Fashion and Ethical Consumption A narrative literature review is selected to analyse and synthesise available information on the impact of fast fashion on society. The integration of articles is expected to reveal the gaps, tendencies, and limitations that exist […]
  • Just in Time: Management Operations in the Fast Fashion Industry Sourcing is implemented using the famous lean or Just in Time (JIT) models. This means that required materials are acquired and delivered whenever they are needed.
  • Child Labor in the Fast Fashion Industry To free girls from this choice and reduce the presence of kids in factories, it is necessary to combat poverty in rural areas actively.
  • How 40 to 50-Year-Old Irish Women Choose Fast Fashion and Why The replication of styles and the use of synthetic materials is meant to ensure that the product is made as affordable as possible while at the same time meeting the expectations of the market.
  • Purchase of Fast Fashion Clothing and Ethical & Personal Values On the other hand, the emergence of the practice threatened the aesthetic value and ethical approach based on the utilization of the available facilities.
  • Fast Fashion Business Model Pros & Cons Specific Purpose: The presentation is meant to inform listeners about the advantages and disadvantages of fast fashion as the business model and discuss possible strategies retailers can use to increase customer attraction.
  • Astonishing Success of Zara in the Fast Fashion Industry The origin of the company is the retail group Inditex the headquarters of which is located in Spain. However, The Gap, H&M, and Benetton are called the major competitors of Zara in the study by […]
  • ZARA: Chic and Fast Fashion It is evident from the case study that organizations need to observe changing trends in the market in order to cope with the competition. This can be attested by the fact that the company has […]
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5.2: Sample Student Research Essay- Fast Fashion

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  • Gabriel Winer & Elizabeth Wadell
  • Berkeley City College & Laney College via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI)

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Reading: Student essay on fast fashion

The link below opens a version of the sample essay formatted in MLA 8th edition:

Fast Fashion sample student research essay.pdf

Maroua Abdelghani and Ruri Tamimoto

Professor X

Advanced Reading and Writing

22 February 2022

Deadly Fashion

My $9.99 t-shirt is no longer wearable after two washes: the shape of the shirt is so distorted that it does not fit me well anymore. One might say I got what I paid for, because the poorly constructed t-shirt is from a “fast fashion” store. Fast fashion is a term for the companies like H&M, Zara, and Uniqlo that sell clothes that copy the trendy appeal of high-end brands but at an affordable price, usually because they are made in countries with low labor costs like India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and China. Fast fashion prices are so low, explains anthropologist and marketing professor Annamma Joy, that consumers feel encouraged to dispose of a garment after a few wearings and buy a new piece (274). This leads to an increase in sales for new clothing. In fact, According to journalist Rachel Monroe, “Worldwide, clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2015, while prices dropped: We were spending the same amount on clothes, but getting nearly twice as many items for it.” This increase in value for customers has a steep price, even if we can't see it in the store. Before tossing my t-shirt in a donation bag, I wonder about the person who sewed it. Who is this person? How good or bad are their working conditions? What about the cost of pollution? Although some defend the fast fashion industry’s aesthetic and economic contributions, it has devastating impacts on labor rights and the environment, and needs serious regulations by all nations to stop the damage.

One glaring consequence of the demand for cheap clothing is that factory workers get paid too little, while their requests for living wages are ignored. Cheap labor is a reason that many apparel corporations move their production overseas. As Adam Matthews reports, by 2016, only 3% of clothes sold in the U.S. were made in this country. This shift to foreign production is the direct result of lower labor costs. According to Deborah Drew, an associate at the World Resource Institute’s Center for Sustainable Business, women garment workers in Bangladesh are paid about $96 per month; however, the government estimates $336 dollars as a minimum level for workers to afford their basic needs. Based on these statistics, women are paid less than a third of a necessary living wage. Garment workers in other developing countries suffer similarly: they work long hours but remain in poverty. Business owners and their powerful organizations dismiss the demands of factory laborers for raises because they claim that paying more will lead to factory closures. In fact, in recent negotiations, some are trying to impose even worse pay. Ken Loo, secretary-general of the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia, defended the employers’ proposal to reduce wages by 4.5 percent. He “pointed to the economic effects of COVID-19 and said garment industry employers can’t afford to spend more on labor” (Sovuthy). His statement reflects the belief that the workers’ lives and well-being are not important compared to the continuing profits of the owners and investors. Most reasonable people would not agree with that idea, but most of us still shop for cheap clothing. We can’t depend on the individual fairness of factory owners, or on individual consumers to solve this problem; that’s why regulations are critical.

Besides low wages, workers in the clothing factories also suffer terrible working conditions. Singular tragic events such as the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013 that killed over a thousand workers make worldwide news (Rahman and Rahman 1331), but the daily experiences of the people making cheap clothing are also unacceptable. According to Sadika Akhter, an anthropologist and doctor of Environmental Public Health and her colleagues, garment workers in Bangladesh typically work ten to twelve hours per day, inhaling fabric dust, enduring extreme heat, and getting repetitive motion injuries from using the machines. They are constantly in pain and exhausted. In their qualitative study of women garment workers’ experiences, Akhter et al. quote a machine operator who says, “We sew shirts with our tears and injure our fingers due to needle punctures. If you work at the garment factory it will give you some money but it will take your health. . . . No one can work in a factory more than ten years because you will lose your physical strength, energy and health . . . due to the nature of hard work in this industry." This statement emphasizes how exploited these workers are; their bodies are being damaged every day. The people, not just the clothing, are treated as if they are disposable.

It is true that the industry has made some progress in improving labor rights. Sociology professor Shahidur Rahman of BRAC University, and professor of Development Studies Kazi Mahmudur of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh describe some attempts at reform following the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013 in their article in Development and Change . According to Rahman and Rahman, two major agreements, the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and the Alliance for Bangladesh Workers' Safety brought together business owners and governments to improve the safety of factory buildings (1332). The Bangladeshi government also made changes to labor laws to allow workers to organize, and other international unions and non-governmental organizations have campaigned for worker rights in the industry (Rahman and Rahman 1333). These developments are positive—at least workers are less likely to die in a fire or building collapse. However, the inhumane daily conditions and low pay remain, even eight years after these agreements were made.

Beyond the conditions inside the factories, the production of cheap clothing causes significant pollution. The problems begin with the raw materials: synthetic fibers are made from petroleum, and although plant fibers are considered more natural, growing plants to use for fabric has its own problems. Research scientist Luz Claudio writes that cotton is "one of the most water and pesticide dependent crops (A450). Despite the fact that more consumers are choosing organic produce over conventional because of the concern about pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables, this trend is not extending to crops grown for fabrics. In fact, pesticide use on cotton fields is actually growing, along with its negative impact on farm workers, according to an international team of scientists from Pakistan and Greece (Khan and Damala 9). This problem is not limited to the countries where clothing is sewn; the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the usage of pesticides to produce cotton is a quarter of the entire pesticide used in this country (qtd. in Claudio, A450). Furthermore, when fabric is processed and dyed in factories overseas it can lead to significant water pollution. According to investigative reporter Adam Matthews, water that runs off from the factories contaminates rivers that are the lifeline for farmers, killing crops and sickening local residents and animals. Yixiu Wu of Greenpeace points out that "the average pair of jeans requires 1,850 gallons of water to process; a t-shirt requires 715 gallons. And after going through the manufacturing process, all that water often ends up horribly polluted" (qtd. in Matthews). In addition to water pollution, the fashion industry produces at least a tenth of the world's carbon emissions, says journalist Dana Thomas (qtd. in Shatzman). Still, most retail corporations do little to address these harms, because their profits are higher when they spend less money ensuring that crops are grown without poisons and that the waste products are properly disposed of.

Despite the clear injustices and environmental harms of garment production, some argue that the fashion industry provides work to people with few better choices in developing countries. According to reporter Stephanie Vatz, companies began outsourcing clothing manufacturing jobs in the 1970s, and by 2013, only two percent of clothing was made in the U.S. The same lack of labor protections that allow terrible working conditions in developing countries also guarantees low labor costs that motivate U.S. companies to relocate their factory sources (Vatz). Some claim that this is actually a benefit to those workers. For example, Benjamin Powell, the director of the Free Market Institute, justifies sweatshop labor, insists that this model is "part of the process that raises living standards and leads to better working conditions and development over time (qtd. in Ozdamar-Ertekin 3). This argument is compelling from a distance, but even if it may be true to some degree when we look at the history of economic development, it disregards the humanity of current garment workers. These people continue to work long hours in brutal conditions, generating huge profits for the factory and retail owners. Making the excuse that their lives could be even worse without this exploitation is just a cynical justification for greed.

Fast fashion brands focus almost entirely on financial gain and ignore social responsibility and workers' human rights. They turn a blind eye to polluting rivers, the impact on farmland, and poor labor conditions. As a consumer of fast fashion brands, this is troubling. As a person considering fashion as a part of history, a form of art and self-expression, this is beyond sad. A bad sewing job is an inconvenience for me, but unethical practices are the real issue. If there is something we can change, that is our behavior as consumers: we need to buy second-hand clothes, look for companies making apparel here in the U.S., and be willing to pay more for higher-quality clothing that lasts. However, ultimately this is not just a question of our own purchasing decisions. Major changes are needed in the system, and for that we need stronger government regulations to ensure real change.

Works Cited

Akhter, Sadika, et al. “Sewing Shirts with Injured Fingers and Tears: Exploring the Experience of Female Garment Workers Health Problems in Bangladesh.” BMC International Health & Human Rights , vol. 19, no. 1, Jan. 2019. EBSCOhost , doi:10.1186/s12914-019-0188-4.

Claudio, Luz. "Waste Couture: Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry." Environmental Health Perspectives , vol. 115, no. 9, Sept. 2007, pp. A448-A454.

Joy, Annamma, et al. "Fast Fashion, Sustainability, and the Ethical Appeal of Luxury Brands." Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture , vol. 16, no. 3, Sept. 2012, pp. 273-295. EBSCO host , doi:10.2752/175174112X13340749707123.

Khan, Muhammad and Christos A. Damalas. "Factors Preventing the Adoption of Alternatives to Chemical Pest Control among Pakistani Cotton Farmers." International Journal of Pest Management , vol. 61, no. 1, Jan-Mar 2015, pp. 9-16. EBSCO host , doi:10.1080/09670874.2014.984257.

Matthews, Adam. "The Environmental Crisis in Your Closet." Newsweek . Newsweek LLC, 13 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2017.

Monroe, Rachel. “Ultra-Fast Fashion Is Eating the World.” Atlantic , vol. 327, no. 2, Mar. 2021, pp. 76–84. EBSCOhost, search-ebscohost-com.berkeley.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url&db=a9h&AN=148607124&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Rahman, Shahidur, and Kazi Mahmudur Rahman. “Multi-actor Initiatives after Rana Plaza: Factory Managers’ Views.” Development & Change , vol. 51, no. 5, Sept. 2020, pp. 1331–1359. EBSCOhost , doi:10.1111/dech.12572.

Shatzman, Celia. "‘Fashionopolis’ Author Dana Thomas On How Fast Fashion Is Destroying the Planet and What You Can Do about It." Forbes , 4 Oct. 2019.

Sovuthy, Khy. "Minimum Wage to Be Moved to Vote after Third Meeting Fails to Find Joint Resolution." Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association News , Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association, 21 Sept. 2021.

Vatz, Stephanie. "Why America Stopped Making Its Own Clothes." The Lowdown . KQED, 24 May 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

Licenses and Attributions

Cc licensed content: original.

Authored by Maroua Abdelghani and Ruri Tamimoto, Berkeley City College. License: CC BY NC.

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Fast Fashion Essay Examples

Negative environmental effects of fast fashion.

Like a lot of millennials I am somewhat guilty to the fact fast fashion is an almost dependable part of my life. To put it bluntly, I am obsessed with the idea of image and “looking good”, heavily influenced from the ever growing pressure of...

Exploration of the Ethical Implications of Fast Fashion

Forever 21 is an American fast fashion retailer with locations in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Forever 21 is chiefly known for selling low priced clothing, as well as accessories, beauty products, and home goods. The organization was founded in 1984 by...

On Fast Fashion and Conscious Choices

Do you know that the way that we buy and wear clothes has changed vastly in the last centuries? People used to get measured and have clothes made for them with endurable materials, that were meant to last for many years. Sometimes the garment would...

Economic, Social and Environmental Implications of Fast Fashion

Fashion shoppers spent about £3. 5 billion on Christmas party clothing this year but 8 million of those sparkly items will be on their way to landfill after just one wear. In a world of accelerating demand for apparel, people have a huge desire for...

Negative Effects of Fast Fashion on the Environment

Fast fashion is a term used to describe inexpensive clothing produced rapidly in response to new trends. With exponentially increasing demand by consumer-driven production of cheap clothing, such prices are kept low through outsourcing manufacturing in low-income countries. Unsustainable garments are produced in a complicated...

The Impact of Fast Fashion on the Environment, Human Health and Labour

Fast fashion is producing super fast clothes at low prices and cheap fabrics, and people are always looking for new fashion and the latest trends, but have these people thought about how to make these things and how to get rid of them that can...

Analysis and Exploration of Uniqlo’s Technology Innovation

Company Profile Uniqlo is a fast fashion clothing apparel company, it is founded in Japan by Yamaguchi in 1949 as a textiles manufacturer. It already becomes a global brand and has over 1000 stores all over the world. They are fashion retailing company, also focus...

The Impact of Fast Fashion on Society and the Enviroment

Introduction In this essay I will be focussing on the impact of fast fashion especially the effect it has on our society and the future and the enviroment. I will be focusing on lecture number 5 based on the ‘Design and Consumer culture’. I was...

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About Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is a term used to describe an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers. The collections are often based on styles presented at Fashion Week runway shows or worn by celebrities. Fast fashion allows mainstream consumers to purchase the hot new look or the next big thing at an affordable price.

Before the Industrial Revolution and the invention of the sewing machine, fashion was slow. People made their own clothes and cared to repair them when necessary. Clothes were often tailored to the individual and designed to last a lifetime. Then, people slowly moved towards wearing clothes for style and not because of practical features like durability. The concept of ‘fast fashion’ began with the mass production of cheap quality clothing, with the term officially being coined in the 1990s by the New York Times, with Zara’s new accelerated production model being their inspiration – where clothes were taken rapidly from the design stage, inspired by Fashion Week, to the stores for anyone to buy.

Major players in the fast-fashion market include Zara, H&M Group, UNIQLO, GAP, Forever 21, Topshop, Esprit, Primark, Fashion Nova, and New Look. Many companies are both retailers and manufacturers, though they often outsource the actual production of clothing.

Fast fashion follows the concept of category management, linking the manufacturer with the consumer in a mutually beneficial relationship.

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