By EMMA HOULIHAN
Edited by Gabi Garozzo & Anoosha Barua
Fashion is the second-largest cause of pollution in the world. On average, 80 billion new articles of clothing are bought each year worldwide, and the United States is the second-largest consumer of retail purchasing.
Fast fashion stores like Forever 21, Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo are dominating the market. These stores’ production and sales as an immense and immeasurable impact on the environment. Yet, billions of people worldwide continue shopping at these stores. The clothing is accessible and cheap, yet leaves a lasting impact on the environment. With climate change on the rise, and so little time to prevent permanent damage, why is it so hard to shop sustainably?
Social norms make it easy to continue the cycle of fast fashion. People often look to the people around them for what to do, how to act, and even what to buy. The definition of being “in” or “out” of style makes fashion into a competition or club. This fierce world of fashion, constantly morphing to cater to society’s definition of style, promotes an increased consumer society. Shopping is a part of our culture: online stores and nearby malls are always fully stocked with the newest clothes. Today, clothes can be so easily accessed. But how often do we ask: Where do these clothes come from?
Sustainable fashion is typically very pricy and is connotated with high spending. Many high-end brands are sustainably sourced, but so few people have access to these high priced items. This contributes to the cycle of fast-fashion social norms. Yet, sustainable fashion is on the rise, with brands like H&M beginning to introduce lines of sustainable clothing. Check out H&M’s “conscious collection” (link below). While this makes an impact on the world’s fast fashion dilemma, we still have a long way to go, and social norms are definitely a contributing factor to this issue.
So next time you find yourself shopping, ask yourself: Where do these clothes come from?
Comments