Despite environmentalists and several labor-ethics organizations recommending otherwise, fast fashion is on the rise. Fast fashion is cheap and trendy clothing made quickly at the expense of our environment and underpaid labor forces. And it’s an industry that’s been growing steadily since the 1990s but has seen a significant boom in the last five years.
And while there are a million and two articles written about how bad fast fashion is, it’s important to recognize that no argument is complete without seeing the whole picture. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the biggest pros of fast fashion. So we can understand what, if any, advantages there are.
PRO: Fast Fashion Is More Affordable
With inflation on the rise, consumers are spending more money on essentials like food and housing. While funds that would normally go to fun or entertainment purposes aren’t stretching as far. But clothing isn’t always a “fun” purchase. There are several reasons why someone would need new clothing—children outgrowing their old sizes, workers starting new jobs with different dress codes, and people moving to a different climate, are just a few examples.
So when buying new clothes is essential, and people are strapped for cash, it can be easy to turn towards the affordability of fast fashion. But fast fashion is affordable for a reason. It’s made for pennies on the dollar by underpaid, overworked employees in modern-day sweatshops. Sure, it’s more affordable for the customer, but at what expense?
But if purchasing new clothes is a necessity, and you’re strapped for cash, what should you do to avoid fast fashion? Thrift. Thrifting is often price comparable if not cheaper for higher-quality items. In this regard, thrifting is the true solution to rising prices and clothing needs.
PRO: Fast Fashion Is More Size-Inclusive
For years people on either side of the sizing spectrum have expressed how difficult it can be to find clothes that fit their bodies. But online fast fashion has found niches in supplying trendy and affordable options to both petite and plus sizes. This makes purchasing fast fashion especially tempting to consumers in these groups who are simply looking for options.
But fast fashion isn’t the only place these clothing sizes are available for purchase. There is still a lot of work to be done for size inclusivity inside typical big-box brick-and-mortar stores. But thrift stores often have sections specifically catered to size inclusivity.
People come in all shapes and sizes—and that means people of all shapes and sizes donate their pre-loved clothing to thrift stores. Making thrifting the best option for everyone seeking great clothing options with size inclusivity in mind.
PRO: Fast Fashion Is Trendy
Pumping out trendy clothing is what fast fashion is all about. We’ve already talked about how this practice is done at the expense of workers. But we haven’t touched on its impact on the environment. Fast fashion production produces microplastics that pollute our oceans, toxic water that poisons ecosystems, and discarded garments in landfills that emit harmful CO2 gas into the atmosphere.
So while fast fashion clothing is trendy, what it does to the environment is less than glamorous. But if consumers are interested in keeping up with the trends, it’s important to note that everything that was once in style will be in style again. That’s why the thrift store is the best place to search for trendy clothing.
Take for example the resurgence of Y2K fashion. While it is possible to buy early 2000s-styled clothing from fast fashion brands, all the best Y2K fashion is being found in the back of people’s closets or at the thrift store. Because when you get your trendy clothing from the thrift store, it isn’t a cheap recreation of a trend. It’s an authentic article of clothing from that trend’s heyday.
