Fashion is subjective. There will never be an article of clothing everyone in the world agrees on, but that’s what makes the fashion industry what it is: opinion. The diversity of fashion expression is evident everywhere, and especially on a college campus.
Trends have always been a part of the fashion industry's cycle. Fast fashion is the industry's solution to keeping up with the ever-changing demand of trends. This solution comes at the expense of the environment and the health of garment workers. With the rise of social media and TikTok, clothing has driven headfirst into a capitalistic strategy, blurring the line between “need” and “want.”
This strategy leaves no room for creativity and results in everyone having a carbon copy of the same closet. It also fuels the fast-fashion brands to continue contributing to waste and underpaying their garment workers.
With social media, companies and brands have a direct line of communication to tell the masses what is and isn't trending. Once these brands have everyone convinced their new arrivals are what you need for “back to school” or “fall essentials,” it's able to profit from the clothes already produced.
Brands also understand if it's at a cheap price, you aren't expecting quality, but expecting the article of clothing to last until the item is “out of trend.” You don't think twice about pitching it or donating it because it didn't cost much. Then you're at the store, doing the cycle all over again.
The prices are hard to pass up, especially when there’s a “sale” sign in bold red letters. The cheaper price isn’t a coincidence, as brands can largely profit off that price because of the very small fraction it paid to the garment worker who sewed it.
There are around 75 million garment factory workers; of those, less than 2% are paid a livable wage. This forces them to work extensively long hours to make ends meet. Cheap prices for trendy clothes should not be at the expense of peoples' livelihoods. All workers deserve to be paid what they are owed, and these successful companies have the ability to pay their workers appropriate wages for their work but choose not to.
The environmental toll these brands have on the planet contributes to about 10% of carbon emissions. The overproduction of clothing uses excessive amounts of water and synthetic materials, accounting for 35% of the microplastics in the ocean.
To be completely avoidant of fast fashion isn’t an easy task; it surrounds us in every department and online store. When going to the mall, it’s nearly impossible not to walk into a store that reeks of mass production and overworked employees, but some stores make it highly evident and are massively successful.
Online stores like Shein and Temu are direct vessels from garment factories in China that severely overwork and underpay their employees. Shein's history of employee abuse is not unknown. There are investigations and research reports proving Shein's abuses, yet it grows in revenue every year.
In 2023, Shein made approximately $32.5 billion in revenue, a significant increase from 2022, with $22.7 billion. Increased investigation into Shein factories seems to only increase the brand's revenue because when people can’t see what’s happening behind the curtain, all they see is a good price.
Stopping these companies almost seems hopeless. The brands have generated enough revenue and influence to completely shift the fashion industry at their own will. With social media, we can shift the narrative of fashion essentials by encouraging self-expression and a wardrobe of longevity by shopping for quality and avoiding the obvious mass production vessels like Shein and Temu. Social media can play a role in diversifying the fashion industry with new ideas and advocating for garment workers' right to a livable wage and a safe working environment.
Grace Schmidt is a sophomore studying journalism and fashion merchandising at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Grace about her column? Email her at gs326823@ohio.edu
Insta: @graceschm1dt
