The term fast fashion is self-descriptive and was first used in the early 1990s in the fashion industry. The whole business cycle is based on quick fix the things that range from manufacturing of the trendy clothes replicating what has been presented on the fashion shows in a hasty manner to seize the market, the products are sold in a panic selling as these have short shelf stay and are removed from the rakes in a hasty manner. Apart from ethical aspects, this fashion is growing in terms of profit and volume as CoherentMI research shows that the fast fashion net worth stands at over $41 billion in the United States alone in 2023 and will touch the mark of $59.85 billion by 2030.
WHAT ARE ETHICAL ASPECTS OF FAST FASHION?
Knockoffs or fast fashion make a three-pronged issue in the fashion industry in so far as the business ethics are concerned. The knockoffs exploit the designers as they make a piracy of the ideas conceived by the others. They cash in on the situation and make a niche stealthily in the market and seize the opportunity to earn profit. The garment workers are also affected by the knockoffs as the manufacturers lower the prices and thus affect the earning of these workers. The fast fashion is not ethically sourced and the whole chain becomes unethical and even immoral.
WHAT IS TEXTILE WASTE IN FAST FASHION?
Textile waste makes the fast fashion bad as it poses threat to the environment next to fossil fuels combined. As the fast fashion production is enormous in number, its waste in the process is also enormous and its disposal either through discarding in open or burning is an environmental hazard at large scale. The textile waste at manufacturing stage is not so big a problem than the garments which have been left over at the retail stage or by the people at large. The recycling cannot be done as it costs more than easy disposal at the landfill sites. The reshelving of the textile products is also an expensive process so the businesses prefer to cast these away. Possibly textile material is less hazardous but the other things used in the fashion products such as polyester, elastane, thread, zips, buttons etc., are hard to die and pose more threat to the environment.
WHICH HEALTH ISSUES DOES FAST FASHION POSE?
Fast fashion gives trendy, colorful and beautiful clothes to the people at large scale and caters to desires to be modern and fashionable of the people across the globe but in the under current, knockoffs pose serious health issues to the wearers. The fast fashion industry uses chromium compounds for dyes, paints, inks, plastics and in the production of leather goods and dying wool and usually it is used beyond the safe limits posing serious threat to bodies. Flame retardants are used as fireproof for the kids wear but these affect their body and can develop toxicity and impact growth of IQ levels. Polyfluorinated substances or forever chemicals are used to make the clothes stain resistant, textile printing and in making leather goods. These forever chemicals are human carcinogen and can cause serious health issues such as fertility issues, hormonal disorders, increase in cholesterol level and serious effects on the immune system. Heavy metals like lead, antimony, cadmium and others used in colored synthetic products like polyester and even in natural products like cotton can cause cancer, dermatitis and affect reproduction.
HOW POORLY FAST FASHION WORKERS ARE TREATED?
A glowing trendy wear bears the brunt of the hands which are exploited, coerced tyrannized and pressurized only to earn two square meals. The glittering face of the fast fashion has the darkest images inside as the smiling face is concealing many tears of the poor workers of the garment factories. Their condition sprang to the limelight when Rana Plaza factory collapsed in Bangladesh in 2013 and it became known in how much poor condition the factory workers were working and breathing. The fast fashion workers are exploited in many ways as they have to work long hours beyond the stipulated duty hours with meagre extra payment, they are paid minimum wages, working condition are very poor as they are exposed to hazardous material and they have to breathe toxic substances inhaling fiber.
CHILD LABOR IN FAST FASHION
Usually, fast fashion products are produced in the countries where labor and child protection laws are loosely implemented. The manufacturers cash in on the situation and employ child laborers in their factories on the least pays and more working hours. Child labor is rampant in fashion industry where semi-skilled workers are required. The ever-growing demand for cheap clothing worldwide has created a market with ever-present vacuum which cannot be filled so easily. The factories require round-the-clock running and cheap labor as other components of the garment manufacturing are scarcely available on lower prices. In this context, the businesses find it easy to squeeze neck of the laborers and this is happening with impunity.
CONCLUSION
In reaction to the hazardous effects of the fast fashion on the earth and humanity, slow fashion movement was launched with a slogan ‘Go for quality over quantity’. It is to save the humanity and the environment from the harm done by the fast fashion as it pushes for conscious buying instead of blind rush for the cheap clothes to cast them away so rapidly as it is to say ‘easy come, easy go’. This approach prompts the people having care for environment to encourage the people to buy the clothes from the outlets having ethical values and concern for the humanity.
FAQs (Frequent Asked Questions)
Q.Which countries are most affected by hazards of fast fashion?
A.The under-developed countries particularly in South Asia are the worst hit by the bad impacts of the fast fashion as most of the manufacturing units are located in these areas.
Q: What are the hand-me-down clothes?
A. Hand-me-down clothes are second hand clothes discarded by the affluent people particularly in the developed countries as these clothes are transported to the poor countries in the garb of assistance but real purpose is to dispose them of and leave the people of the poor countries to face their hazards.
Q: How can the hazards of fast fashion be controlled?
A. There should be laws at international level to prohibit the hazardous effects of the fast fashion and people should be given awareness in this regard and should be convinced to avoid fast fashion and prefer cautious buying of clothes.
