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Fast Fashion: the mass production of cheap clothing that will be out of style within a few months. When we buy fast fashion, we support unethical production of clothing (i.e. sweatshops), and we encourage a wasteful process that uses harsh chemicals, an excess of water, and shipment methods that add pollutants to the air.
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Not only is fast fashion harmful to our environment and the workers involved, it also affects our mental wellbeing. Minimalism is a rising “trend” that promotes buying and using only what you need so that you are not overwhelmed by excess. Think of how many articles of clothing you buy on a deal, maybe wear once or twice, and then they stay in your closet (or, if you’re like me, a pile of clothes on the dresser or chair) for years. It may not seem a prominent problem in your life, but finding the “right” thing to wear can take way too long, keeping up with laundry can become a much bigger chore, and overall, you’re never in love with your clothing collection. You always want more. This is the purpose of fast fashion: selling mediocre “trendy” items that grab your attention in the store but never leave a lasting love, so you continue to buy more.
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The solution to this is “slow fashion”. This movement promotes ethically-made clothing whereby workers are fairly paid (if not in ethical labs around the world, then locally made), fabrics are sustainably sourced, and the treatments and processes reduce water waste and harsh chemicals. Overall these clothing items are more expensive because of the quality of the clothing, but this means that they will last longer, too. By investing in pieces you know will last forever and that you can be proud to support, you will fall in love with the item and wear it way more often than the $5 Forever 21 top that you thought you could wear to only one specific event. A few examples of companies that are ethically sourced and eco friendly are: Kotn, Alternative Apparel, and Ten Tree.
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If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to buying from ethically-minded clothing brands, then thrift shopping is another alternative to fast fashion. The brands might not support ethical practices, but at least you are reusing materials and not supporting unethical manufacturing.
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Of course, the most minimalistic and eco-friendly approach is to not buy more than you need. You should always consider your intentions before buying something. Do I really need a new dress for this special occasion or can I re-wear the one I wore last year? We have cultivated this belief that we can’t be seen in the same thing too many times. Somehow that has become “lazy”. So we buy new blazers for every meeting in fear that the investor might realize we are wearing the same thing. Part of this fear is that we want to keep up appearances: we don’t want to appear like we don’t have the money to buy new things. So we waste our money impressing people who probably don’t notice that you are wearing the same blazer twice in one week. We should only buy out of necessity.
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Of course, we are allowed to treat ourselves, but the “treat-yo’self” mentality is sometimes self-destructive when you think about what it will actually do to your life. Spending money on things we don’t really care about instead of investing in something we can be proud of doesn’t sound much like self-care to me.
We value our money. We don’t want to waste it. But consider what’s more wasteful: continually buying things you don’t love and don’t need on a sale, or investing in products that you can use and love and that will last you a lot longer. Also consider the people involved, the jobs you are creating, the lives you are touching in your investment. If money is valuable, put it towards something you can support.