Why You Should Boycott Fast Fashion
Boycotting fast fashion is not the solution to the complex issues found in the fashion industry, but it is a step in the right direction. It can help you hold brands accountable, act on your values and reinforce the idea that your purchasing power can be a force for good. This can allow you to understand that boycotting fast fashion brands makes you a part of the solution. So, I invite you to deepen your path towards a sustainable fashion industry.
Boycotting fast fashion is important to start consuming products that you already own. It can also help you to understand the problems in the fashion industry and how to become a fashion activist. This is important because brands will not change unless consumers demand better business practices in the fashion industry. To hold brands accountable, we must start somewhere to demand for a more just and humane fashion industry. You can start by saying no to fast fashion. The following are the benefits of boycotting fashion and turning to sustainable alternatives:
Benefit #1: More Time for Research and Learning
Boycotting fast fashion can free up your time since you will no longer be browsing through stores. You can then use this free time to research the problems within the fashion industry. Learning about the hidden and complex issues in fashion is a journey that requires patience and effort. However, it will help you discover different solutions and paths you can take to participate in sustainable fashion. Consider starting your research by googling the following keywords and questions:
“issues in the fashion industry”
“garment worker exploitation in the fashion industry”
“fast fashion environmental impact”
“what is the impact of boycotting fast fashion?”
“will i cause more harm boycotting fashion than good?”
This independent research will be time-consuming but it will provide you with a deeper understanding of the issues behind fast fashion. But, if you have trouble finding relevant information and don’t know what to ask, consider taking the following FREE online courses:
Fashion Revolution’s Fashion’s Future: The Sustainable Development Goals
Fashion Revolution’s Who Made My Clothes?
The Slow Factory’s Open Edu Fall 2020
Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s From Linear to Circular
Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Economy: An Introduction
Copenhagen Business School Coursera’s Sustainable Fashion
University of Copenhagen Coursera’s The Sustainable Development Goals- A Global Transdisciplinary Vision For The Future
If you are a visual learner there are excellent free films found on YouTube that can provide a comprehensive understanding of problems caused by fast fashion.
Top FREE film suggestions to watch on YouTube are the following:
Learning about the issues will help decide whether boycotting fast fashion is something you will want to pursue. Consider your research as a self-paced journey where you don’t have to rush into anything you don’t want to do. It is unrealistic to quit fast fashion if you don’t know your alternatives and don’t understand how the industry works. It’s ok to take time and to make mistakes along your journey!
Benefit #2: Allows You To Be a Conscious Consumer
Understanding your intent behind quitting fast fashion is super important. You should discover the “why” behind your shopping decisions and what fast fashion means to you. Start this process by considering how you can build a stronger relationship with your clothing. This can be done by reflecting how each piece ended up in your closet in the first place! It can prevent your clothing from being worn just a couple of times and then end up in the landfill.
Did you know that in the US, 23.8 billion pounds of clothing and shoes are annually thrown away in the garbage? That’s about 73 pounds per person.
By not shopping for new clothing and not throwing away what you own, you are creating an immensely positive impact by saving resources! This is important in the face of a global pandemic and climate crisis where fashion brands are pretending it’s business as usual. About 70 million garment workers were abandoned by fashion brands that refused to pay for order, which left them jobless, hungry and exposed to COVID-19.
Once you stop shopping at fast fashion brands, it can help you become a better conscious consumer. This is consuming and buying in a way that is consistent with your values and beliefs.To be a conscious consumer that creates change in the fashion industry means actively researching where your clothing is made, understanding the working conditions of garment workers and acknowledging your purchasing power. All the while, it means making decisions that are in alignment with your knowledge and values. In this case, making the decision to quit fast fashion is in alignment with not wanting to support unethical and inhumane fashion brands. Your actions will set the tone of how you interact with fast fashion. Just be careful what brands you do end up supporting and the alternatives you choose to practice. This will be influenced by your idea around ethical consumption. Ethical consumption is defined as consuming goods in the “right” way. What is right and wrong will ultimately be subjective to you, but it usually implies taking into account the social and environmental impact of fashion in the world.
Benefit #3: Allows You To Become a Fashion Citizen
Consider the clothing that you already own and how it reflects on your values. This can help develop an idea of how you see yourself as a fashion consumer. Reflect on the clothing items you need versus want. This will take time and focus because fashion is tempting with its array of trends and marketing schemes. So make it a habit to create a shopping list of the things you need before you go shopping. It can help you stay focused, be a more intentional shopper and help you save money. You might be surprised to discover it can free up your budget to invest in more expensive, high-quality sustainable pieces!
Reflecting on what you need can help you realize your role as a fashion citizen. Fashion citizenship is when consumers act as responsible citizens through fashion. This implies a social contract based on an individual's duty to society and the environment. Although there are no laws and policies enforcing fashion citizenship, it urges for reflection of consumption and to build a regenerative society for a sustainable future. This is based on the importance to act through our purchasing power and to be activists to create change within systemic issues.
Benefit #4: Encourages Secondhand Shopping
Boycotting fast fashion does not mean not buying any more clothing. You can still buy clothing from second-hand platforms. The good thing about secondhand shopping is that it allows clothing to have a longer life with a new owner. Make sure to research and visit your local thrift stores to explore options to buy secondhand clothing. However be careful that you only buy clothing you will wear for a long time. It is not sustainable to buy secondhand clothing you will only wear a couple of times. Try to shop for things that fit your style and that you will love for years to come.
All the while, you can shop secondhand through online e-commerce platforms such as eBay, Poshmark and Depop. Boycotting fast fashion does not mean boycotting secondhand fast fashion. You can find amazing and trendy pieces if you spend a little time and effort looking around. Be careful to avoid dropshipping because this is where Depop sellers list fast fashion clothing at raised prices. Every order placed goes directly to fast fashion factories but is labeled as “luxury” or “vintage”. You can recognize dropshipping when multiple sellers use the same photo for the same fast fashion garment.
Benefit #5: Encourages Reuse, Reduce and Recycle
Boycotting fast fashion is a way to practice using what you have. Challenge yourself to make different outfits from a few pairs of shirts and pants. This can help encourage you to be more creative in using what is already in your closet and prevent clothing to be thrown away. If you do want to get rid of clothing you no longer want, consider hosting a clothing swap. This is when you trade clothing for free with friends and family. It can be a fun and easy way to get new pieces, socialize with loved ones and avoid fashion from turning into waste.
All the while, consider upcycling your clothing. This means reconverting old and boring pieces into new styles. Watch YouTube videos to help learn to upcycle clothing if you have limited sewing skills. It can open your eyes on how versatile clothing can really be and the endless ways you can use them. And if you have clothing that has holes and tears, consider mending them by hand! It is never too late to pick up new techniques and skills that help you save beloved clothing. It is as simple as buying a needle, some thread and watching a couple of videos in your free time. The important part is to remember why you are doing this and how it connects to the systemic issues in the fashion industry.
Good luck on your journey!