Wear, Waste, Repeat - The Fast Fashion Cycle
- Hanna Jones
- Mar 24
- 11 min read
Editor’s Note: It is no surprise that the United States of America has a serious issue with overconsumption - media, clothes, substances, legal and illegal, among a few. We are all guilty of it. Every new event requires a “new fit” and retailers like Shien, Temu and even your fav Zara, are making it not only easy but cost effective to do so. Every time I see a new haul on my social media, I can't help but feel saddened—partly because I can't, in good conscience, partake but also that this issue is perpetuated by my peers. My goal is to not instill a sense of dread with this piece but rather offer hopeful alternatives to living in harmony with fashion. Because whether we like it or not, fashion is here to stay.
The fashion industry is the third biggest polluter in the world. That is a fact. According to Uniform Market, the fast fashion market share in the US is on the steady incline with no sign of slowing down. “Fast fashion is now a $150.82 billion industry, it has grown by 10.74% from 2024 and is further estimated to reach $291.1 billion by 2032.” Additionally, they also claim that this industry is responsible for “10% of the total annual carbon footprint surpassing international flights and maritime shipping combined.”
The steady incline of fast fashion signals to policy makers and consumers that there is money to be made and things to be had. What's even worse is that even with the rise of sustainable fashion & the prioritization of doing what's best for our collective home, the people don't seem to care as much as they say they do. To highlight my point—from the same statistics report, Gen Z supports sustainable fashion but aren’t willing to give up their weekly or monthly Shien hauls.
“It’s safe to say that Gen Z is a hypocrite in the fast fashion case, a SHU study uncovered a paradox among Gen Z fashion consumers — 94% respondents said they support sustainable clothing but surprisingly 17% of them shopped at a fast fashion retailer every week, and 62% did so monthly. Only 10% claimed to have never purchased from fast fashion outlets. The age group spends $767 on average every year buying fast fashion.”
Understanding the environmental impact of fashion isn't just about where you shop but also what you’re wearing. The materials themselves play a crucial role in the sustainability of our clothing.
Over 70% of garments are made of synthetic fibers like nylon, acrylic, rayon, and polyester being the HBIC. High-quality polyester is amazing for workout garments and has proven to have amazing longevity if taken care of. I don’t want to misinform you that these materials are all “bad.” The issue with these materials is that they aren’t biodegradable and yet the stores producing these garments are using low-quality synthetic textiles that aren’t built for durability.
But how can you tell if your garment is using low quality fibers? Pilling, holes and just looking worn out are sure signs of low-quality materials. But natural fibers aren’t necessarily a more eco-friendly alternative either. Materials like cotton, wool and silk come with their own ecological challenges; such as requiring a lot of water, pesticides and even fertilizer to produce. I bet you can see where I am going with this so I won't insult your intelligence by explaining why this is an issue. Now, let's talk about resource expenditure associated with this growing industry.
“Beyond carbon emissions, fast fashion consumes vast amounts of natural resources, using 141 billion cubic meters of water annually and contributing to 35% of microplastics polluting our oceans.”
Ahh yes, microplastics. The perfect seasoning to your weekly organic, homemade dinner…anyway.. Just to give you a visual of how much water that really is—imagine an Olympic-sized pool. Are you imagining it? Okay amazing! It is roughly 50 meters long, 25 meters wide, & 2 meters deep. In customary terms, that is 164 ft long, 82 ft wide, and almost 7 ft deep. They hold about 660,000 gallons of water. Now imagine 100 million cubic meters is equal to 40,000 Olympic sized pools. I am not a statistician but that sounds like… a lot, girl.
Point blank - this vicious cycle is ingrained into our daily lives and despite growing awareness of the fashion industry’s environmental impact, overconsumption continues to thrive. So, If 'saving the planet' isn’t enough to curb consumer habits, what will? This piece explores why sustainability messaging isn’t enough to curb fast fashion, and how thrifting & upcycling offer a more sustainable alternative.
This is a multifaceted issue with a ton of moving parts. From demographic indicators to the ease of online shopping to social media, these tools make impulse and excessive purchases easier and sometimes, more affordable. The relationship between brands and their consumers have been like a toxic ex from high school that you just want to forget but somehow they always find their way back in your mind and it’s by design.
One of my personal goals for 2025 is to not only be a more conscious consumer of wearable goods but also to be mindful of the type of material I am hanging up in my closet & how to properly take care of it.
Indianapolis-based influencer & upcycling queen, Navi Kaur has been turning existing pieces into something truly 1-of-1. I sat down with her to see where she gets her inspiration, how she got started, and why upcycling is important to her.
“I’ve always enjoyed repurposing things—whether it’s gift wraps, glass jars, or other everyday items. So when I had clothes that I loved but didn’t want to give away, upcycling felt like a natural next step. It allowed me to keep pieces that held sentimental value while giving them a fresh, new life.” Navi said.
But what does sustainable fashion mean? When we think of it broadly, it is the practice of being a mindful consumer to limit the total carbon footprint. Our bestie miss Oxford Dictionary defines it like this: “The avoidance of the depletion of natural resources to maintain an ecological balance.”
With that being said, sustainability is inherently an act of protest to capitalism. These two practices cannot coexist in an economy together—or at least we haven’t seen it play out like that. I was curious about what motivated Navi to start upcycling. Was it an act of resistance to America’s consumer culture or rather something more personal to her.
She states, “For me, upcycling is personal. I started thrifting as a way to create unique pieces without breaking the bank and to challenge myself to learn new skills. At the end of the day, no matter how you look at it, I’m still consuming—there’s really no way to fully resist consumer culture. It’s more about being mindful of what I’m consuming, where it comes from, and how I can make the most out of what already exists.”
Things like social media exacerbate the need for status and living like your favorite influencer. Aesthetic UGC content from brands probe us (literally) to want those things and adopt a similar lifestyle. But have you ever sat with yourself for a little while and thought - “Do I actually want this or am I just the target audience in a brand's KPI metrics?” Our human psychology is integral to the success of the marketing and advertising industry. I asked Navi about her thoughts on the current state of fast fashion & overconsumption in general.
“I believe fast fashion and overconsumption have been glorified by social media. We’ve evolved into a mindset where having more clothes is seen as a sign of being well-off, rather than valuing quality pieces that truly last. There are a lot of variables at play, and I don’t necessarily think it’s people’s fault—it’s more of an educational gap. Many have been led to believe that buying multiple items for under $10 is better than investing in a few high-quality outfits. While the upfront cost of well-made clothing might be higher, those pieces can last for years, making them a smarter and more sustainable choice in the long run.” she said.
In high school, I wrote a paper that discussed the unethical practices employed from marketing and advertising firms that directly target the human subconscious and exploit it for profit. It’s a harsh truth that we are all subjected to as a price of living in a capitalistic America. Let’s look a little closer about the psychology of overconsumption.
An article from overconsumption.org (how fitting) breaks it down the best so I am going to link it here and summarize the key points. If you ever took a Psych 101 class, one of the first lessons you probably learned was this idea of groupthink & conformity. Coined by psychological researcher Irving Janis, It’s this idea that we as a species prioritize harmony over critical thinking. In other words, we are wired to be people pleasers. This was mostly used in a study to evaluate this idea in foreign policy decisions that resulted in the Vietnam War, Bay of Pigs and Pearl Harbor however, I think it has bled into our daily lives and we don’t even know it (or aren’t conscious of it).
A symptom of this idea is peer pressure to conform or to “Keep up with the Joneses.” This inherently reduces the efficiency of critical thinking and problem solving in these types of groups out of fear of being ostracized. We see this A LOT in fashion trends—like the comeback of the skinny jean or purchasing multiple of the same shirt in different colors, to name a couple. But what if I told you that fashion brands and magazines aren’t the ones trend forecasting and setting the tone of consuming, the consumers are (to an extent).
Sorry to bring you back to high school but in Econ 101 we learned about supply and demand. The demand is inherently set by us, the consumers. It is up to the brands to supply. If we stop demanding more than what we need, they will stop supplying, right? Let’s dig deeper. This idea of conformity aligns more closely with our topic of trends and consumers but I like to think of both of these ideas like this:
Groupthink - executive board rooms, brands, magazines.
Conformity - consumers, peers, social status, influencers.
Conformity is defined as: “the process whereby people change their beliefs, attitudes, actions, or perceptions to more closely match those held by groups to which they belong or want to belong or by groups whose approval they desire.”
So, if we are inherently susceptible to conformity in fear of being rejected by our peers, the hellish fast fashion cycle will continue to spin and we will continue to consume. You’d think that with thrifting’s rise in popularity, the fast fashion industry still wouldn’t be climbing right? RIGHT?
This goes back to our consumer behavior. To put it bluntly, people are always going to choose convenience, affordability and societal pressure to “have.” The path of least resistance is a natural path to choose for most. It is easy to say “wear what you want” but humans are designed to seek out community at any cost - even if that cost is earth's integrity. This is one of the many reasons why “saving the earth” messaging isn’t connecting with us on a larger scale. Regardless of how trivial and materialistic it is to have “things”, they are the thread that connects us all.
The rise of upcycling and thrifting has disrupted the fast fashion industry to provide a more ecological alternative to shop. According to a Capital One study, “Online resale is expected to account for half of the secondhand apparel market by 2025 and is expected to reach $40 billion by 2028.” Online retailers like ThredUp, The Real Real & Depop are in a position to truly disrupt the fast fashion industry but there’s a catch—It is not always cost effective to the consumer and that is the core problem. Aside from these alternatives, the rise in popularity has essentially priced out the people who rely on lower cost of goods to survive from donation-based stores like Goodwill and The Salvation Army.
“I think social media has helped spread awareness that buying secondhand doesn’t mean someone is poor—it has shown people that thrifting can be a stylish and sustainable choice. However, I do see how this increased popularity might be causing stores like Goodwill to raise their prices, which can negatively impact those who rely on secondhand clothing for financial reasons. That being said, if the overall result is less waste and a shift toward more conscious consumption, then I’m all for it.” Navi said.
Additionally, there are other online websites that offer subscription services where you can rent clothes like Rent the Runway or Nuuly. These are also great alternatives when you need a new outfit for an event or want to experiment with your personal style. The idea of thrift flipping or upcycling existing clothing pieces is another way to A) get creative with your style and B) limit your personal effect on the environment.
If you’re curious on getting started in upcycling, Navi has some advice:
“Start small and start with your closet. Find that one item in your closet (we all have one) that you have never worn because it didn’t fit well or just doesn’t go with anything. See if you can fix it to fit better. Make it shorter or combine it with another garment to mix pattern or fabric. Combine two shirts to make it oversized. You can start with shopping in your own closet. Everything else you may need is available online. YouTube is a great resource for learning new skills. And most importantly—have fun with it! Upcycling is all about experimenting, so don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how you learn and develop your own style.”
In essence, small actions make a big difference. So… where do we go from here? Well, firstly we can be a more conscious consumer. Here are some tips.
Read your clothing’s washing instructions and follow them to maximize their longevity
Upcycling doesn’t only mean clothing, opting for glass rather than plastic, using reusable bags at the grocery store, bringing your own takeout dishes to a restaurant are great ways to be a more conscious human.
Swap out low-quality materials with high quality ones.
Support small creators who are making it their mission to provide ethically sourced, 1 of 1 pieces.
Along with Navi, there are a few other small if not sole creators who surround thrift flipping and creating their own clothing as a means to live. Here are some of my favorite creators to follow and you should absolutely support:
If you’ve read this far, thank you so much! I truly appreciate you. If you want to stay connected on socials, my personal is @hannaposted on Instagram and TikTok and my photography page is @hannajonesphotos. I hope to see you soon & thank you again for reading! <3
Works Cited
American Psychological Association. “Why Do We Overindulge?” American Psychological Association, 10 May 2024, https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2024/05/why-do-we-overindulge.
Climate Council. “Fast Fashion and Climate Change.” Climate Council, https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/fast-fashion-climate-change/.
Earth.Org. “Fast Fashion’s Detrimental Effect on the Environment.” Earth.Org, https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/.
Fashion Revolution. “Overconsumption in the Fashion Industry.” Fashion Revolution, https://www.fashionrevolution.org/overconsumption-in-the-fashion-industry/.
Korten, Trista. “Why Over-Consumption Is Making Us Unhappy.” Psychology Today, 15 Mar. 2018, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/buddhist-economics/201803/why-over-consumption-is-making-us-unhappy.
Sentient Media. “Overconsumption.” Sentient Media, https://sentientmedia.org/overconsumption/#:~:text=Overconsumption%20is%20inextricably%20linked%20to,electrical%20wires%20and%20cell%20phones.
Sustainable LA Grand Challenge. “The Fast Fashion Epidemic.” UCLA Sustainability, 16 Feb. 2024, https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/2024/02/16/the-fast-fashion-epidemic/.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Rethinking Clothing Consumption: Understanding the Human Cost of Fast Fashion.” UNC Ethics & Policy, 26 Apr. 2024, https://ethicspolicy.unc.edu/news/2024/04/26/rethinking-clothing-consumption-understanding-the-human-cost-of-fast-fashion/.
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