What is Slow Fashion and Why Does it Matter?
Do you need a quick cliff-notes version of what slow fashion is and why it matters? I’ve got you covered!
What is Slow Fashion?
“Slow fashion” is a phrase that came in response to the uncovering of the dangerous realities of the “fast fashion” system that pushes out more clothes in a shorter time period and for less money than is needed to create quality, responsibly sourced goods. Since the early 90’s, fashion retailers have worked to keep up with the desire for more selections at a quicker pace by creating more fashion seasons, which perpetuated the demand for affordable clothing at a quicker pace, leading to the fast fashion revolution as we see it today.[1]
Slow fashion prioritizes:[2]
1. Slower production
2. Clothing with a longer lifespan
3. Safe working conditions for garment workers
4. Manageable workloads with adequate compensation for garment workers
5. Care for natural resources
Why Does Slow Fashion Matter?
The People Effected
The fast fashion trend of consumption has led to a culture of unfair wages, unsafe working conditions, and the oppression of unions capable of protecting workers, many of whom are young women “reluctant to demand better conditions and higher wages.”[3] Globalization allows clothing companies to outsource production to countries with the lowest production cost. If employees try to form unions or if conditions aren’t profitable, companies can shut down and move to other countries, often ones that don’t permit unions.[4] Meanwhile, the reality that raising wages for workers would barely increase the price of clothing goes largely ignored.[5]
We are often unaware of the high cost of our clothing, quickly forgetting about the stories of a factory collapse at Rana Plaza[6] and the Tazreen factory fire while purchasing our clothes.[7] Or, there’s the temptation to justify the system by arguing that other employment opportunities in countries like Bangladesh, Haiti, and India are much worse or even non-existent, making our purchases from fast fashion retailers a “necessary evil.”[8] However, purchasing from retailers that practice slow fashion can combat these negative effects of fast fashion, creating more opportunities for garment workers with companies that prioritize their safety and financial stability.
The Environment
Along with the negative impact on garment workers, the fast fashion industry also has harmful effects on the environment. Today, the average American throws away over 80 pounds of clothing every year, and even some of the clothing donated ends up in landfills because secondhand shops are receiving items at a rate much higher than needed. Because of the materials being used by most clothing companies, these items produce potent greenhouse gases as they break down, polluting the environment.[9] Slow fashion retailers work to address this impact on the environment by using materials that are safer for the environment (for example, organic cotton uses significantly less water and avoids pesticide use), and by making clothes that last longer.
Of course, there is plenty of other information you can find about slow fashion, but I wanted to just give a base understanding to serve as a framework for why I am beginning the journey of sustainable swaps in the closet. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be offering tips for saving the clothes you have, purchasing from sustainable brands, and making something new from your old clothes! In the meantime, if you want a quick guide to purchasing from ethical brands, check out the last blog post for some ideas, and stay tuned for more!
As always, thank you for joining me in this pursuit of a sustainable life!
Whitney
[1] Vertica Bhardwaj and Ann Fairhurst, “Fast Fashion: Response to Changes in the Fashion Industry,” The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research 20, no. 1 (February 2010): 167-68, accessed December 10, 2016, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232964904_Fast_fashion_Response_to_changes_in_the_fashion_industry.
[2] Sojin Jung and Byoungho Jin, “A theoretical investigation of slow fashion: sustainable future of the apparel industry,” International Journal of Consumer Studies, 38 (2014): 510-519, accessed May 10, 2020.
[3] Shae Garwood, Advocacy Across Borders: Ngos, Anti-Sweatshop Activism and the Global Garment Industry (Sterling, VA: Kumarian Press, 2011), 28-31.
[4] Ibid., 27.
[5] “The true cost of your cheap clothes: slave wages for Bangladesh factory workers,” Post Magazine, June 11, 2016, accessed December 18, 2016, http://m.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1970431/true-cost-you-cheap-clothes-slave-wages-bangladesh-factory.
[6] A “disastrous building collapse at the Rana Plaza factory complex outside Dhaka in April 2013 . . . killed more than 1,100 people, wounded hundreds of others, and renewed calls for improved safety measures at such facilities and higher salaries for workers.” Palash Ghosh, “Despite Low Pay, Poor Work Conditions, Garment Factories Empowering Millions of Bangladeshi Women,” International Business Times, March 25, 2014, accessed December 10, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.com/despite-low-pay-poor-work-conditions-garment-factories-empowering-millions-bangladeshi-women-1563419.
[7] European Parliament. Workers’ conditions in the textile and clothing sector: just an Asian affair? Issues at stake after the Rana Plaza tragedy. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/EPRS/140841REV1-Workers-conditions-in-the-textile-and-clothing-sector-just-an-Asian-affair-FINAL.pdf (accessed December 1, 2016).
[8] Ghosh.
[9] Alden Wicker, “Fast Fashion Is Creating an Environmental Crisis,” Newsweek, September 1, 2016, accessed December 10, 2016, http://www.newsweek.com/2016/09/09/old-clothes-fashion-waste-crisis-494824.html.