Fashion

For many teens, shopping for the latest fashion has become increasingly popular, and the need to produce and manufacture these trends at a fast rate has become a worldwide phenomenon for many well known clothing brands. This is known as fast fashion, and stores such as Shein, H&M, Forever 21, and Urban Outfitters are some of the leading contributors. According to Fashion experts, what may seem fun and harmless, could actually help lead the world to ecological disaster. Because these types of pieces are meant to follow current trends, many shoppers tend to discard items as soon as they are no longer in style, overflowing landfills and creating more pollution for our planet. In addition, the clothing typically contains microfibers and microplastics, which come from synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon. These are consumed by aquatic organisms, harming their health, and ultimately consumed by humans, putting plastic into our food chain. In continuation, producing, manufacturing, and transporting these large amounts of garments produced each year uses a lot of energy, and the synthetic fibers that most of the clothing is made of is generated from fossil fuels, which are extremely dangerous for our planet and have become one of the leading causes for global warming. Furthermore, there are tons of chemicals that go into every stage of textile production and manufacture, and our skin absorbs all of these unnatural substances which can endanger our health. Studies have found that chemicals contained in children’s pajamas can be found in a child’s urine only five days after it was worn once. In addition, those who are manufacturing the clothing are usually working in an unethical environment that is unsafe, containing hazardous working conditions, and are receiving unlivable wages. The best way to stop or minimize the threats from the fast fashion industry is by sourcing your clothing from sustainable, ethical, or repurposed clothing brands. Thrifting and upcycling clothing has become very popular amongst teens, and many times you may find clothing pieces for affordable prices, but without the need to buy into the market of fast fashion and contributing to this growing problem. So the next time you are searching for your next clothing purchase, maybe ask yourself the following questions: Will I re-wear this in the future? Do I just want this outfit for an Instagram picture? If so, will I wear it again? Am I sourcing clothing from a clothing brand that produces ethical or repurposed clothing?