In recent years, overconsumption has plagued social media platforms in the form of new “must-have” clothing, accessories, and makeup emerging every week. Many people run to the store to purchase what their favorite content creator recommended. Although these impulse purchases seem insignificant, they have dire consequences for the environment and the planet’s health. As trend cycles and attention spans become shorter and shorter each year, clothing production is increasing at a terrifying rate for the planet.
Fast fashion truly took off in the 1990s (Britannica) when companies began to accelerate output to keep up with the trends. Since then, the trend cycle has become so short that most now exist as “micro-trends,” which are trends that fit a niche online audience that online retailers then create quick and cheap products to appeal to. Soon enough, these micro-trends are picked up by influencers and they promote it on their accounts. But as soon as people run to the store to buy the new must-have product a new one has already hit the feed.
A large contributor to this issue is the popular online retailer SHEIN. SHEIN has ready-made products for every trend as soon as they pop up. Due to the low prices, people will often overindulge as many creators on platforms like TikTok post several-part series of their fashion hauls for the season. The clothes are most often made of synthetic materials like polyester, which break down into microplastics when washed and eventually thrown away. Not only does SHEIN sell clothes, but it also sells home improvement tools and pet supplies, which makes the site a quick-stop shop. Although the convenience is alluring, its impact on the environment isn’t—as according to TIME—the company leaves 6.3 million tons of carbon emissions in its wake every year.
Since fast fashion took off, it has had irreversible effects on the environment, with clothing production doubling from 2000 to 2015 (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) to keep up with trend cycles. In 2018, 11,300 tons (EPA) of textiles ended up in landfills, which inevitably consisted of synthetic materials like those used by SHEIN. These synthetic fibers break down into microscopic particles which—according to a 2017 report (ICUN) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature—when thrown away and end up in the landfill, create 35% of the total microplastics that end up in the ocean. Due to the shortened trend cycles, people buy a new item of clothing every 5.5 days (Ellen MacArthur Foundation), which is approximately 66 pieces of clothing every year. As people buy clothing at a faster rate, they wear their clothes 36% fewer times than they did just 15 years ago in 2009.
Although many consumers are simply attempting to fit in by keeping up with the trends, the level of individual consumption adds up. The fast fashion industry continues to grow because of these consumers, and their impact on the environment grows alongside them. As a society, we need to be more conscious of where we buy our clothes from, how often we wear the clothes we already have, and whether or not having the new “must have” tank top or jeans is worth the consequences.
