Fast fashion has become a phenomenon, with cheap and disposable clothing dominating the fashion industry. The cost of fast fashion is not just financial - it significantly impacts the environment and the workers making the clothes. 2022 saw the terms slow and ethical fashion become buzzwords as Boohoo and PLT tried to cash in on demand for conscious clothing. However, the fast fashion system can only be ethical if the speed and cheapness from which it is accessed stops relying on exploitation at every corner. As more and more consumers discover this, the question of how to break the fast fashion cycle is inescapable.

First, let's look at how fast fashion dominated our shopping habits in the first place. Social media has significantly impacted how we consume fashion items, creating a constant stimulation and instant gratification culture. Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest bombard consumers with daily images and videos of new styles, trends and influencer collaborations. This content is readily available and in our hands as long as we own a smartphone, so it's no surprise that many of us feel encouraged and empowered to keep up with the latest fashion and purchase new items regularly.

These platforms have also made reaching a large audience easier for fast fashion brands. Many now use influencer marketing to promote their products. In addition, influencers regularly receive free clothing from the brands in exchange for promoting them on social media, adding to the constant stream of content urging consumers to buy into a lifestyle. You're not cool or fun or sexy if you don't have the newest things, apparently.

Instagram was bad enough, but the popularity of the video-centred app TikTok has exacerbated the culture of comparison and competition, where people feel pressure to have the latest trends and styles before anyone else. Nowadays, an outfit is only worth it if it fits into some hashtagged pocket. See "cottage-gore" or "grunge-sleaze" or whatever the kids call it. This has led to impulsive buying and overconsumption, fuelling the cycle and creating large-scale atrocities like the Rana Plaza collapse and environmental disasters where waves of textile waste wash up on beaches in countries like Ghana.

How do you get fast fashion out of your life?

• Audit your wardrobe: take stock of what you already own and make a note of the pieces you love, that you wear frequently and what you rarely or never wear. When I'm doubtful about an item, I ask myself, "if I didn't own it, would I repurchase it?". Anything I haven't worn in the last year or so doesn't get to stay. Analysing your clothing habits can help you understand your style better, making it less trend-led and more personal.

  
  

• Wear what you already own, but when needing to replace items or buy new ones: research! Brands that prioritise sustainability and ethical labour won't keep quiet about it. Start with their website, but also make friends with sites like Good On You, where they give brands a rating and break it down for you. They cover everything from animal welfare to factory audits.

  
  

• The less you buy, the more you can save - which means you're better off investing in quality. Fast fashion brands tend to favour cheaper fabrics such as polyester, which do not last long but sadly take a criminal amount of time to break down in landfills. Natural fibres are the way to go: cotton, linen, and wool are biodegradable and more durable.

  
  

• My favourite way to shop is on the pre-owned market. Shopping second-hand will improve your relationship with fashion while satisfying that dopamine hit! Of course, only some things need to be bid on, but it is half the fun! Having alerts on for brands and items in your size and checking in every other day will help you slowly build your wardrobe with one-of-a-kind pieces.

  
  

• Practice mindfulness; make every purchase a considered one. It's easy to get drawn into new trends; enjoying them is okay if they fit your style with longevity and not just a season or year. If I can't put an item with at least a handful of other things I own, I don't buy it. Don't normalise having many pieces in your wardrobe that only go with "that pair of shoes" or "those trousers". Think cohesiveness rather than bits and pieces.

  
  

• Learning basic sewing skills is like gaining a superpower. I recently learned to take in the waist of several pairs of pants I bought second-hand that were too big for me. I barely knew how to sew a button, but I watched a few YouTube tutorials, and now I'm more than ready to mend a hole or broken zipper or add a patch. You can either upcycle those items or turn them into something else altogether. So, if those jeans don't fit anymore - they could be a skirt in their next life.

  
  

• Streamline your social media following. When I used to follow fashion influencers, I habitually used them as inspiration for my style. Before long, I felt that I needed whatever they had. Seeking inspiration is natural and encouraged, but copying is different. When you've got a firm view of your style, unfollow influencers that don't align with it. Additionally, seek out influencers who make recommendations for ethical and sustainable brands; the more brands there are to choose from, the less you'll be tempted by Asos etc.

So besties, it's time to say goodbye to fast fashion and say hello to a more sustainable and ethical wardrobe. From auditing your wardrobe to investing in quality pieces and even learning basic sewing skills, there are numerous ways to release yourself from the grips of the fast fashion monster. Our clothing choices may always feel personal, but it's all clever marketing and mind games - you all know that scene from The Devil Wears Prada! Buy less, Invest better and take back control!

Resources to help:

Venetia La Manna’s Instagram Page - Venetia is another friend of mine, and I am always in awe of her thought-provoking and engaging videos and activism. Her series, where she follows a recipe but actually gives you shocking facts on some of the nation’s favourite brands like H&M and Skims, is ICONIC.

Good On You is a brand directory with a rating system. They separate scores by human rights, fair wages, animal welfare, and environmental impact. It’s not perfect, depending on your outlook, but it’s a handy resource for looking up whether brands are as ethical and sustainable as they say.

Fashion Revolution have been campaigning passionately for a clean, safe, fair, transparent and accountable fashion industry for over 10 years.