Fast Fashion is problem across the globe where consumers are sucked in by fashion trends that last for a limited time. Therefore, after the buzz of the trend they are labelled as ‘old styles’ leaving hoards of clothes that no ones see’s as useful anymore.
Don’t get me wrong… I’m all for new and exciting trends to enter the fashion scene but I am not one to buy into it and exhaust it within months. If I really love a piece it will stay in my collection for as long as possible. Just by keeping something I really love can have an affect on fast fashion because I don’t feel the need to throw it away or leave it unloved just to get new piece of clothing that’s now ‘on trend’.
As you know I am a lover of buying second hand and that in itself has a big effect on fast fashion as I am not buying brand new pieces that are from a specific trend but that doesn’t mean I’m not following the trends. When I shop second hand I have the choice to recreate every trend ever and that’s invigorating. I get to decide which aspects of each one I want to explore but with my own personal twist.
The waste that fast fashion results in creates a lot of controversy in regards to the sustainability of fashion where designers are desperate to create trend based pieces but with a life long best before date however consumers are too stuck in their ‘trendy’ or ‘not trendy’ mindsets to even look outside of the high street.
The answer is simple. Step outside your comfort zone and look for sustainable company’s and brands that create quality pieces that are timeless. A few examples are Asos’s Eco Edit and H&M’s concious range. Both sites boast a huge range of sustainable and eco-friendly fashion with affordable price tags. I am often scolling through the Asos Eco Edit finding things I love and we all know how much love I have for H&M. You can find handmade pieces, re-worked vintage as well as environmentally friendly materials all just on those two sites alone. If you ventured out and really looked I’m sure there’s much more to see. So, you don’t have to go far from the high street to see how brands are changing to meet needs other than the newest trends.