The lies that sell fast fashion

You deserve better than Shein.

There are countless articles and videos breaking down the abysmal labor practices, horrifying environmental toll, and overall mountain of waste produced by the fast fashion industry. Activists and even just large swaths of the general public have been raising the alarm about this for well over a decade, but it hasn’t stopped the rise of some of the worst offenders in the industry. For example, the ultra-fast fashion brand Shein has skyrocketed in value over the past five years largely due to their marketing success on TikTok. A lot of us know that fast fashion is bad, but the only way companies like Shein still thrive is if we convince ourselves otherwise and hit “add to cart” anyway. So why do we do it?

The answer is that e-commerce has completely warped our view of what items should cost and how long they should last (this includes and extends to our obsession with Amazon and two-day shipping). We’re moving through trends at an unprecedented pace and it’s doomed to get worse if we don’t adjust our buying habits and learn to slow down. Consumers are being manipulated, but we can do better.

You can also watch the sister video to this one from last year on why everything is worse now:

Sources and further reading:

Related Vox articles:

More on the environmental toll:

Video tags:
Fast fashion, fashion, waste, environment, shein, temu, h&m, zara, asos, tiktok, trends, trend cycles, consumers, consumerism, buying, clothing, pollution, runway, labor practices, unethical, hauls, shein haul, gen z, human rights, consumer goods, quality, brands, transparency, misinformation, uniqlo, trendy, cheap, inexpensive, true cost, cost, price, social media, e-commerce, greenwashing, even better, advice, service

[Vox]

... Or you can thread below how much you hate me for the shameless self-promotion. That’s fine too!
—Kim

[littlerascal]

As someone who studied sewing i think that something else needs to be addressed : people are not educated on how to recognize quality items, fabrics and techniques that make the clothing. I truly think that sewing classes in school would remedy some of the problems because it would allow people to appreciate quality and repair their clothes.

[katkam_]

Another problem is that nowadays, there is no "mid range" quality + affordable. The shirt that is $50 is basically the same cheap polyester quality as the $10 one. You have to go quite expensive to get better quality which is out of budget for a lot.

[Xeonerable]

Shein saw single-use plastics and thought "Oh yeah? Well we can pollute better than that!"

[dj]

Avg American: 68 items/year(?)
Me: looking at my newest item, a shirt, from 2 years ago, and wondering what the devil is wrong with people.

[dejahosein]

You’re so right. And then there’s the “slow fashion” companies who sell things so expensive claiming it’s recycled materials and other environmental claims but then 1 year later and the product is damaged. How are we gonna encourage people to make better choices when my fast fashion swimsuits 5/6 years later are holding up better in terms in longevity

[wordburd]

I was a dry cleaner for over 20 years. I can tell you that the actual million and billionaires do not buy fast fashion. They buy slow fashion and wear them to death. The richest guy I waited on would wear his dress shirts and khakis until the hems were getting ragged as well.

[sd-chcq]

'those pricier items WILL last longer'

That's my whole problem: most expensive clothing is cheap clothing with a bigger mark-up.
(There may be some exceptions, but they are hard to find and usually have an extremely limited selection of styles and sizes)

[Joan-nc]

I’ve been making my own clothes, from sustainable fabrics. And let me tell you. It’s expensive, money expensive and time expensive.

[michaelgourvitch]

The problem with a lot of other brands compared to fast fashion is that some of those brands, like Nike, Adidas, Ralph Lauren, P&K etc. etc., that definetly dont have fast fashion prices and promote themselves as leading brands in certain areas, still develop their clothes for very cheap.

While this doesnt justify buying from Shein, it basically makes a person, who doesnt have the time to reasearch every single brand, just confused about what brand is a quality product, made to last created by well paid workers and what is just pure marketing / branding but behind it the same cheap stuff.

[TheMedicatedArtist]

Don’t forget that the rising cost of everything (food, rent, gas, etc.) makes fast fashion more lucrative for companies.

And cheap prices usually mean low quality. So the second it breaks, customers come right back. To a lot of people, it’s better to just keep replacing a cheap product than investing in a higher quality, more expensive product.

[maresgoez]

"Shop like a billionare"
Meanwhile actual billionares wearing the same style of shirt for years.

[mariesmith]

We also need to talk about lack of transparency in labelling for online retail. I have issues finding out if shirts are even cotton or not, which is absolutely ridiculous considering we legally have to have that to be sold!! I've sent back shirts sold for $80+ because they turned out to be a cheap polyester. I don't want to buy things that will get destroyed after a few washes, why isn't there more push towards things that last longer? I hate having to find new things that look good on me all the time

[JM-uvxi]

Guess what ad popped up on Youtube right after I watched this video?

[brittanymlanders]

I wanted to add to the conversation that the prices at thrift and secondhand stores have also gone up to the point that Uber fast low quality fast fashion companies like SHEIN end up being truly the most affordable option for many.

[Sarahyz]

We the people have the power to change the status quo simply by BUYING LESS. And putting corporates like Shein accountable for their social and environmental impact.

[phillip]

"Capitalism drives innovation!"
The innovation:

[staind]

I'm clearly not the target audience as someone currently wearing a shirt I've had since 2012. I had never even heard of these two companies. It does make me wonder though, when I do go to buy a new hoodie, where should I buy from? It's easy enough to find more expensive clothes, but that doesn't mean they last longer or have better labor practices. What are the brands that do consistently check these boxes?

[trinomial-nomenclature]

My sister had a friend that never wore the same outfit twice and we (including her) were by no means overly wealthy (not even close to being rich), I have no idea how she managed.

And here I am, still wearing clothes I bought over a decade ago.

[gwynethelodie]

I highly recommend everyone gets a custom piece of clothing done by a tailor if they can. Going through the process of getting measured, picking out the fabrics, waiting for the garment to be sewn, and doing the fitting before taking that garment home, it really gives you a sense of how much care is put into making it. On top of that, it'll probably fit you better and be something you want to keep for a long time. It is more expensive yes, but it's worth the price and makes that piece feel even more special