For broke high schoolers, fast-fashion brands like Shein and Romwe can seem like the ideal option for shopping. Unfortunately, these cheap clothing companies have roots in unethical labor and are the opposite of sustainable. 

Fast fashion brands sell cheap clothing that caters to the latest trends. These brands have many things in common; they sell a seemingly endless number of products, they use low-quality materials, and they typically use factories in foreign countries where workers earn very low wages. 

The growth of fast fashion has been detrimental to both our environment and the working conditions of factory workers around the world. The fashion industry is currently the second largest polluter of clean water after agriculture. The manufacturing of polyester contributes to global warming, and producing cotton requires 2,400 gallons of water per pound. In the U.S. alone, 21 billion pounds of clothing end up in landfills every year. Meanwhile, workers are suffering as well due to the pressure on large companies to reduce product cost and increase production speed. Many offshore garment laborers work in dangerous conditions for a small fraction of minimum wage and without basic human rights. A significant number of these workers face impacts on their physical and mental health due to working with toxic chemicals. 

In direct contrast, sustainable fashion is designed and manufactured in a way that causes the least environmental damage possible. Sustainable fashion brands focus on addressing five main issues: high water usage, dangerous chemicals, low durability, large amount of waste, and harmful agricultural techniques. It is intricately related to ethical fashion, which refers to clothing made by companies with the welfare of their workers in mind. 

The first alternative to fast fashion is buying clothing that has been previously owned. Although it may not have been manufactured in a sustainable way, thrifting clothing means fewer wasted resources and less clothing in landfills. In relation to that, clothing that is still wearable should be donated to used-clothing stores, even if only to keep them out of landfills for a short while longer. 

“I honestly prefer thrift stores to regular stores now. I never actually thought about how it helps the environment, so that’s very cool to realize and it’s definitely a bonus,” said senior Tiffany Nguyen. 

The second alternative is to buy clothes from companies that are proven to be sustainable and ethical. Many of these brands are, admittedly, more expensive than what the average high-school student is used to, like but the way they protect the environment and support human rights makes their products worth the cost. Additionally, the point of sustainable fashion is for clothing to be long-lasting, so the higher price is reasonable for the high quality. Paying $25 for a shirt instead of $5 will eventually be worth it. 

Without a doubt, companies that focus on environmentalism and socially equitable practices are worth your time and money. Even if clothing from a sustainable fashion brand costs more than an outfit from Fashion Nova or H&M, there shouldn’t be a price on a healthy environment and a thriving population of workers. 

Graphic courtesy of BUSINESSOFFASHION.COM