In my opinion, nothing compares to the treasures of a good charity shop; some of my favourite pieces were a tenner from brands that easily would have charged at least a hundred pounds at retail. But recently, I have noticed a growing trend of fast fashion lining the racks in these shops — from H&M to Shein and Primark. Online isn’t much better — fast fashion brands are flooding apps like Vinted, making it increasingly hard to find good quality pieces that are actually vintage. So, what is causing this phenomenon?
It is no secret that the rise in fast fashion has created the path for micro-trends. Instead of trends coming and going every few years, patterns and certain styles only remain popular for a couple of months before being replaced with something new. There has been an influx of maximalist prints, such as lemon or leopard print, which are difficult to style after one or two wears, rather than timeless pieces which can last many years.
Many people buy these items impulsively, to join in with a trend, rather than focusing on their own personal style and what they actually like to wear. Because of this, the consumer very quickly gets bored with the item and doesn’t want it anymore.
However, the guilt of throwing clothes away means consumers send their discarded clothes in huge hauls to charity shops, overwhelming them with supply to feel less guilty about fast fashion consumption.
But it’s not just the consumer; brands are also a major factor in why charity shops are overwhelmed with clothing. Boohoo donates over 100,000 samples per year to local charities, and Pretty Little Thing claims that its donations to charity shops saves over 100 tonnes of clothing heading to landfill. However, isn’t the fact that these items have to be donated a sign that these fast fashion corporations are simply overproducing items in excessive quantities? Donating these items does not cancel out the impact on the planet — it just delays its journey to landfill.
So, what can be done about it? There are still vintage pieces out there, even if they are harder to find, and it’s better to buy fewer, better-quality pieces than fill a basket with lots of items. You can also start from the beginning with how you buy fast fashion. Is the item you’re buying something you’ll keep? Will it last multiple wears? Other options include borrowing or swapping clothes with friends or family; this keeps your wardrobe feeling fresh whilst helping the planet and your bank account!
We can all combat the impact of fast fashion if we make a few more conscious choices about what we buy and where we buy it from.
Photo by Becca McHaffie on Unsplash.