Fashion trends used to change with the seasons but these days, they change more often. “Fast fashion” is a term that means styles that you see on fashion runways getting manufactured for sale in stores very quickly and cheaply. Fast fashion shops like H&M, Zara, and Forever 21 offer the latest styles for low prices, making current fashions accessible to a lot of people. Fast fashion makes it easier for us to be in style, but it has some bad effects as well—especially for the environment and overseas workers.

Newsweek states that every year, the average American throws away 80 pounds of clothing. Many of those clothes can’t be recycled or resold, so a lot of them end up in landfills. A landfill is a place where garbage is buried in the ground.

The fashion industry also has a bad effect on the environment through the manufacturing process. According to the World Bank, about 20% of industrial water pollution comes from cloth manufacturing. The WWF reports that in order to make enough cotton for just one t-shirt, 700 gallons (more than 2,500 liters) of water are used. Also, most fast fashion is made overseas in poorer countries by workers who make very small wages and often work in unsafe conditions.

Some fast fashion sellers have started to pay attention to these problems and are trying to do what they can to lessen their impact. For example, H&M is a fast fashion giant that has over 4,000 stores all over the world. They have a recycling program where people can bring in old clothes, from any brand, and receive coupons for the store. Also, some of their clothing contains some recycled fabric, but nothing they sell is 100% recycled. H&M and Zara have also begun paying higher wages to overseas workers. There are other fashion brands working to become more socially responsible, including Levi’s which has a line of jeans made using 96% less water.

One independent US designer, Tom Cridland, whose philosophy is “buy less, buy better”, has recently released a line of “30-year clothing”. His 30 Year Sweatshirt, T-shirt, and Jacket are made from high-quality Italian cotton and manufactured in Portugal. The company says their clothes will last for 30 years and, if they are damaged in that time, can be sent back to the company to be fixed free of charge.

Can fast fashion be done in a more environmentally friendly way or should consumers be more careful about the brands and the amount of clothing they buy? One thing is for certain: we cannot continue buying and throwing away clothes at the same rate because eventually there won’t be anywhere to put them.

Fashion used to change with the seasons but these days, it changes more often. “Fast fashion” is a term that means styles that you see in fashion shows get made for sale in stores very fast and for very little money. Fast fashion shops like H&M, Zara, and Forever 21 offer the latest fashions for low prices, making it easy for lots of people to buy new fashions. Fast fashion makes it easier for us to be in style, but it can be bad for the Earth and people in poorer countries who make the clothes.

Newsweek states that every year, an average American will throw away 80 pounds of clothing. Many of those clothes can’t be recycled or resold, so a lot of them end up in landfills. A landfill is a place where garbage is put in the ground.

The way clothes are made can also be bad for the Earth. The World Bank has reported that about 20% of water pollution from companies comes from making cloth. The WWF reported that in order to make enough cotton for just one t-shirt, more than 2,500 liters of water are used. Most fast fashion is made in poorer countries by workers who make very little money and the places where they work are often unsafe.

Some fast fashion sellers have started trying to do what they can to be better. For example, H&M is a fast fashion giant that has over 4,000 stores all over the world. They have a recycling program where people can bring in old clothes, from any brand, and receive coupons for the store. Also, some of their clothing contains some recycled fabric, but nothing they sell is 100% recycled. H&M and Zara have also begun paying more money to workers. There are other fashion brands working to become better. For example, Levi’s has a line of jeans made using 96% less water.

One US designer, Tom Cridland, who thinks people should “buy less, buy better”, has recently introduced a line of “30-year clothing”. His 30 Year Sweatshirt, T-shirt, and Jacket are made from high-quality Italian cotton and made in Portugal. The company says their clothes will last for 30 years and, if anything happens to them in that time, can be sent back to the company to be fixed free of charge.

Can fast fashion be done in a way that’s better for the Earth or should buyers be more careful about the brands and the amount of clothing they buy? One thing is for sure: we cannot continue buying and throwing away clothes at the same rate because one day there won’t be anywhere to put them.