Fast Fashion's Impact on the Secondhand Market

Allison Stroman - Fast fashion is extremely popular in today’s fashion world, and it is quickly taking over racks and shelves in many thrift and second hand stores. But, what is the real impact of this trend on thrifting? And what actually classifies a brand as fast fashion?

Fast fashion differentiates itself from other kinds of retailers by working faster and creating more garments for more trends in a shorter period of time and at a cheaper cost:

“Fast fashion retailers move, well, faster than their traditional counterparts. This means that they compress production cycles and turn out up-to-the-minute designs, enabling shoppers to not only expand their wardrobes but also refresh them quickly—and cheaply.”

As nice as this might sound on the surface, these brands, including Shein or Temu, typically rely on exploitative and unsafe working conditions to fuel their production cycle at a low cost to the company and consumer. Additionally, the materials they use are harmful to the environment, worsening the already staggering environmental consequences of the fashion industry:

“Polyester doesn’t biodegrade and sits in landfills and water systems, shedding microfibers over time. These microfibers end up in the water systems….Still, overproduction, whether of synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon or natural fibers like cotton, can be an issue. Cotton, for example, is a plant that requires a significant amount of water, fertilizer, and pesticides, with the exception of truly organic cotton.”

The trendiness is extremely popular, but the cost is not something most people are willing to accept, leading many to turn away from fast fashion. Therefore, the second hand market is quite enticing, but with the rise of fast fashion on their racks, is it still the sustainable and ethical choice it once was?

Many people use second hand platforms like Depop to resell their fast fashion items after the microtrend they hopped on ends. This, although technically secondhand shopping, does not actually decrease consumption or slow down the production cycles to maintain environmental and human safety, because people use it to continue purchasing fast fashion and keep buying and ditching clothing as quickly as possible. The goal should instead be slowing down purchasing clothing and shifting over from companies like Shein to companies with easy to find and active programs and practices for sustainability and workplace safety. 

In addition to one-time-wear culture, brands known for unethical practices and subpar environmental action are coming out with resale platforms as an excuse to keep overproducing inventory:

“But at the heart of the issue is that brands like Urban Outfitters are not slowing down the rate of their new production in conjunction with these initiatives. Aside from the fact that UO, Free People, and Anthropologie are pumping out thousands of new clothes a year, Nuuly itself states on its homepage that it stocks new items every week rather than sticking with the same collection of reusable garments. In November, Urban Outfitters had 1,005 products listed in its ‘New In Women’’s website section, with only 76 of those products being part of the brand’s ‘Vintage & Renewal’ range. That’s less than 8%. The other 92% of products for this category? Brand new.”

These programs are purely there for performative action, greenwashing, and more money to fund overproduction. By keeping customers buying from them, these brands can further fund their pockets without taking actual action against their past violations. 

Again and again, the fashion industry proves that the best answer is to reduce our consumption and, using the power of consumer dollars, slow down the production cycle until it is safe and sustainable for both the environment and those involved in all phases of manufacturing and production. 

“Embrace ‘slow fashion’ by breaking free from the ‘wear once and toss’ mindset. Instead, invest the money you would have spent on multiple fast fashion items into one or two higher quality second-hand pieces of clothing that will last you longer, and likely fit you better….Invest in timeless staples: Relieve yourself of the pressure to keep up with seasonal trends. Instead, opt for durable, high-quality essentials that never go out of style. Mix and match these wardrobe superheroes to create endless outfits. Who needs a mountain of clothes when a few versatile pieces do the trick?” 

In slowing down the consumption cycle and instead investing in high-quality, long-lasting clothing, we can bring the uniqueness back to the second hand market and transform it into an actual sustainable solution, alongside reducing our consumption.

To learn more about donating your clothing and the good it can do, visit Repurpose’s donation page. We harness the luxury resale market for good, using the proceeds to fund job readiness, personal development, and mentorship training for the next generation of the fashion and design industries. This education centers conscious consumption and sustainable practices, turning fashion into a force for good. If you are interested in getting involved, contact us to learn more.