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A guide to identifying fast fashion

A guide to identifying fast fashion

Do you ever wonder if your favorite brand is actually fast fashion? As consumers, we have the power to make choices that support sustainability by buying from sustainable slow fashion brands, but sometimes the line is blurry. Here is a guide on how to see through the lines of a brand and identify if it is fast fashion or not. 


A quick overview of the fast fashion business model:

Fast fashion is a design and production method that depends on the rapid production of trendy clothing at a cheap price. These pieces of clothing are known to be low quality, made of blended synthetic fabrics that are not long lasting and full of chemicals. Consumers often feel that these pieces are disposable after just a few wears. Fast fashion retailers replicate existing fashion trends and designs, which historically take designers months to create, but cut corners in their production methods to sell these trendy pieces quickly at a high volume. Additionally, fast fashion brands adopt designs from small independent designers and undercut the designer's selling value by pricing their replica at a much lower price point. Fast fashion companies essentially destroy the creative process by quickly and cheaply producing designs from small designers. While major houses brands like Gucci, Chanel, etc. design specifically for this "trickle-down" fashion movement and account for this in COGS, if small designers are replicated by fast fashion, they have no way to compete and it destroys their business entirely. 

 

5 ways to know: is your favorite brand actually fast fashion

 

Are the prices unusually low?  

One of the key identifiers of a fast fashion brand is the low prices, which often excites consumers to make a quick purchase. However, it is important to ask why the prices are so low and how the company can afford this production. Often, a cheap price tag is a signal of costs being cut elsewhere like underpaying workers, not adhering to safety guidelines, overworking employees, and using low-quality materials. Unfortunately, the low price alone drives more consumption consequently leading to more textile waste. 

Check it out yourself!  

Compare the price of similar items sold by a wide variety of brands to get a sense of what the overall average price point is. Fast fashion brands usually sell for a much cheaper price than their close competitors who are not fast fashion. 


Have you noticed a high turnover rate of the brand's inventory? 

With the rise of microtrends in fashion, we see the industry shifting away from the traditional four drops per year. Fast fashion is the driver of micro-seasons and micro-trends where new collections or styles are released weekly (52-collections) or even daily (365-collections). Many fast fashion brands have actually moved to the 365 model because the "newness" never ends. Fast fashion brands rely on new microtrends to quickly produce copycat clothing at a low cost for consumers to buy and stay up with these trends. However, the clothing is not designed to last a long time, leading to overproduction and excess waste.  

Check it out yourself!  

Check for frequent website updates and email notifications about new arrivals and limited-time offers. This is a dead giveaway that a brand is producing more than two or four collections each year and operating on a fast fashion business model.



Are the garments poorly constructed using low-quality materials?

First, in order to cut time and costs factory environments expect one worker to produce on average 500-600 garments per day. Obviously, with the rapid speed at which the workers are sewing they are not able to re-work mistakes to ensure quality stitching, leading to imperfect garments only suited to last a few wears. Additionally, fast fashion brands blend natural fibers with synthetic materials like polyester because this is cheaper than using 100% natural fiber. Blended synthetic materials are a  tell-tale sign that a brand is fast fashion. These cheap synthetic fabric blends are harmful because they create more textile waste, perpetuate the industry’s dependence on fossil fuel extraction, and add microplastics to the environment. 

Check it out yourself!  

Examine garments in the store for loose threads, uneven stitching, and poorly finished seams. Examine the inside seams, buttons, and hems for quality. If you haven't already explored the fabric's fiber content before purchasing, you can determine the quality of the fiber content by how well the fabric holds up in the washing machine. 

Are you seeing excessive marketing and discounts? 

Constant sales, discount codes, and marketing emails encouraging frequent purchases are the preferred tools of most fast fashion brands to encourage turnover. Under a model of rapid production, overproduction is a defining quality of fast fashion brands which leads to frequently discounted items to increase the turnaround and sales of older trends. 

Check it out yourself!

Monitor the brand’s promotional activities and frequency of sales events. If they are constantly running promotions, they are more likely to be fast fashion. 


To keep in mind

Ultimately, recognizing a fast fashion brand requires a keen eye for the subtleties of production and marketing strategies that prioritize speed and cost over quality and ethics. By utilizing this checklist, you can better navigate the fashion landscape, support brands that align with your values, and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable fashion industry. Remember, every purchase is a vote for the kind of world you want to live in. Choose wisely and advocate for change with your buying power.

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