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Introduction & Background

Fast fashion refers to mass-produced, inexpensive but trendy clothing. It allows retailers to quickly cycle their offerings to stay on top of consumer trends. It democratizes fashion, as well, by putting high-end styles within affordable reach of middle- and lower-class consumers.

The term itself has been used to critically discuss the environmental impact of these practices, as the rapid turnover in styles and the cheaply-produced quality of the goods means a lot of clothing ends up in landfills, never worn or worn only briefly before being discarded for the next style. The production process for textiles and garments itself can also be highly exploitative of vulnerable but skilled workers.

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Finding Resources

  • circular fashion
  • consumption, consumer behavior
  • disposable fashion
  • environmental issues
    • water pollution
    • solid waste
    • carbon emissions
  • garment industry
  • intellectual property
    • knock-offs
  • labor exploitation
    • child labor
    • work conditions
  • planned obsolescence
  • ready-to-wear
  • second-hand clothing
  • slow fashion
  • social media trends, influencers
  • sustainable fashion
  • textile industry
    • natural, synthetic fibers
  • trends (fashion)

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About This Page

This page was originally developed by Elaine Patton.

First published: Nov. 2023