The Truth About Fast Fashion
So you get a cute pair of shorts on sale at Zara. Fast forward to next season and you're over them. You think you're doing a good deed by donating them to your local Value Village. What you might not realize is that 85% of the clothing that's donated to these charitable places actually ends up in a landfill in a third world country. Turns out your good deed, actually isn't a good dead at all.
I get it, we love fast fashion because it provides instant gratification. We want the latest trends NOW NOW NOW, but 1) the quality is shit and 2) it's bad for the environment. The other day I went to put on a pair of my new Zara jeans only to find them ripping in the back and I'd only worn them twice before. That's not cute.
Wearing Zara jeans from SS18 (probably the last I'll buy from the brand), A Nordstrom blazer, Alexander Wang sandals from 5 years ago, a Reitmans cami, and Gucci bag.
I never thought too much about the cost of fast fashion because I try to be mindful of not bringing home anything I don't need or love. That rule applies not only to how I shop, but also how I accept samples from retailers as a fashion blogger. Unless there's something specific I need, I just won’t.
To clarify, when I say the cost of fast fashion I don't mean monetary value but in terms of how it's effecting our environment. In the back of my mind, I know this is an issue but I never took the time to educate myself on the matter until recently. I came across a video on YouTube late one night, which admittedly was not the best time to watch because my anxiety went through the roof and I couldn't sleep.
Photo: CBC's YouTUBE CHANNEL
This CBC documentary uncovers what happens to unwanted clothes when they don't get sold at second-hand shops. The short of it is, the quality of fast fashion is so poor that they almost always end up in the landfills. A lot of you probably already know this, but for me, it was a real eye-opener.
Just look at my last couple of videos - they were both hauls! It's even a joke with everyone in my circle whenever I say I'm not going to shop, "Ya, okay Nathalie. Stop lying to yourself.”
I don't have a solution to this problem, but I'm doing my part by donating to my local women's shelter instead of conglomerate second-hand stores. Just because it's cute it doesn't mean it ain't trash, so let's all try harder and in the end be better dressed.
