The Rise of Fast Fashion

Fast fashion refers to the rapid production of inexpensive clothing to meet the latest trends, with brands like Shein, Zara, and H&M exemplifying this model. These companies have transformed fashion by offering an overwhelming number of styles at low prices, which has led to increased consumer consumption and a cycle of buying and discarding clothes. Kenneth Pucker points out that brands have shifted from producing two collections a year to delivering new styles weekly, significantly contributing to unsustainable environmental practices. The industry's reliance on fossil fuel-based materials and synthetics has created a growing problem of textile waste, with estimates indicating that billions of garments produced each year end up in landfills.