Fast Fashion and its effects Economically & Environmentally

Introduction: I will be researching the effects of fast fashion and what it does to the Economy, as well as what it does to the Environment. I will be learning about what companies take part in unethical practices. Environmentally, I will be researching about pollution that is being put out due to these factories and how that is damaging or planet.

In the research that I have found, major fast-fashion production facilities are located in countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, China, Turkey and Vietnam. Major retailers that have these factories have some loose regulations that may be unethical. Companies such as SheIn are culporates of having loose regulation laws that may be unethical. Their target market focuses on GenZ and are known to have very inexpensive clothing that is trendy. There clothes are known to break down relatively quickly and are not the best material as well.

I am choosing to focus on this topic because I believe it is something that is being talked about more and more. I would love to learn more about it to really understand what's happening. Companies such as SheIn, Zaful and Romwe are clothing production facilities that are targeting a market that it is in my age range, so I think it will be very interesting to research about what unethical behaviors take place now.

Fast Fashion takes up a portion of our economic value in our country, as well as surrounding countries. With the use of cheap materials, comes with a lot of profits for these global retailing companies and manufacturers. Fast Fashion gives the opportunity to target markets to get affordable, trendy clothing in a simple way for the consumer.

With this, there is also negative effects such as pollution that is made up due to the chemicals that are used to make the clothes. A half million microfibers end up being thrown into the oceans due to the clothes ending up there, as well as landfills. This is the point the author is trying to get across because this is a major issue that is only getting worse as times goes on and Earth evolves.

This specific source contributes to my research because it gives insight on what kinds of chemicals are being polluted through these factories. It gives specifics on what kinds of microfibers are being processed through, which is very interesting to learn about. It also talks about workers rights for the ones overseas, and how employees can be victims of exploitation.

I learned that microfibers are very small pieces of non-biodegradable materials that end up in places where they should not. They get thrown into landfills, as well as oceans. This is because it is inexpensive to produce and manufacturer, making the consumer, as well as the producer happy. Economically, it seems as if it were a win-win, but environmentally and ethically, it is no where close to a win going both ways.

Business Insider explains that the effects that the carbon that is being produced is damaging our environment. This source explains the toll it takes from carbon emissions. Textiles are also explained about in this source, making it one of the most significant impacts in our fast fashion economy.

The Author is trying to get across to the reader that consumers are buying more clothes. There is a 60% jump in the fast fashion industry from the year 2000. With this, brings lots of carbon emission which damages our planet. The amount of collections that are being consumed by buyers are being processed quicker than we can dispose of in a environmentally friendly way.

This specific source contributes to my research because it leans more towards the negatives and what it is doing to our environment. Garbage trucks are filled with clothes that are just being thrown away. This is something that is damaging ourselves and the people around us.

I learned that 10% of fashion produced, is our world's carbon emissions. It is also drying up places where we access water, as well as pollution being brought into those places of water. The include rivers and oceans and even some streams.

This source gives insight on companies such as SheIn that are major culprotes of unethical practices. It is bringing attention to the valued 15 million dollar company. Shein is a company that has produced more revenue since Covid, than before.

The Author is trying to get across that SheIn is a major corporation, bringing in a ton of profit. SheIn is a company that caters to all ages, but mainly targeting the youth and women. It's inexpensive prices, make it almost addicting and impossible to not pass up.

This specific source contributes to my research and project because it caters to the demographic that I am apart of. The amount of clothing that is being produced in a short manner is almost unheard in the time frame that it was in. SheIn is growing into a major global corporation and is a mystery to understand how that has happened.

I learned that Zara and SheIn is owned by the same person, leaving them the "inventor of fast fashion". Zara's headquarters being in Spain, leaves them targeting a global market and not just a US market. Zara and SheIn are parent companies with each other.

This source talks about the excessive pollution that is produced. Textile producers in countries such as China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia hold some of the largest production facilities of textiles. Water and chemicals are being processed through these, making the clothing non-biodegradable.

The Author is trying to get across that this is something that needs to be slowed down or at least regulated. Fast Fashion industries need to hold accountability for what they have done and figure out a way to do it safer. With the amount of revenue it brings in, the industries do not care what effects it brings on to our environment.

This source talks about environmental poverty and how waste is being produced from it. The waste is bad for our environment, leaving it in our oceans and rivers. These countries have a lack of water because it is polluted, even though it may seem as if there is water everywhere.

I learned about the contamination of the clean water that is being polluted due to commercial gain. Leaving this with unethical practices. Materials used are also devastating to our planet, leaving it worse and worse as time goes on.

This source explains the dark side of the fast fashion world and why it is damaging our Earth. With the amount of waste being produced, there is not enough space or resources accessible to break it down in a safe place. This leads to it having to be left and dropped in unsafe places, contaminating drinking water.

The Author's point tries to get across that thousands of workers were injured due to an accident where a garment factory had collapsed. This was due to unsafe working conditions from the companies. This is to bring attention to what is going on.

This will contribute to my project because it not only mentions environmental issues, but as well as working conditions for the workers. Corruption and neglect had taken place after the accident in Bangladesh. The owner had ended up being charged with murder because of this.

I learned exactly what textile industries produce, which will come in handy when learning more about what is going on in these factories. I also learned that because of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, that new labor codes and laws were made enact after this had taken place. Although, there may be laws that support factory workers, they are not always abided by, especially in corrupt countries.

The image above shows all three fast-fashion brands being SheIn, Zaful and Romwe. Some people have discussed that these three brands sell the same items with the same images on all websites. Very interesting, but only two companies are owned by the same person/corporation. This is why some call these fast fashion multi billion dollar brands a mystery.

Romwe and SheIn are represented by the US, while Romwe is represented by someone else somewhere else. Although they are sometimes a mystery how they operate, they still have a great customer protection program. This then results in consumers not batting an eye with both inexpensive prices and great protection.

How all three manufacturers operate, they all are similar, especially both Romwe and SheIn due to the ownership being the same. All three companies offer cash back, except for in Russia because governing laws being different there. These companies tend to treat their employees not well, while paying them low wages. This article and image has given me some answers to the mystery behind all three of these companies, leaving it making more sense on how they are able to make as much money as they do, with how inexpensive it is.

The photo shows the working conditions of a Garment Factory located in Bangladesh. The working conditions are not good, resulting in new laws being placed. So far, I have not found any info regarding if the conditions have actually improved, but they claimed that they improving them due to a roof collapsing because it was way past due.

The result of the roof collapsing resulted in the property owner being arrested. As well as many workers severely injured. They are starting a call to action for factory safety regulations and making sure safety is a better priority, where it should be the number one priority.

They have avoided doing this before because it is expensive and will take a lot of time. They are focusing on their safety in the supply chain areas. This is due to the Rana Plaza Disaster. This source has taught me the physical conditions that are being taken place and what can actually go wrong-and does.

After completing my research, I learned about environmental effects that are shown because of textile industries. The unsafe working conditions are also damaging workers physically and emotionally. This leaves them feeling hopeless, which is something no one should have to feel because of their job. Safety is not a number one priority in some of these third world countries, resulting in disasters such as the Rana Plaza Disaster. Disasters like this should be avoided and the people buying from where these garments are coming from have no idea how it came to become what it had become, or even the pain it put on workers to make that garment.

Taking what I have learned and incorporating it into class is possible to do. With what we have learned about economically and environmentally can be tied to this topic very easily. Unethical practices are being taken place, leaving workers hurt. It leaves you feeling guilt after researching and learning more about these topics because I have before bought items from some fast-fashion brands not knowing the information that I know know.

The claims that I have made based on my topic are that the people who are incharge of these factories should be punished. They should be unable to make any profit and should be arrested for what they have put onto workers who have no choice, but to work for these places. Fast Fashion is damaging our planet. Knowing that your garments are coming from other all over the Western World, is very interesting and cool, until you read into exactly how they were made and the effects it brought on workers and the environment they are living in, leaving them with no choice.