The End of My Contribution to Fast Fashion

This is my closet.

I haven’t taken much time to look in the closets of other people, but I would say mine would be half decent in comparison to others’. Unfortunately, there are many days I leaf through every shirt and dress, “find nothing to wear”, and leave my room with exasperated sighs of, “I need some new clothes!”.

Is this something you can relate to?

The years of early adolescence present the pressure of fitting in with whatever the norm of the time is. For most, it presents itself in the form of body type, hairstyles, and the apparel that clothes that body. At an early age, adolescents are presented with a choice to control as much as they can. In a sense, hair and body type are out of our control. You are given what you are given. They can be altered, but ultimately they will always be what you have. So, at a frighteningly early age, kids and teens begin to enter the world of clothing fashion and are given a sense of control by clothing themselves in the norms. As this sense of control increases in achieving this “norm”, consumers are created.

I have created a consumer of myself. When I look in my closet and don’t find anything I want to wear, I can satisfy a feeling of need in myself by purchasing a cheap article of clothing. As things in my own life spiraled out of control, purchasing items of clothing gave me a feeling of fulfillment and control.

Have you ever heard of “retail-therapy”? It is a real thing.

This makes me sound like I do a lot of shopping. While I may do more than some, I don’t typically buy anything unless it is on a clearance racks. Can I get a “Praise the Lord!” for Target, GAP, Marshall’s, and any other places that display signs of 50-75% off?

I would leave these places with a feeling of fulfillment because I had more things and I paid very little for them, but ultimately, I was wrong.

Tim Kasser is a psychologist and researcher of consumerism and materialism and its effects on societal behavior. Here is what he and his team of researchers have found over the last 20 years:

…the more that people care about materialistic goals, the lower their personal well-being.  For example, people whose value/goal system is more focused on money, image and status report lower happiness and life satisfaction, more depression and anxiety, and a variety of other personal ills.

I have been lying to myself. Not only that, but the fashion industry is feeding this lie more each day and knows how much consumers believe it.

Have you heard the term “Fast-Fashion”?

If you haven’t, look it up! The fashion industry once had 3-4 seasons of clothing that they would produce, but as the capital these industries has increased, so has their production. Today, some industries are producing new products monthly and even weekly.

They are making ghastly amounts of money giving them quite the monopoly over the fashion industry. Their corporations are booming because we consume.

Lauren, where are you going with this?

My answer…SEVERAL directions.

Over the last week I have contemplated my own contribution to the fast fashion industry and its impact on the economy, developing countries, my self-perception, and the environment. After a lot of research, I came to discover some astonishing statistics that have led me to act.

As I leaf through my wardrobe today, my perspective is different. Looking at the tags on my clothing, I see that the majority of my clothing has been made by these monopolizing clothing industries, but that isn’t necessarily the problem. The larger problem is that my clothes are being produced by men and women in developing countries working in conditions that I wouldn’t even volunteer for and are receiving less pay in a week than a child can make at a lemonade stand in 2 hours.

Here is my challenge for you.

1. Take a look at the tags on your clothing and simply google search the working conditions of the people in the country in which that article of clothing was made.
2. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, read James 5:1-6.
3. Consider taking a 6 month – 1 year clothing fast. Don’t buy anything. If you find your self in a situation where you think you absolutely need something, consider a second hand store first. I found over my year fast that I really didn’t need anything I thought I needed.