Fast fashion, which has been gaining momentum for many years, has recently appeared to be slowing down.  It’s surprising how little we know about where our clothes come from, who made them, and what they’re made of.  Just because something is cheap doesn’t necessarily mean it has good value. In many countries where fast fashion is produced garment workers earn extremely low wages and often work in deplorable and dangerous conditions. Nowadays when we see an item that is higher priced we often think it’s too much to pay for that item, when in reality the only reason we have cheap clothing is because garment workers are paid so little compared to how much clothing is sold.

Fast fashion is also notorious for using man-made textiles instead of natural fibres, causing harm to the environment. For instance, acrylic is not biodegradable and will build up in landfills to contribute to global warming.

But now, slow and sustainable fashion is emerging as a front-runner in today’s increasingly eco-conscious world. Unfortunately however, we are still nowhere near the fashion economy of the past. We are able to buy such cheap clothing because of the long global supply chain that engages in practices that can negatively affect people and the planet.

The first step towards making a change is awareness. Just being informed and mindful of the facts surrounding fast fashion will help reduce uninformed and unnecessary purchases.