Dear Consumers,

I’m not a hypocrite.

I will admit that I’ve purchased via fast fashion. I think we’ve all been there. You hear the ring of the doorbell and rip open the package, but ask yourself, “do I really need all this?” After witnessing the waste of plastic and cheaply made clothes, I quickly came to the conclusion that I would never buy from them again.

Yes, most items manufactured by SHEIN and other related companies make things easier, but they’re not necessary. For example, the polyester armbands that stop water from running down your arms when washing your face, or the magical mouth tape that improves your jawline in your sleep. These products are an absolute waste. You know you can easily use scrunches and a strip of paper tape as substitutes but we chase the high of endless scrolling and waiting for your package.

The article, “Rethinking Clothing Consumption: Understanding the Human Cost of Fast Fashion” provided by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explains, “the average consumer buys 60% more clothing than they did seventeen years ago, while keeping their clothing for half as long as they did before 2000.” And the author continues… “This increased pace of production has significantly exacerbated the extent of worker exploitation.” In the Global South, less than 2% of workers are even paid a livable salary, explaining the low costs of merchandise. This is extremely unethical! And it’s no secret too. Everyone knows they exploit their “workers” but laugh off and turn a blind eye.

Not to mention the amount of plastic that comes with the packaging. It’s insane! Others will argue that recycling is always an option, but let’s be real. Especially in America, the majority of us only keep dust in our recycling bins. The article, “How Fast Fashion Became Faster – and Worse for the Earth” from New York Times, says “the aggressive cycle of consumption perpetuated by fast fashion means that the clothes we wear are now more likely than ever to end up as part of the 92 million tons of textile waste produced annually.” As trends grow, the plastic   epidemic grows larger. Tiktokers produce new fashion trends every month and buying into the problem is just feeding into the beast! 

You hear the people speaking out for the underpaid workers and the rinsing of plastic consumption, but you still give them money to post your $100 SHEIN haul. What are the steps to be better? It’s easy, you need to realize you do not need to spend all this money. You can find quality products elsewhere. Although it’s hard to find, direct your attention to small businesses, ethical companies, and even consider creating your own apparel.