Shopping Fast Fashion is Sexist

Shopping Fast Fashion is Sexist

Sexist Production

Sustainable, eco-friendly, recyclable and carbon-neutral are all words which have been flung around a lot in recent months, as consumers become more aware of the impact their buying habits have on the environment. In fact, last year the fast fashion world was worth £26 billion, with over 90% of goods being imported before sale. It is also the third largest manufacturing industry, and the House of Common’s Environmental Impact Audit found it contributes to climate change more than all international aviation and shipping combined!

There are of course, clear environmental ramifications of the fast fashion industry, but less obvious are the sexist and oppressive brands and factories that affect women in the realm of both production and consumption. Earth Day was on April 22nd, and a lot of people want to continue being proactive. You would be surprised what a difference shopping sustainable could make to the lives of people, as well as to the environment.

Firstly, many retailers rely on cheap outsourced factory labour in countries like Vietnam, China, and Bangladesh to produce their garments en masse. This means the profit margins on their products can be much higher, and they dominate high street sales because they can make their products cheaper. The women working in these factories are often paid significantly less than men doing the same job, and rarely paid the living wage in that country (despite many brands reassuring their customers that they pay their workers minimum wage).

Not only are women paid less, but they are often subjected to sexual harassment, inhumane working hours, and unsafe working environments. In Bangladesh, the Rana Plaza factory was burned to the ground, with women making up 80% of the people killed. What must also be emphasised is that, since women in these countries are often deemed the inferior sex, they are less able to speak out against the men who perpetrate against them, for fear of further abuse and losing their income.

This may come as a surprise to some in the western world, but for many women working in factories and sweat shops, these working conditions are part of their harsh reality.

SEXIST CONSUMPTION

On the other side of the equation, are those who consume the goods produced by factory-working women. The fast fashion industry is clever and plays into bodily insecurities and the way clothes “should fit”. They therefore encourage us to spend money in the hopes that we will look like the airbrushed models they publicise online and on billboards.

Given that almost 70% of women in the US are plus-sized, it is no surprise that fast fashion brands like Boohoo, ASOS, and Forever 21 have launched ranges with larger sizes. Of course, this is not all bad since it provides more choice for women to shop. However, it is unclear why these sections are still only a sub-section of these brands, when the average size 14/16 in the UK falls under the ‘plus-size’ category. Given that fast fashion brands still make considerably more clothes in smaller (below average) sizes, is it a surprise that women feel bad about their bodies when being forced to shop in sections that pigeon-hole them in to being plus-size? By using these manipulative marketing methods, the brands encourage women to keep spending money, in the hope that they might start to occupy these unattainable standards of beauty.

The Internet perpetuates this issue, since so many influencers and YouTubers who partner with brands like those mentioned are size 6 and 8, and plus-size role models are few and far between in comparison.

WHAT CAN I DO?

The fast fashion industry clearly has a lot to answer for, but as women and consumers we should also be doing what we can to educate ourselves and reduce our contribution to the fast fashion industry. Whilst it obviously is not always possible for everyone to shop from sustainable brands - as fast fashion is often more affordable - by supporting small brands by liking, sharing and, if possible, purchasing from them, we can reduce the demand on the fast fashion industry. This is in the hope that they lose profit and are forced to start paying their workers fairly and treat them better, as well as improving their sizing to stop women feeling like they are not good enough.

To reduce our contribution to fast fashion, there are cheaper options, where you can even find unique pieces such as buying secondhand items from charity shops, Depop, Etsy, ASOS Marketplace, vintage shops and eBay. There are also loads of great small brands that hand-make their clothes, use sustainably sourced materials, up-cycle old clothes, and do not use unethical labour.

BRANDS TO CHECK OUT:

• Lucy and Yak - they use recycled materials and do not deduct pay for an imperfect item.

• Birdsong - these guys have amazingly inclusive sizing and use bamboo and Tencel in their ranges.

• Tala - owned by internet guru Grace Beverly, Tala uses up-cycled materials, and their models are never airbrushed.

• E.L.V Denim - they up-cycle denim to turn it in to new, cool pieces from waist 24-32.

• Know the Origin - use eco-friendly materials and always pay their workers living wage.

• Nobody’s Child - use deadstock materials and are very affordable.

• Hirestreet - you can hire dresses and event-wear to reduce textiles waste.

Also, search www.shopverto.com for more sustainable, super-small brands that hand-make affordable clothes and use eco-friendly materials without unethical female labour.

As more people start shopping consciously and sustainably, we can reduce our impact on the environment, and prevent the fast fashion industry from continuing to internationally oppress women.