April 24, 2013. An eight-story building crumbled while the employees were working there. It was a textile factory that produced clothing for many western brands. More than a thousand people died in the collapse, while more than two thousand were injured. Rana Plaza, in Bangladesh, collapsed and left hundreds of people buried due to several security flaws and the lack of safe working conditions. After that day and after the release of Andrew Morgan’s documentary The True Cost, fashion industry was never the same. Its true colors were revealed in front of millions of people.
The unveiling of many facts about fashion and the industries involved in it gave rise to different movements that sought to unmask the brands and factories responsible for the exploitation of countless employees that work as textile manufacturers in different parts of the world. The poor conditions, unfair wages, among other hardships, make workers suffer in the production of merchandises. All their creativity goes unacknowledged, which is neither logical nor fair at all. Sadly, through misinformation and need to buy things quickly, customers end up being the source that keeps these labor ghettos functioning.
This reality isn’t nice, but that still doesn’t explain why some clothes we buy can make us feel uncomfortable. You may already have figured it out by yourself, but in case you hadn’t, let’s analyze the following points to understand how mass consumption operates, or I’d rather say, how explicit sex in advertising, dehumanization, reckless expenditure, and many other elements affect the way you choose any piece of clothing from any store.
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5. The fashion industry is meant to make you feel out of style.
In the past, there were only two seasons where stores were supposed to update their collections: spring-summer and fall-winter. Now updates are even made up to four times per week, as brands now have more than 50 micro seasons per year. Why does this happen? Because the purpose of fast fashion is to turn the customer into a machine that consumes things and just throws them away to buy more things, over and over again. That’s why prices of popular clothing stores are so accessible. The production is based on a high volume and low quality model. This accelerated production model heightens the discomfort of the end consumer. For example, imagine you save money and buy the latest outfit only to return one week later and see something else in the shop window.
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4. All the clothing you buy contains lead or other chemical residues.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the majority of brands and clothing retailers sell clothes, shoes, and accessories that contain significant amounts of lead. Its production is completely legal, even though this chemical builds up in your bones, causing harm during pregnancy, infertility, or heart problems.
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3. Sales are fake
A “shopaholic” or a passionate “fashionista” won’t hesitate to invest money to renew their wardrobe. But there’s a downside to buying in outlet stores or brand stores with special sales. This is only a marketing strategy. What brands really do is letting other textile factories manufacture cheaper purses, shoes, accessories, and clothes. Then, they just place brand labels or signatures of luxurious brands in them. These are not true sales, but low quality clothing, with some defects and different craftsmanship. That may be the actual reason why your outfit never looks as flashy as the one appearing in the cover of a fashion magazine.
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2. Clothes have no quality or durability
All the stores we buy clothing from are in constant competition, and the only way to win is by having the cheapest prices. That’s why the fabrics and confection process is thrifty. The only thing brands care about is selling all the millions of items they produce each year, no matter how they look or how long they last. Of course, these clothes won’t match the sophisticated and comfortable look in the cover of a magazine.
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1. Mass production clothes will never have a perfect denim
Embroideries, sequins, feathers, or any other ornament in a piece of clothing is generally made by informal workers that lack professional knowledge on this craft. The craftsman work of local designers, or investments from Haute Couture firms are based in custom-made designs. They will never be defeated by fast fashion or low cost. It is possible to attain a look with basic clothes, but you’ll never feel completely comfortable. The fashion industry only offers standard sizes and cuts.
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Massive production is not to blame for everything. It is also possible to create an incredible outfit with low cost clothing. Just look for local and crafty designs and combine them with designer purses and footwear. This is the key to learning to invest and distinguish the economic from low quality products. You’ll feel comfortable in the clothes you buy once you learn to be a responsible consumer and a fashionista that looks for different options besides the ones that are offered at apartment stores.
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Sources:
BBC
Fashion Bits
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Translated by Andrea Valle Gracia
