Fast Fashion - How it hits us, in more ways than one

Fast fashion it has taken over the world of fashion and how. Let’s take a look at how it all began and how a genius solution turned into a global issue.

In the early days, fashion was a luxury only a few could afford. Trendy, high-fashion pieces were out of reach for most people. The problem? There was a huge gap between what people wanted to wear and what they could actually buy. Fast fashion emerged to solve this by making the latest styles accessible and affordable for everyone.

Fast fashion brands filled this gap by doing something revolutionary: they copied the designs from designers, made them more wearable and produced and they sped up the fashion cycle. Finally, the average person could wear what they saw on the runway or in magazines, all without breaking the bank.

Also they cut the middle man out, thereby reducing prices. The fashion business used to work with a lot of middlemen , taking huge pieces of the mark up Pie. 

Well it all sounds good so far, doesn't it? one would imagine , it would reduce the prices for customers , and increase the margins for the producers, thereby the artisans and workers working on it. 

But it had the complete opposite effect. The pricing kept coming down, The designs kept changing every few weeks , the rush to produce more, faster, and cheaper lead to exploitation. it was loop you couldn't escape. 

It did not end there , it affected us in more ways than we could imagine

Psychological effects of fast fashion training minds of the consumers 

What did they do our mind ?

We want more and we want more all the time 

The process of buying something new triggers the release of dopamine, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. Buying these trendy low-cost items creates a temporary high, encouraging repeat purchases. The brain’s reward system becomes conditioned to seek this pleasurable feeling, reinforcing impulsive shopping behaviours.

Over time, this cycle can lead to addictive shopping habits, as the brain craves the dopamine rush that comes with new purchases. what follows this is that the brain adapts to frequent rewards, leading to a “hedonic treadmill” effect, where the pleasure from each purchase diminishes over time. So need more frequent or higher-intensity shopping experiences to achieve the same dopamine boost, leading to overconsumption and dissatisfaction

Not to forget they also create a sense of urgency, bypassing rational decision-making. Our brain struggles to resist the lure of instant gratification, making impulse purchases more likely

it also has Emotional impacts and afftects our self worth in more ways than one

Fast fashion marketing often targets insecurities and plays on the need for social validation. The brain’s amygdala (associated with emotions like fear and anxiety) becomes involved, as people fear being judged for not staying on trend.This can lead to a cycle of low self-esteem and overconsumption, as people try to enhance their self-worth through clothingIt never quite gets there because the stocks keep coming in and the trends keep changing.

In the simpler times there were advertisements , you were tempted , but the brain knew that the businesses were trying. to tempt you and then there was word of mouth , where a friend or acquaintance who used something was actually recommending it.

lets not forget Overload and Decision Fatigue. The overwhelming choices provided by fast fashion leads to decision fatigue, where the brain becomes exhausted by constant decision-making.This mental fatigue results in poorer decisions, such as buying unnecessary items or opting for the easiest and cheapest options without considering long-term consequences.

Till now we were talking about the direct impacts if we look at the indirect impacts on Environmental Impact of Fast fashion. Fast fashion is responsible for over 92 million tons of textile waste each year. That’s a mountain of clothes worn just a few times before being tossed. It’s like we’re treating our wardrobes as disposable."

To produce one cotton T-shirt, it takes about 2,700 liters of water—enough to sustain one person’s drinking water for over two years. And the dyeing process? It’s a major polluter, contaminating water supplies in many garment-producing countries."

And the Human Impact of it - it affects people, too. Many of these clothes are made in factories where workers face poor conditions and low pay, all to keep up with the demand for quick, cheap fashion.

Many workers in the fast fashion industry are paid very low wages and work in unsafe conditions. The rush to produce more, faster, and cheaper often leads to exploitation."

So, what started as a brilliant solution to a fashion problem has spiraled into something much bigger—an industry with significant environmental and social costs. But it doesn’t have to stay this way. By making smarter choices, we can still enjoy fashion without the heavy price tag on the planet and its people."