MissLJBeauty

As much as you like the thrill of buying new clothes, it’s time to break free from this fast fashion mindset. Brands and influencers have drawn you into thinking that it’s okay to splash the cash on dozens of new items a month from cheap shops. It’s not. Fast fashion will only go away if we make a stand so here are some basic tips to help you steer clear of fast fashion today.

Change your mindset when buying clothes

When you think you see something that you absolutely need in your wardrobe, think again. Consider what’s making you think like this - is the item a genuine essential that you’ll wear all the time, or is it just a trending piece that all your favourite influencers are talking about?

Everyone’s raving about this awesome dress, and it looks so nice, but when do you ever wear dresses? You’ll get maybe two wears out of it if it’s hot enough in the summer. Remove yourself from this mindset and think about clothes from a different perspective. When you see something you like, ask yourself: Will I actually wear this a lot?

If it’s an item that can only be worn in certain conditions, then it’s not worth it. If you’ve got some similar items in your wardrobe already, then it’s not worth it, you get the gist!

Prioritise better-quality clothes

Fast fashion is only a thing because brands use cheap materials and cheap labour to manufacture millions of items a year. That’s why loads of online shops have thousands of new items every week - and it’s also why all the stuff you buy from them feels awful. It’s maybe passable for the first wear, but stick it in the wash once, and it suddenly becomes unbearable.

But do you see what happens next? You throw out the worn piece because it's fraying or there’s a hole, and you think nothing of it, as it was only a few quid. So, you’re more than happy to spend another few quid at the same shop to replace it. The cycle continues, and you fuel the fast fashion economy.

It is always better to prioritise high-quality products over bad ones. A few premium organic t-shirts will last you years; the cheap stuff probably won’t last twelve months. It’s an absolute no-brainer: care more about the quality of your clothes, and you’ll spend less money overall.

Think twice when you see a great bargain

Wow, a pair of jeans for £10, what an absolute steal! Ooh look, you can get five items at this one shop for just £20 total - bargain. And oh my goodness, this one shop has a 90% off sale, yipee!

Okay, those are slight exaggerations, but you can see what we’re talking about here. You notice great bargains and deals like this all the time, and they suck you in. Whether it’s from an Instagram advert, a promotional post from an influencer, or even an email from a company, you see the massive discounts and get pulled in to “save money.”

Think twice when you see ridiculous bargains and question how the fashion brand can offer something this cheap. Do they have sales like this all the time? If so, then they’re an absolute fast fashion merchant, and you should leave them be. Yes, you’ll get 100 items of clothes for under £100 - but the quality will be awful, and you’re probably supporting a terrible brand.

Know which brands are the worst for fast fashion

Knowledge is power, and sometimes you can shop from serial fast fashion abusers without realising it. That’s why it pays to do some research and learn about which fashion brands to avoid if you want to steer clear of fast fashion.

Some of the names you discover will shock you, but that’s the way things are at the moment. Too many brands have gotten comfortable mass-producing new clothes and selling them for ridiculously low prices. And with the emergence of brands like Temu and AliExpress in the UK market, things could get even worse. Know which brands are guilty of perpetuating the fast fashion economy, and then avoid them!

Look after your clothes so they last longer

Did you know that you could end up falling into the fast fashion trap even if you’re a more conscious consumer? You try your best to buy sparingly and pick quality clothing, yet you always feel like your clothes don’t last. Even the 100% premium cotton tops you bought recently have started to stain or fray a bit around the edges.

Without wanting to be the bearer of bad news, it’s kind of your fault!

You’re not looking after your clothes as well as you should. Use the right washing detergent and fabric softener for specific clothes. Wash them at the right temperature and spin cycle and be careful when you hang them up or fold them away. Too many people will stretch out their clothes just by forcing a coat hanger on them. Take a little bit more pride in your stuff, and it’ll last longer, so you won’t have to keep replacing pieces.

Stop throwing out old clothes

It’s okay to look at something in your wardrobe and realise that you no longer like or need it. Nobody will blame you for that - we all make odd fashion choices at some point. However, you shouldn’t throw your old clothes away, even if they no longer fit or you won’t wear them again. Throwing clothes in the bin just means they end up in a landfill site, and fast fashion wins.

Instead, start donating your clothes to charity shops or selling them online. This keeps your items in circulation for longer, which means someone else out there has a chance to buy your old stuff instead of picking up something new from a fast fashion brand. In this case, it’s not so much about you avoiding fast fashion, but more about helping others do the same.

Fast fashion has become a genuinely massive problem that we need to solve. It won’t go away until brands start seeing a dip in profits. This will only happen if we, as a community, steer clear of fast fashion and force those brands to change for good.

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