Fighting Fast Fashion

Event by the Head of Fashion Society and Head of Events at BorrowCup, both at the University of Monash, Australia

Article by Issie Clifford, guest contributor

Fighting fast fashion is an incredibly important contemporary issue that is given very little coverage.

The fashion industry accounts for 10% of all global CO2 emissions. Social media has led to the rise of a, ‘pile it high, sell it cheap’ mentality to clothes.

A survey conducted by Hubbub found that 1 in 6 young people will not wear an outfit again if they have posted a photo in the outfit on social media, while a 2016 McKinsey report revealed that three-fifths of all clothing ends up in an incinerator or landfill within a year of being produced. Fast fashion also has a social impact, as it leads to poor working conditions for workers.

While studying abroad at the University of Monash in Melbourne, we decided this issue needed to be given greater visibility. Melbourne is full of ‘op shops’ and amazing charity shops, so to spread the word, we put on an ‘op shop fashion show’. The outfits below are all completely second hand showing that we can all participate in fighting fast fashion!

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How can you make your fashion habits more sustainable?

Quit Fast Fashion:

• Buy things you really, really love. You’ll also save money!
• Visit thrift shops, clothing swaps, charity shops and vintage shops
• Recycle, reuse and rent when dressing up
• Always remember – quality over quantity!

Top Tips for Charity Shopping:

• The dingiest, untidiest charity shops are where you’ll find the best items – don’t be afraid!
• You need to be in the mood; to find the gems, you’ll have to search!
• Always have both hands free for rummaging
• If you are unsure, try something on before buying