Do you ever go to Zara or H&M, find a shirt you really like, check the price, put it back, go back home, and splurge on cheaper options for trendy clothes on Shein? You probably do. No, I'm sure you do.
Over the last few years, there has been an increasing demand by climate change activists to limit the consumption of fast fashion in such famous stores. The basic argument is that these clothes seem to be destined for landfills rather than some young teenager's wardrobe. Fast fashion is exactly what the name suggests it to be: fashion that passes by as soon as the trend dies. The natural course of action to reduce such meaningless waste of resources would then be to boycott fast fashion. Easy, right?
I wish it were that simple.
One of the main reasons fast fashion still exists is because it's affordable. While social media preaches the harmful effects of fast fashion on the health of our planet, the general public is more inclined toward filling up Rs.1490 worth of items in their cart so they can avail of free shipping. Who could blame the idea of free shipping really? It's incredibly tempting. On the other hand, small businesses offering sustainable options are expensive owing to the time and effort of hardworking individuals who need to make a living. The choice remains: would you rather buy a mass-produced trendy shirt that you'll throw away after a few weeks potentially contributing to climate change or would you choose an environment-friendly pair of jeans designed for sustainability at the cost of a considerable hole in your wallet? I'd probably consider the latter if they offered free shipping.
It's a difficult choice. People on social media tell you to shop at small businesses but it's hard to do that when your pocket money barely covers your weekly samosas at the snack bar. You might even feel guilty for your latest haul from Shein, but it's cheap and you feel good about your look. You have to wonder then: is this really your only choice?
Fortunately, you may have one more option.
It’s probably easier said than done but spend wisely and use even more wisely. Reusing clothes is an extremely helpful way of making sure environment-unfriendly clothes don’t make it to the overcrowded landfill. You probably don’t want to reuse clothes that aren’t trending anymore which is why you need to spend wisely. Buy clothes that you won’t cast into the darkest corners of your cupboard never to be seen again after wearing them one time. I’m not sure if you know this but let me enlighten you: clothing items can be mixed and matched to create a whole different outfit each time! Add in accessories, make-up, hairstyles, and shoes and you might just turn out to look like a different person every day. Sarcasm aside, it’s okay to reuse clothes! Don’t let snotty bullies tell you otherwise. Tell them you have a washing machine if they try to mock you for wearing the same crop top you wore last week. Wear what you like. Buy what you like. If you don’t make your shopping decisions, ask the person who does to buy you something you’ll actually wear again. Reusing clothes or even outfits doesn’t make you uncool; it just makes you a thoughtful person who cares about hard-earned money and ultimately, climate change.
And, well, doing your own part to fight against climate change is all the rage now, isn’t it?