Far from the fast fashion lane



This was published 4 years ago

Far from the fast fashion lane

By Maggy Liu

Jenna Flood almost always buys her clothing second hand.

Her wardrobe has fewer than 60 pieces of clothing in it, and most of it is sourced from local op-shops.

Jenna Flood is taking a stance against fast fashion.

Jenna Flood is taking a stance against fast fashion.

Most impressive of all, she does not go into any fast fashion stores. Ever.

"If I see it, I might want it," 28-year-old Ms Flood said.

For Jenna Flood, quality over quantity pays off.

For Jenna Flood, quality over quantity pays off.

"I want to stay far away from fast fashion because I know how it's made and the toll it takes on the earth."

The apparel industry currently contributes 10 per cent of global carbon emissions.

Global clothing production doubled between 2000 - 2015, as buyers shifted towards fast fashion, the term used to describe inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends.

Around 75 per cent of Australians have admitted to throwing away clothing in the past year and 24 per cent admitted to throwing away clothing they've worn just once.


However, in the seven years Brooke Sclater, merchandise operations manager of the Australian Red Cross, has been with the organisation, she has not detected a large shift in the quantity or quality of donations due to the expansion of the fast fashion industry.

"We're quite a large organisation, we have never been in a position where we've had too much donated goods, in fact, we always need more.

"You do see more fast fashion things donated, there's certainly a large volume of that type of garment. In saying that, we still sell the good quality fast fashion garments."

Most importantly, any goods donated to the Red Cross that are not up to re-selling standards do not go to a landfill. Instead, they are transferred to a recycling company to be re-purposed.

"If an item that is donated is heavily damaged or torn, there are channels where it can be torn up into rags, for example, and they can be used for lots of different things... we try to extend the life of the garment as much as we can."

Kerryn Caulfield, acting chief executive of the National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations, echoes this sentiment.

She believes the recycling industry within Australia has managed to stay relatively healthy despite the worrying statistics.

"Charities use more than 96 per cent of donated clothing. Waste sent to landfill tends not to be clothing or textiles – but inappropriate donations."

But, this does not mean Australia does not have to worry about the fast fashion industry, Ms Caulfield said.

"There is no doubt that fast fashion and shorter wear cycles are disrupting the trade in both new and used textiles and clothing globally," she said.

"Shopping in charity op shops is a way by which Australians can contribute positively to the circular economy."

Ultimately, although fast fashion items can often be priced the same as second-hand goods, when you buy second-hand, you might be picking up something pre-loved that is of a higher quality and built to last.

For Ms Flood, the quality over quantity approach pays off.

"You will have pieces in your wardrobe nobody else will have, you can save heaps of money and support charities"

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