Most People Don't Avoid Fast Fashion

Driven by globalization, cheap textile production overseas and advancements in supply chain technology, the rise of fast fashion began in the late 20th century. Brands like Zara, H&M and, more recently, Shein have built empires around this model by quickly moving designs from runway shows to retail racks. 

However convenient and affordable it may be, fast fashion comes with a number of serious problems. The industry is a major contributor to environmental degradation, responsible for large amounts of water usage, chemical pollution and textile waste. Labor practices are also a major concern, as fast fashion often relies on underpaid workers laboring in poor conditions. Furthermore, the emphasis on constant consumption promotes a disposable culture, where clothing is worn only a few times before being discarded. This cycle of overproduction and overconsumption has sparked calls for more sustainable and ethical alternatives.

Despite these problems being well-known, a lot of people continue to buy fast fashion, as its value proposition is simply irresistible to many cash-strapped, inflation-plagued consumers. According to Statista Consumer Insights data, remarkably few consumers from a range of countries generally avoid fast fashion. In the United States, just 13 percent of roughly 10,000 surveyed consumers said that the do not buy fast fashion. In the UK, India and France, the share of fast fashion avoiders is slightly higher at 19, 18 and 18 percent, respectively, but still not high enough for fast fashion managers to lose their sleep over.