Most of us have probably bought cute clothes from stores that sell them for such cheap prices. Even though we know how bad fast fashion is for the environment, why do we find ourselves wanting to buy more?
Fast Fashion appeals to many consumers because companies find trendy clothes and create them to be sold for very cheap prices. Companies such as Zara, H&M, and Forever 21 are examples of fast fashion companies. The brand Fashion Nova launches 600 to 900 new styles every week! At this rate, the new designs being released feeds into the shoppers’ desire to buy more.
The increase in social media influencers causes fast fashion brands to flourish. Because social media is constantly changing, brands have collaborated with popular influencers who turn their outfits into trends that drive the fast fashion industry. A well-known influencer, Kim Kardashian, was partially responsible for bringing back the biker shorts trend. She was always seen wearing them which made people want to get their own pair.
The appeal of fast fashion can also be seen from a psychological perspective. The results of a test done by researchers from Stanford, MIT, and Carnegie Mellon show that the subjects’ brain’s pleasure center lit up when the subject saw something they wanted that was on sale. The researchers were able to conclude that seeing an item bargained for a cheap price causes happiness within shoppers’ brains.
Fast fashion also appeals to shoppers because it is seen as the simple solution to fulfill their shopping desires because it is easy for them to avoid repeating outfits when clothes don’t cost much. A 2018 report shows that people tend to prioritize ease of purchase and price of an item over sustainability. It is so easy for consumers to turn a blind eye to the costs of fast fashion because many people forget that fast fashion products are unethically made.
Fast fashion may be very appealing, but it is something we should try to avoid.
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