Z’Hanie Weaver expounds upon the environmental and labor equity impact of fast fashion, a continuation on the topic last month by contributor Anesu Whacha.
Fast fashion brands like SHEIN, Temu and other quick-turn “black label” vendors have changed the way people buy clothes. With $3 tops, continuous discounts and new styles released daily, these companies thrive on speed and volume. But while fast fashion promises affordability, its real costs are offloaded onto the environment and, disproportionately, Black and Brown communities.
At its core, fast fashion treats clothing as disposable. Instead of seasonal collections, brands push thousands of micro-trends each week, encouraging constant buying and quick discarding. The result is massive textile waste. Millions of tons of clothing end up in landfills every year – much of it made from synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, acrylic, and spandex that don’t decompose. These materials break down into microplastics that pollute water, soil, and air, contributing to long-term environmental damage.
This pollution does not affect everyone equally. Textile production and garment manufacturing are often concentrated in the Global South, where environmental regulations are weak or ignored. Rivers in countries across Africa and Asia have been contaminated by toxic dyes and chemicals used to produce cheap clothing. Communities relying on those waterways for drinking, farming, and fishing suffer the consequences – while consumers in the West benefit from low prices and fast shipping.
Fast fashion’s environmental harm cannot be separated from its labor practices. The same system that produces cheap clothes relies on the exploitation of workers, many of whom are Black and brown women in developing countries. Garment workers are paid poverty wages, forced to meet impossible quotas, and often work in unsafe conditions. For instance, in Bangladesh, workers earn roughly 80 cents per hour or $173 per month. Whilst facing severe hours, such as 14- to 18-plus hours per day. When discussing these inhumane labor systems and conditions, there also has to be acknowledgment that millions of child workers are very much exploited throughout this process. Exploitation is built into a capitalist system that prioritizes profit over people. The lower the wages and regulations, the higher the margins.
Capitalism fuels fast fashion by normalizing overconsumption. Social media plays a major role as outfits become content, trends last days instead of months, and repeating clothes is framed as unfashionable. For many youth – especially those navigating economic inequality – cheap fashion feels like access.
Black communities are often caught on both ends of this system. In the U.S., fast fashion fills closets because ethical alternatives are priced out of reach. Globally, Black and Brown communities bear the environmental and labor consequences. If we were to blame consumers while ignoring corporate responsibility, fast fashion companies will continue to overproduce because waste is cheaper than slowing down. Unsold clothing is burned or dumped, not donated, because scarcity is good for business.
Cheap clothes are only cheap because someone else is paying the cost. Until profits are no longer prioritized over people and the environment, its damage will continue to move faster than the trends it sells.