How to Avoid Fast Fashion and Build a Wardrobe That Lasts

Our issues with fast fashion are similar to the trouble with fast food — it’s low quality, it’s bad for you, and it’s harmful to the environment.

Think of it like a dollar-menu burger. That burger will save you money now, but it will cost you in the long-run because of the toll it takes on your health. Similarly, that $15 T-shirt may be the cheaper option now, but it will cost you by wearing out sooner, which increases the number of T-shirts you have to buy in your lifetime. However, the true cost of fast fashion has less to do with its impact on your wallet and more to do with its impact on the environment.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over 5% — or 17 million tons — of the municipal solid waste in landfills comes from textile waste each year. The main source of textile waste in our landfills is discarded clothing. And this only accounts for post-consumer textile waste.

Garment factories produce millions more tons of textile waste annually when making new clothes, and the fashion industry produces 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions each year, according to the BBC.

This devastating environmental impact is unsustainable. But stemming the tide of textile waste will require nothing short of a fashion revolution — as consumers, we need to demand more sustainable fashion by saying no to fast fashion.

Here’s how to avoid fast fashion and make your closet more sustainable.

The fast fashion industry is built around low-priced, trendy clothes that are only meant to last a season. And fast fashion brands keep you interested in buying new clothes by having 6-10 seasons each year instead of the traditional 2-4 seasons. So, by December, something you bought in January may already be out of style.

Instead of chasing trends from fast fashion retailers, look for classic pieces that never go out of style or pieces that match your specific aesthetic. Then, make sure they’re well-made.

A quality piece of clothing should be made with a durable, anti-pilling fabric. Pre-shrunk fabric or fabric designed with room to shrink is also a sign that the brand pays attention to quality. Make sure that the fabric isn’t sheer, that it bounces back when stretched, and that it has finished hem lines (which are folded over and then stitched).

Clothing of this caliber will cost more than fast fashion clothing, but you won’t need to replace it as often, which will save you money in the long run while helping you reduce your carbon footprint.

The low price of fast fashion can also come at a human rights cost. In order to keep prices low, manufacturers pay low wages and provide terrible working conditions. By paying more for your clothing, you not only get better quality, you can also help promote ethical fashion practices — allowing brands to pay garment workers a living wage.

A capsule wardrobe is the opposite of fast fashion — it’s slow fashion built to last. Instead of pieces that go in and out of style faster than you can button your shirt, capsule pieces are timeless. They’re classic, tailored, and easy to mix and match to create multiple outfits.

Ideally, every piece in your capsule wardrobe should be versatile and go from work to weekend. And while you’ll need some different pieces for the winter and summer, many of the best pieces can transition from one season to the next. (Think of the T-shirt that you wear on its own in summer and layer under a jacket in fall and winter.)

Every capsule wardrobe should combine staple pieces with a few signature items that are unique to you. Only you can determine your signature items, the pieces that reflect your personal style. One person may need a leather jacket while another would never take it out of their closet.

But you can start building your capsule wardrobe (or decide what to keep and what to donate from your current wardrobe) by looking for these essentials:

• T-shirts: Look for high-quality fabrics, and once you find a tee you like, buy it in a few colors. For men’s T-shirts, choose a combination of fitted and relaxed tees. For women’s T-shirts, choose a couple different hem lengths from classic fits to cropped lengths.
• Long-sleeve shirts: Winter’s version of a T-shirt, you can choose long-sleeve shirts with a couple different necklines, like a crewneck and a henley.
• Button downs: An essential article for dressing up your outfits, get at least one long-sleeve button down for winter and one short-sleeve button down for summer.
• Tailored pants: You don’t need as many pairs of pants as you need shirts, so choose a versatile pair of pants, like a tailored jogger, that can easily go from a meeting to errands to your favorite restaurant. You’ll be able to pair these with plenty of tops to create multiple looks.
• A tailored jacket: A jacket allows you to level up your outfit and express your personal style. A bomber jacket is casual yet sophisticated and cool, while a leather jacket is edgy and rebellious. You’ll only need one or two jackets to complete your capsule wardrobe.
• A hoodie: Complete your casual attire with a classic hoodie. One that’s well-made, fitted, and comes in a solid color is ideal for a workleisure wardrobe. It seamlessly goes from coffee with friends to a day in the office.

According to Newsweek, consumer demand for secondhand clothing has increased by 96% since 2015 in large part because it’s more sustainable. But while some shoppers love to hunt through thrift stores, others don’t.

If you fall into the second group, don’t worry — you don’t have to limit yourself to secondhand shopping. (But donating to thrift stores and charity shops is still a great way to give your old clothes new life and keep them out of landfills.)

You can enjoy the convenience of online shopping and still place a priority on sustainability by buying your new clothes from clothing brands with eco-friendly initiatives.

Buy from ethical brands that offset the carbon emissions from different areas of their supply chain, and look for brands that prioritize natural materials, like Pima Cotton.

Quality and sustainability go hand in hand. So, avoid thin, gauzy fabrics — even if they’re made from organic cotton or another natural fiber — and instead choose fabrics that are thick, durable, and can hold up to years of washing. When an article of clothing is made to last, it’s significantly less likely to end up in a landfill, which makes it a more sustainable choice.

Fast fashion gives clothing brands a bad name. These cheaply made garments are designed to go out of style before the next season — and that’s if they don’t fall apart first.

The fast fashion industry is also bad for people and the environment. But, educated consumers are our best defense against this wasteful industry. Shop for sustainability, quality, and capsule pieces, and you can have a more environmentally conscientious wardrobe.

Now that you know how to avoid fast fashion, start building your capsule wardrobe at CUTS. We partner with EcoCart to offset our carbon emissions due to transporting our future-proof clothing.