MEDIUM RARE
Fast fashion. Disposable fashion. They want you to buy more, buy sooner, they don’t want you lagging behind, poor unfashionable you.
Fortunately, there’s Ukay Ukay, fashion illegally sourced but who cares? Illegal maybe, but can they strip you naked for stepping out of an outlet selling second-hand clothes and those enjoying a third or fourth reincarnation? Can the fashion police force you to show them the label on the inside of your collar?
The world is buying more clothes at a faster rate and giving them away at ever faster speeds, without wearing them out first. Third-world countries are throwing up their arms and telling the well-dressed donors that their incinerators don’t want them anymore.
Do clothes form the bulk of recyclable objects? They’re easy to discard, for fashions fade as fast as they flash by. Besides, such throwaway wearables weigh less on one’s conscience because, unlike toys and gadgets, they’re not made of everlasting plastic.
As the planet groans in the shadow of mountains of garbage, environmentalists beg consumers to use less, re-use, and reduce. Could fashion take a pause? According to whom? It’s a worldwide industry, it’s a religion, it’s part and parcel of culture and civilization. Clothe the naked, it ranks up there with feed the poor, visit the sick, be kind to widows and orphans. Just like food that’s wasted while millions go to bed hungry, humanity could do with less fashionability upon waking up to get dressed and look successful. The first step would be to shop less often, do not succumb to impulse buying.
The following message could provide fashionistas a different perspective:
“Seventy percent of new clothes are not worn. A whole life of work and earning. . . 70 percent is for other people to spend. We must protect and make full use of our 30 percent.”
Just to be fair: “70 percent of high-end phones are not fully utilized; 70 percent of an expensive car’s speed and gadgets are not needed; 70 percent of the space in your magnificent mansion remains unused.” A store selling RTW fashions is unique in offering a large bin for customers to donate their used shirts, pants, jackets (but not underwear!). The last time I took a peek, the box was empty.