Fast fashion, a mode of consumption harmful to living conditions and the environment

A few days ago, customers rushed to the ephemeral boutique of the Shein brand in Paris.
In just a few years, the Shein platform has become a giant of fast fashion. Thanks to its low prices and the diversity of products in its catalogue - more than 6,000 new items per day, or 4 per minute - the Chinese company has managed to establish its brand worldwide.
However, the brand is criticised for the quality of its clothes, but above all for the working conditions of its employees, the environmental impact of its production and for its marketing which promotes over-consumption.

Selling t-shirts for 2€ and dresses for 7€ with thousands of new items every day is possible! But in what world?
A world where entire populations are exploited (in this case the Uyghurs in the case of Shein), miners, employees with deplorable working conditions.
A world where clothes are made with numerous toxic products that sometimes become dangerous for the buyers (and what about the people who make them!).
A world where we accept commercial strategies that are so aggressive that they seem to be anti-competitive practices.
A world where one company alone emits as much greenhouse gas as a quarter of French teenage girls.
A world where these same teenagers are the targets of this ultra fast fashion brand thanks to hyper aggressive digital marketing.
A world where consumers buy twice as many clothes as they did 20 years ago while wearing them for less time.
A world where mountains of wasted and unused clothes are burned or pile up in numerous landfills in Africa or in the ocean.
This is not only a problem for Shein, but also for many other fast fashion brands that are flooding the market with cheap, low quality products.

This raises two questions:

1) Should a huge Chinese industrialist be allowed to sell clothes in Europe that are made under conditions that are considered illegal in Europe?
You can always ask your MP or sign this petition here. However, we believe that more results will be achieved by answering the second question, namely...
2) What can be done to encourage people to turn to another way of consumption? What are the alternatives?
Because these big controversial brands only exist because we agree to be part of this catastrophic alternative they offer, here are some information/reasons not to buy fast fashion clothes.
They are intentionally summarised, so that they can be remembered more easily and shared with everyone:

1. Environmental impact:
Fast fashion produces a lot of waste, pollutes water and air, and uses a lot of energy and natural resources.

2. Ethics:
Some fast fashion brands have been accused of ethically dubious practices, such as the use of forced labour or failure to respect workers' rights.

3. Working conditions:
The workers who make fast fashion clothes are poorly paid and work in difficult and dangerous conditions.

4. Health:
Fast fashion clothes are sometimes made with products that are dangerous for the consumer, and of course even more so for the worker who makes them.

5. Sustainability:
Fast fashion clothes are generally of inferior quality. They are designed to be thrown away and replaced quickly, rather than being durable.

Choosing ethical or locally made, sustainable, organically grown clothing - has a positive impact on the environment, workers and consumers.
There are many eco-friendly alternatives for your wardrobe, such as buying second-hand clothes, choosing local or fair trade organic brands, or learning how to repair and maintain your existing clothes to extend their life.