Fast fashion may offer instant gratification, but its hidden costs are anything but quick or light. Behind every $10 t-shirt or trendy dress lies a much bigger price, including environmental destruction, unethical labor and mountains of waste that threaten our planet. As consumers, every purchase we make sends a message and it’s time to start asking: what are we really supporting when we choose fast fashion?
What is fast fashion? A closer look at the industry’s dirty secret
Fast fashion refers to clothing that’s produced quickly and cheaply, often through offshore manufacturing, to keep up with ever-changing trends. These garments are typically made in massive quantities using low-cost materials, allowing retailers to flood stores with new styles every week.
Fast fashion brands are known for mimicking high-end designer looks at a fraction of the price, but that affordability comes at a cost. The clothes often lack quality, using fabrics that fade, stretch or peel after just a few wears. This throwaway culture fuels overconsumption, environmental damage and unethical labor practices, making fast fashion one of the most harmful forces in the clothing industry today.
The hidden human cost of cheap clothing
While fast fashion brands may offer trendy styles at irresistible prices, it’s important to understand the true cost behind those “cheap” garments. When clothing is sold at extremely low prices, it often means that the people making those clothes are being paid unfairly and working under unsafe, inhumane conditions.
Many garment workers face unrealistic daily production targets, long hours and extreme pressure, leading to both emotional and financial strain. Behind every bargain buy, there’s often a story of exploitation, making it all the more crucial to support brands that prioritise ethical production and fair labor practices.
Why it’s important to understand the fabrics behind your fashion
When it comes to building a conscious wardrobe, understanding what your clothes are made of is just as important as how they’re made. Many popular fabrics used in fast fashion, like generic rayon and viscose may sound harmless, but they have a dark side.
At Cherry Bobbins, we intentionally avoid using these materials, and here’s why:
An estimated 30% of the world’s rayon and viscose is sourced from endangered and ancient forests, with 70 to 100 million trees cut down every year just to produce fabric. These trees are pulped to make the soft, drape textiles found in many low-cost garments but the environmental toll is massive.
This practice contributes to biodiversity loss, habitat destruction and significant carbon emissions, all for clothing that often lacks durability and ends up in landfill after a few wears.
By choosing better fabrics and educating ourselves on what goes into our clothes, we can reduce harm, extend the life of our wardrobes and support a fashion industry that values both people and the planet.
Why Cherry Bobbins chooses slow fashion practises
At Cherry Bobbins, we believe that fashion shouldn’t come at the cost of the planet. That’s why our garments are produced in small, considered quantities while prioritising more sustainable fabrics and processes.
We’re committed to doing things differently. Instead of chasing fleeting trends, we create timeless, high-quality wardrobe staples designed to last. Our pieces are versatile, durable, and thoughtfully made, the kind of clothing that works with what you already own and won’t go out of style next season.
Fashion is a part of everyday life but so is our responsibility to the planet. Choosing sustainable, size-inclusive clothing is a powerful step toward a more conscious wardrobe, and a better future.