Fast Fashion vs Slow Fashion

 Fast Fashion and Making Ethical Choices

Let's talk about fast fashion and crochet items that are available for sale. A lot of companies like SHEIN and Temu are selling crochet items for really cheap prices. I saw a crochet top made up for five large granny squares with straps and tassels that definitely look crocheted although it's hard to see clearly. The top is being sold for £7.49, and from the look of it it would take me a good 3-4 hours to make by hand. I'm not the slowest crocheter, nor am I the fastest. 

Why is this a problem? Well, even if you ignore material costs, and if we give a generous estimate of 3 hours to make. we're looking at £2.50 per hour, except you have to assume that the company intends to make a profit as well, so it's likely that the person making these items is being paid much less per hour to hand make these items. 

As we discussed last week, crochet cannot be replicated by a machine, so if these items are truly crochet, then whoever is making them is being massively underpaid. The national minimum wage per hour in the UK starts at £5.28 for 16-17 year olds and for adults over 23 years old it is £10.42 per hour.

Sweatshops?

We've known about these places for a long time. They are illegal in many places due to the poor pay and conditions, but as we all know, just because something is illegal, that does not mean it isn't happening. The fashion industry has long used these kinds of factories to produce items. 

Crochet items take time to make by hand, so to be selling them this cheap, they have to be sourced from sweatshop type factories. The people making these items are likely working long and unreasonable hours and paid poorly. They are being exploited and abused, and just trying to provide for themselves and their families. 

The Environment

Another issue with fast fashion and the fashion industry in general is the impact on the environment. Now, more than ever, we should be conscious of how we dispose of used items and taking care of the planet. Climate change is real, whether people want to believe it or not, and fashion contributes a lot of waste. 

Fashion changes so quickly these days, meaning demand for new clothing items is high. Mass produced clothing items are poorer quality now which means they don't last as long before wearing out and needing thrown away. Textiles can take a long time to break down and plastic microfibres from synthetic materials is ending up in the ocean and the world's water supplies.

Clothing is being made from cheaper materials and intended to be worn a few times then discarded, and with styles in vogue changing almost daily, it's becoming a real problem. Textile recycling is available, but it's not always obvious that it is. 

What can we do?

It's important to try and make ethical choices. If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. It isn't easy, as we are obviously in the midst of a cost of living crisis and ethical fashion choices are more expensive (because those involved in its creation are better paid) but it is important to be aware of the source of these items.

When it comes to crochet, buying from small businesses is definitely a better option. Small handmade businesses like mine tend to be more eco-friendly and you will not be making the richest people in the world richer, instead supporting someone who is working hard to provide for themselves. 

Petition your government to stop large companies from exploiting workers abroad and paying their employees a proper living wage. In this day and age, people should not have to work 16 hour days for pathetic amounts of money and not be able to afford to live. The only way to stop these companies is to boycott those who have unethical practices like using sweatshops. 

There are a lot of boycotts already in action due to conflicts around the world, and as consumers, it is the best way for us to tell these companies that we do not condone their actions. The same should apply to companies exploiting workers in this way.

Another thing you can do to help is to learn how to maintain and repair clothing, or upcycle old clothing into other things. I did something similar with a pair of curtains I bought from Ikea years ago. They were too long, so I cut them to the right length and hemmed them, and used the excess fabric to create my own matching cushions. Learning to sew and darn can go a long way to keeping textiles functional for years to come!

Thanks for reading, I know this one is a bit more of a rant, but it is important to talk about these things. We're living through a scary time, where people are being abused and exploited across the world, where rights are being taken away and where a literal genocide is happening. No matter what problems we are personally facing, we as a society need to think of other people in the world as well. We need to talk about these things and amplify the voices of those who are being oppressed and ignored. 

I am sure some would disagree but here in my little corner of the internet, we believe racism needs to end, abortion is healthcare, trans rights are human rights and that Palestine should be free. People should not be dying because of who they are and things they cannot control. Vaccines save lives and women should be believed. Everyone has the right to exist as they are and everyone should have access to the basic necessities of life, no matter their circumstances. We can make a difference by making ethical choices, whether these choices are in clothing purchases or in how we vote in elections.