The fast-fashion industry is churning out low-cost, low-quality clothing at record speed, and our planet is paying the price. But according to Modaes, a growing movement known as slow fashion is offering a more sustainable path forward: one rooted in quality, ethics, and intention.

What's happening?

Retail giants such as Shein have built billion-dollar businesses on ultrafast production and trend chasing, with new styles hitting online shelves daily. This business model encourages overconsumption and waste, with most items designed to wear out quickly and end up in landfills even faster. Companies like Shein are akin to McDonald's in Rome — but on a global scale.

The slow-fashion movement stands in direct contrast, promoting timeless design, durable materials, and ethical production. It's about making fewer clothes that last longer and shifting the industry's focus from profit to sustainable purpose. Thrifting and buying secondhand are becoming increasingly popular as consumers look for ways to reduce waste and spend thousands less.

Why is fast fashion concerning?

"The big challenge in fashion in terms of sustainability is the volume of clothing, which is not only very high, but growing," said fashion expert Kate Fletcher to Modaes. "... There is already enough clothing in the world for everyone."

Beyond cheap clothes that wear and tear quickly, fast fashion's environmental impact toll is massive, from polluted waterways to overflowing landfills and up to 8% of global air pollution. Its social costs are just as alarming. Poor labor conditions and exploitative supply chains are common, especially in the rush to produce cheap goods at scale. 

While low prices may seem like a win, Fletcher told Modaes that they strip away our say in how clothes are made: "All we do when we go shopping in these [fast-fashion] stores is choose among predefined alternatives. There is little that is democratic about that."

Fletcher adds that we need to rethink our relationship with clothing, not just how much we consume, but what it means to dress with intention during an era of environmental strain and emergencies. We need to start breaking up with fast fashion. 

What's being done about fast fashion?

"The only way to fight overproduction is simply to produce less," Fletcher said, per Modaes. Right now, only 6% of clothing purchases are driven by actual need; the rest are fueled by habit, desire, or marketing. 

Many still cling to the economic promises of globalization, but if recent tariffs prompt companies and suppliers to relocate supply chains to benefit workers, local communities, and lessen fashion's impact on the environment, that would be a positive outcome.

Consumers can lead change by shopping secondhand, educating themselves on greenwashing, supporting local stores, and choosing quality over quantity. But real progress will come when companies prioritize communities and the planet over endless profits, redefining success to mean resilience, not excess.

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