To better understand both the concepts we can use the example of fast food and healthy food, fast food being the fast fashion whereas slow fashion being healthy food. We all love and admire fast food because it is fast, delicious and can be made easily in bulk but we also know that it is not good for our health and can make us seriously sick if we eat it more often.
Similarly fast fashion has all the fashion one requires, it is cheap and can be manufactured in bulk quantity with less costs by using cheap material and means of production. However, fast fashion is harmful for the environment and in most cases carelessly neglects the rights of labor and other stakeholders.
Quality of these products, is considerably cheap and cannot be used more than a few times and most importantly it is one of the many reasons for climate change which is the biggest threat the world has facing presently.
On the other hand, Slow Fashion is at the place of healthy food, it is more expensive like healthy food, more difficult to produce and usually is more costly because you need high quality ingredients which are expensive but like the way healthy food is good for the body and benefits you in the long run in the same way slow fashion is healthy for the environment and is beneficial or not harmful for the environment in the long run.
The above example was to create a basic understanding about the differences between slow and fast fashion but the two concepts are not that much easy to fully comprehend therefore more detail is required. Considering the harmful effects of fast fashion there is a vast number of individuals still preferring fast fashion despite the disadvantages of fast fashion.
Which means that there are also some factors that make it desirable. Prices are one of these factors. The price of fast fashion is substantially low as compared to slow fashion and not everyone can’t afford to wear expensive clothes just because these clothes are eco-friendly.
One of the most important factors that make slow fashion out of the reach of the common middle and lower class is the high prices and these high prices consequently make fast fashion a more convenient option.
Reasons why slow fashion is a good choice.
1. Environmental Benefits
The firms that follow slow fashion have this goal to make fashion products more durable and long-lasting. On the other hand, fast fashion ignores durability and sustainability and focuses on fast production using synthetic and inorganic materials. The fabric used in slow fashion is natural and eco-friendly like cotton, silk and alpaca. Moreover, the process used in production is safe for the environment due to the control of carbon footprints and reduced wastage.
2. Ethically Manufacturing
Ethical manufacturing is a concept that is far for almost all manufactures working on fast fashion. Ethical manufacturing refers to including steps and procedures and impose strict policies that focus on providing deserved benefits to the employees, people, and overall society. Slow fashion supports labour laws and human rights and prohibits any act which is not in compliance with them.
Science is also playing its vital role in this matter, more and more advance and greener methods of producing fashion apparel have been inventing on a daily basis. It is the need of the hour because of the fashion industry second largest contribution to world pollution after the oil industry.
3. No Human Exploitation
Slow fashion is also a huge fan of local textile and creating job opportunities for local people. In this way slow fashion plays a key role in the development of small business and cause betterment in the lifestyle of middle and lower class. This support to local industries covers up the damage done by fast fashion. Fast fashion takes advantage of the local people and abuse them with unbearably low wages, harsh working conditions, and no consideration for safety and security.
4. Benefits for Buyers
Slow fashion is also substantially beneficial for customers. The quality of products made by slow fashion is durable and long-lasting. If people who buy fast fashion products change their products every week then people who invest in slow fashion change their products in two or four months. So if we look at the number of wears slow fashion products are more logical and give more value to the customers.
Slow fashion producers focus on building long-lasting relationships with their customers and pay close attention to their needs and desires. They even go a level further by offering customisation to the customers in products like personalised workwear, personalised t-shirts, or custom made polo shirts and in order to compete in the market, they offer more benefits in the shape of sales promotions, freebies and value addition.
5. Easy to Dispose
People who follow slow fashion know this thing very much that these products are designed in a way that they are easier to dispose. Unlike products created by fast fashion are hard to get rid of, these products are made up of harmful materials that do not go down to waste easily. People like products that are easy to dispose of. Therefore they prefer slow fashion.
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