We’ve Been Fighting Fast Fashion Since the Industrial Revolution
From the Triangle Factory Fire to Shein, the Garment Business Can’t Escape Ethical Quandaries
Attention-grabbing headlines constantly alert us to the ills of fast fashion. The multi-billion dollar industry churns out mountains of inexpensive-but-stylish clothing, much of it sewn in sweatshop-like factories in Asia and Latin America and sold by popular brands such as Shein, H&M, and Zara. The industry exploits workers, uses harmful chemicals, and causes environmental damage to the planet. The garments it produces are of poor quality, which means consumers keep coming back for more—and the cycle of harm repeats.
Social and environmental justice advocates taking aim at fast fashion direct their …
