Sustainable Fashion: Is Technology the Solution or the Problem?

In recent years, the digital world expands at a rapid rate. The rise of e-commerce and digital platforms drives an increase in the purchase of fast fashion. Not only does online shopping platforms or apps allow brands to reach consumers on a large scale, it creates accessibility and convenience.  

With a few clicks of a button, consumers are able to browse and place their orders. The simplicity of being able to shop a wide arrangement of clothes without having to go into stores contributes to the fast fashion consumerism. Think back to the last time you made an online order. Were all the pieces exactly what you thought it would be online? Many people would answer no. Often, the online shopping process does not fully convey the correct sizing or details of the pieces purchased. Transactional inaccuracy leads to low usage of clothing and therefore does not capture its full material value. This convenient but easily flawed shopping process supports the toxic consumption pattern. 

With the rise of social media platforms, exposure to e-commerce is at an unprecedented level. Brands use social media to advertise and market their products. Especially within the younger generation born to the digital world, these influences greatly impact how fast fashion is perceived.

Although social commerce has led to significant growth in fast fashion, it also holds potential to divert consumers away from unsustainable practices. Thrifting and resale websites like Depop are examples of sustainable alternatives promoted on major platforms such as Instagram and Tiktok.