Day 74: Americans say fast fashion is bad for their mental health

9/6/2024

Day 74: Americans say fast fashion is bad for their mental health

Relentless pressure to keep up with trends is taking a heavy toll on young people’s mental health and contributing to the shocking levels of waste generated by the fashion industry, finds a survey by Garson & Shaw, a major player in the second-hand clothing industry.

The company’s research finds that 41% of Americans, and an even more significant 50% of Gen Z, feel that the fast fashion industry is negatively impacting their mental health. The constant demand to wear the latest styles is driving eco-anxiety and amplifying feelings of stress and inadequacy. According to the report, 50% of Gen Z have purchased fast fashion just to follow trends or to keep up with their peers. Alarmingly, over a third of them admitted they’ve never worn an item of clothing after being seen in it or posting it on social media.

Fast fashion’s environmental toll is equally disturbing. Every year, over 10bn wearable clothing items are discarded in the US alone. Garson & Shaw’s findings show that 65% of young people throw away at least one wearable item of clothing each month — adding to the enormous amount of textile waste that could otherwise be reused or recycled.

The company is launching its #MindfulFashion campaign this autumn, aiming to promote the circular economy and drive discussion on the mental health and environmental benefits of second-hand fashion

It highlights the positive environmental impact of second-hand shopping, pointing out that reusing existing garments reduces the demand for new clothing production, saving an estimated 20trn gallons of water over the next decade. Additionally, if current trends in second-hand clothing consumption continue, the US could reduce carbon emissions by 167mn tonnes by 2033.

Everything I wore on day 74 of the 90 days of Shein challenge: