Over the last decade or so, fast fashion has utterly dominated the global apparel industry, offering cheap, on-trend garments that cycle in and out of stores as one fad bleeds into another. Though it seems (finally) this model may be losing its appeal to the general consumer. More and more people are rejecting the disposable nature of fast fashion, opting instead for high-quality, sustainable clothing that aligns with their values. This shift is fueling a growing demand for well-made, American-manufactured apparel, which offers durability, craftsmanship, and ethical production.
To get the ball rolling, this SNL skit is actually pretty good, and it’s airing this summer points to the growing trend I’ll explore in the article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKTN2OiR2R8
The Fast Fashion Problem
Fast fashion thrives on the promise of “right now, really cheap” - allowing consumers to buy the latest trends at a fraction of the price. Obviously, this model comes with significant hidden costs:
Environmental Impact: The fast fashion industry is one of the largest producers of solid waste in the world. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the industry generates 92 million tons of waste annually and accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions. Much of this waste is due to the short life cycle of fast fashion garments, which are designed to be worn a few times and then discarded. Given their exceedingly cheap production costs, more often than not the easiest way to make room for the next batch of inventory is to simply throw all the deadstock away. Consumers are becoming more aware of this impact, and many are looking for alternatives that are kinder to the planet. The photo below shows the final resting place of most of the world's clothing - the Atacama Desert in Chile.
Labor Exploitation: Many fast fashion brands rely on low-cost labor in developing countries, where working conditions can be unsafe and wages dirt cheap. This has sparked a global conversation about ethical sourcing and the human cost of our clothes. Our collective memory is short, but the growing trend suggests people are seeking brands that prioritize fair labor practices, general transparency, and social responsibility—qualities often associated with Made in USA clothing.
According to the Fair Labor Association, the average textile worker in Los Angeles makes between $16 and $19/hr, while the average Bangladeshi worker makes around $0.55/hr. Beyond the discrepancy in pay, the even more important issue is the unregulated child labor rampant across developing countries. In Bangladesh, more than 500,000 children ages 5-17 are working in the textile industry, with nearly 50% of the children aged 10-14 working up to 60 hours/wk. In 2013 over 1000 people were killed in a textile factory collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, largely due to lack of safety and construction regulaltion (below).
Low Quality: Maybe obviously, but fast fashion is usually made from inferior materials like polyester, leading to a short product life. Clothes from fast fashion brands frequently wear out after only a few washes, you know the shirt you wear once and it shrivels up after the fist wash? Given most of these clothes are predominantly polyester, this plastic waste is breaking down in the water, the air, and the environment at large. Not to mention they get uncomfortable and scratchy real quick.
The Consumer Shift Toward Sustainability
A growing trend toward sustainability is reshaping consumer behavior across the fashion industry. Several key factors are driving this shift, particularly among Millennials and GenZ:
Environmental Awareness: The conversation around climate change and our collective impact on the environment continues to grow year after year. This is leading more and more people to specifically consider the environmental impact of their purchases. Just look at electric cars. A survey by McKinsey & Company found that 67% of consumers now consider the use of sustainable materials an important purchasing factor, and 63% view a brand’s promotion of sustainability as key to their buying decisions. Shoppers are becoming more mindful of the ecological footprint of their clothing and are seeking out brands that offer sustainable alternatives, whether through higher quality materials or fair labor and ethical production, or both.
Preference for Durability: Nobody wants to buy junk, and the "buy once, cry once" mentality is ever growing. Consumers are increasingly valuing quality and durability over cheap, disposable clothing. A report from GlobalData revealed that 44% of consumers prefer to buy fewer, higher-quality items that last longer, rather than constantly buying cheaper, trendier clothing. Younger generations in particular are leading this shift, with 42% of Gen Z and 41% of millennials expressing a desire to shop more sustainably by purchasing better-made clothing. Whether this comes from a feeling of personal responsibility, or a desire to support brands that actually care, it doesn't really matter. Nobody likes paper straws, but everyone likes a really good shirt that lasts them 10+ years.
Resale and Second-Hand Market Growth: The growth of the resale market is further evidence of the shift away from fast fashion. When high quality goods are hard to come by, and your favorite brands have long since lost their edge, folks are turning to resale sites and the good ol’ fashioned thrift stores, myself included. The global secondhand market is projected to double by 2028, to the tune of $350 billion. In 2021 alone it grew by 32%, driven by both the desire for the lost quality of the 1980's and 90's and the desire to make less of an impact on the environment. Sites like ThredUp, Poshmark, and eBay allow people to purchase durable, high-quality items they can't find anymore. I often wonder how many times one of my favorite thrifted jackets has cyceld through different wardrobes and thrift stores before I bought it in great shape despite it being over 40 years old.
The Rise of High-Quality, American-Made Apparel
Made in USA apparel, in particular, is becoming increasingly popular for several reasons:
Craftsmanship and Durability: American-made clothing is often, and rightfully, associated with superior craftsmanship and quality materials. With the added costs of manufacturing stateside, most companies choose to invest a bit more in higher quality materials and small batch production. Coupled with the competition against ultra-cheap imports, creating a more premium product helps American companies stand out.
Ethical Production: More consumers are waking up to the labor exploitation I mentioned above, and are drawn to American-made clothing because of the transparency and ethical production practices it represents. The US regulates pay and working conditions to a much higher standard than the developing world, again where nearly all fast fashion originates. Beyond that, supporting local jobs and the American economy is another incentive for folks to choose Made in USA products.
Sustainability: Using Goodwear as an example, our supply chain is incredibly small on a global scale. Our production starting with cotton in the field to the finished shirt in the warehouse takes place almost entirely within the eastern part of the country (with some in LA). Our products never see the inside of a shipping container traveling across the world by ship. Focusing on a domestic product and consumer, we reduce the environmental impact of our company. In addition, we almost exclusively use 100% cotton fabrics and avoid plastics and "forever" chemicals.
The Future of Fashion: A Return to Quality
Shoppers are increasingly rejecting the throwaway culture that fast fashion promotes and are instead seeking out clothing that offers quality, longevity, and ethical production. This trend is creating opportunities for brands like us that focus on craftsmanship and sustainability, and domestic manufacturing.
Unfortunately, fast fashion will never go away, but trends suggest its chokehold on the American consumer may be loosening. Currently, only 2% of clothing sold in the USA is made in the USA. And keep in mind, while fast fashion is notoriously cheap, it is so because it aims to undercut other household name brands. Price is not necessarily an indicator of quality. While companies like SHEIN and H&M dominate the ultra-cheap market, good marketing disguises the same type of clothing sold by higher price point companies and brands - think stores you’d see at the mall.
I urge you dear reader, to start by checking the label before buying. Online, that isn’t possible, but brands often show country of origin, usually hidden in a tab below the product. If the country of origin is the catch-all “Imported”, you should raise an eyebrow. More than likely, this is fast fashion hiding behind clever marketing. If a growing percentage of consumers can learn to look at clothing with a more skeptical eye, we may see some real change down the road.
Thanks for reading.