Every April, between classes, coffee runs and late-night study sessions at the Shapiro Undergraduate Library, I spend my time dreading moving out of my college house. As a reformed thrifting addict and borderline hoarder, packing up all of my clothing is always quite the endeavor. While lugging box after box to the car on move-out day, I wondered how I even compiled so much stuff to begin with.
Overconsumption pervades American culture — becoming so mainstream and widespread that many of us don’t even notice it. Think, for instance, about clothing hauls: a type of video popular on TikTok and YouTube. It’s likely that if you’ve spent time on either app, you’ve encountered one. If not, the premise is quite simple: The creator shows all of their purchases made during a recent shopping trip on camera. This genre of video has blown up on TikTok, with the hashtag accumulating over 15.7 million posts.
Admittedly, these videos are entertaining. But, they reinforce the idea that clothing is expendable and should be treated as such. In hauls, the creator often showcases multiple bags of clothing items, all bought in just one shopping trip. In such instances, it’s unlikely that each and every clothing item was bought thoughtfully and with the intention of wearing it regularly.
The clothing haul trend is a byproduct of fast fashion: the rapid production of cheap clothing, often in short product life cycles. We have become accustomed to buying tons of clothing on a whim because fast fashion provides us the capabilities to do so.
However, it used to be much more common for people to wear items until they were worn out, and even then, they would repair and patch up their clothing if it got damaged. With the rise of fast fashion, however, clothing prices have dropped, making it possible for a larger fraction of the public to buy more clothing. Nowadays, people treat clothing as if pieces are disposable, with McKinsey estimating that consumers discard items after only seven or eight wears.
Discourse about the evils of fast fashion has been generally limited to funneling frustration toward certain brands, such as Shein, which is infamous for its unsustainable model. As of 2023, the retailer was consistently churning out up to 10,000 new designs a day. There is widespread knowledge and criticism of the brand’s poor environmental practices, and when social media influencers collaborate with the brand, they often face significant backlash.
Although every bit of this criticism against the brand is warranted, the environmental impact of fast fashion goes beyond Shein. Yes, we should hold fashion brands accountable, as they are ultimately responsible for a sizable contribution to climate change, but not without also considering how we can hold ourselves accountable. Most people, myself included, are capable of doing more than simply avoiding the “worst” fast-fashion brands.
Mending our relationship with clothing would benefit both our personal lives and the environment. We should try to see new clothing purchases as an intentional addition to our wardrobe, instead of simply a fleeting dopamine hit. I have been trying to do this in my own life, particularly after my move-out experience made me realize just how many clothes I already own.
For me, this has looked like taking pictures of pieces I like while I’m shopping, and instead of making an impulse purchase, I choose to sleep on it; if I am still thinking about it the next day, I can always go back to the store and find it. Many times, though, by the next day, I forget that I even took the photo, which to me, indicates that I may have just as likely forgotten about the piece of clothing.
Another strategy that could be helpful in making more intentional shopping choices would be building a list of certain items you’re on the hunt for, especially staple pieces that will be worn again and again, before going out on a shopping trip. This can make your shopping trip more intentional and may lower your odds of feeling buyer’s remorse later.
The situation we’re in as consumers is not ideal or simple. Similarly, there is no ideal, one-size-fits-all solution. However, beginning to confront and think more deeply about the purchasing habits we post about and celebrate on social media is a step in the right direction.
I’ll admit, in the past, I have enjoyed watching hauls and have even personally subjected my private story viewers to a few, but I’ve also begun to realize that in doing so, I’m contributing to a culture that celebrates the constant and unnecessary accumulation of stuff. Stuff that’ll inevitably end up in a box to Goodwill, where it’ll join piles of other people’s stuff. Some of the stuff will sell, and some will be shipped overseas, where it may be accepted as donations, or it’ll be burned to make room for new stuff.
I know this all sounds a little depressing, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s exciting that with fast fashion we’ve innovated enough to make clothing more plentiful, affordable and accessible. Now, as consumers, we have more choices than ever before. Consider making the conscious choice to approach your next trip to the mall a little differently.
Laura Hurlburt is an Opinion columnist. She can be reached at laurhurl@umich.edu.
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