Is Staying Trendy Worth it?

By Camila Nito Burgos

 The topic of fast fashion is back trending again, with the recent circulation of TikTok videos claiming it was “never that serious,” sparking debate over whether staying trendy is really worth it. Fast fashion is inexpensive fashion, cheap low-quality, trendy clothes. Fast fashion has been around since the 1900s due to the demand for cheaper, trendy clothing. Although it started back in the day, the problem has grown with popular stores like Forever 21, Zara, Shein, and the TikTok shop. Many teenage girls think of fast fashion as a small issue, and something not that serious to worry about, but stock numbers say otherwise.

According to the Uniformmarket statistic by Nancy Cardona (2024), fast fashion is now a, “$150.82 billion industry, it has grown by 10.74% from 2024 and is further estimated to reach $291.1 billion by 2032.” Meaning that fast fashion has increasingly grown and will continue to grow in the next seven years. At this rate, most people won't know the experience of good-quality clothing. 

Fast fashion is not only categorized in clothing but also in toys and plush. In April of 2025, popular blind box plushies called “Labubus” became trending on social media platforms. Labubus originally cost $28-40 (depending on variety), but of course, many people would want them at a cheaper price, looking on online websites. This led to creating the phrase “Lafufu,” meaning fake or counterfeit labubu. Behind the trendy, low-quality outfits and toys, immigrant women are working endlessly to provide clothing. With fast fashion, the cheaper prices mean the less these workers get paid.

 Fast Fashion is also a huge harm to our environment. Most clothing, according to Vogue's article by Alyssa Hardy  (2023), “Fast fashion is not affordable simply because the materials are cheap. Historically, workers around the globe (80% of whom are women) are paid through a piece rate system, resulting in wages that are extremely low. Within this system, workers make a very small amount per item, totaling wages as little as $200 a week for full-time work. In Bangladesh, the second largest exporter of garments in the world, workers are paid a monthly minimum wage of just $113 per month.” Female workers all over get paid the bare minimum to support their families; $113 is way below the poverty line; it's barely enough to buy groceries and pay rent.

Fast fashion is a global issue. Everyone wants inexpensive, trendy clothing, but is it really worth it when women earn barely enough to survive, and hazardous chemicals contaminate the environment? Consumers lose sight of what true quality even feels like? The reality is harsh: fast fashion is only “affordable” because someone else is paying the price. It's time for us to reconsider the way we purchase used goods, support ethical companies, and prioritize quality over quantity. We, the customers, are the ones who initiate change, not businesses.

Sources
UniformMarket. (2025, May 28). Environmental impact of fast fashion statistics (2025). huniformmarket.com/statistics/fast-fashion-statisticsttps://www.
Hardy, Alyssa (2024, April 24). Everything you need to know about fast fashion. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/what-is-fast-fashion