Fast to Slow Fashion – seven steps to achieve a sustainable wardrobe

Fast Fashion -Lasting Impact Local Organisations

A couple of years ago, I bought a denim skirt online. It was cheap, about a tenth of the price of the one I really wanted. My budget didn’t stretch, so I clicked “buy.” The pop-ups kept suggesting “other shoppers also bought…” and I briefly wondered if the website was even real. 

A few weeks later, the package arrived. It fit. It looked good. I was quite pleased with myself.

Then my daughter came home.

“I got this online,” I said proudly. 

The look on her face.

“Mum… you didn’t.”

Apparently, I had just dipped my toe into the world of fast fashion. I genuinely didn’t know what that meant. It had taken weeks to arrive – hardly “fast,” I thought.

She explained. And the more I listened, the worse I felt. It didn’t sit comfortably with my values. I’ve never bought from them again. 

This reality was brought home again just the other day at a meeting with local Whitianga reuse and resell groups, where we heard about bags of fast-fashion clothing being left at op-shop doors. Many items still with tags on, never worn, possibly suggesting people are buying multiple sizes because they’re so cheap, then discarding what doesn’t fit as if clothing were disposable.

So What Is Fast Fashion?

Fast fashion is a system designed to produce clothing quickly and cheaply, following rapid trend cycles. For example, instead of four seasonal collections a year, brands can release dozens in just weeks. The goal? High output and keep consumers engaged and buying.

However, as a consumer the full cost of Fast Fashion is often hidden.

Environmental Impact - International and Local

The fast fashion industry is a large global polluter. It consumes vast amounts of water, relies heavily on synthetic fibres made from fossil fuels, and generates enormous textile waste. Many garments are worn only a handful of times before being discarded.

Polyester (a common fast fashion fabric) can shed microplastics when washed. These tiny fibres enter waterways and oceans, where they persist indefinitely.

And then there’s waste. Mountains of clothing end up in landfills and stretch communities and countries already struggling with waste management. In Whitianga our local op shops report being overwhelmed with bags of barely worn, ultra-cheap clothing that they cannot resell.

Chemicals - textile production uses dyes, bleaches, and finishing chemicals, some of these potentially toxic.  In poorly regulated regions, these chemicals affect both ecosystems and communities.

Social Impact

The low fast fashion prices offered to the end consumer relies on business models that streamline costs to make business viable. This has regularly brought into the spotlight the question of working conditions of garment workers, including minimal pay, long working hours and workplace safety conditions. The human cost is real, even if it’s far away from our shopping carts.

Seven Steps to be Fashionable and Sustainable

Enter slow fashion!

Slow fashion encourages buying fewer, better-quality items that last. It prioritises durability, ethical production, and mindful consumption. It’s not about perfection, it’s about intention.

Here are some practical steps:

1. Buy less, choose well. Ask: Will I wear this 30 times?
2. Shop second-hand.  Op shops and resource recovery centres are treasure troves.
3. Repair and alter. A small mend can extend life by years.
4. Host clothing swaps. Refresh your wardrobe without buying new.
5. Support local ethical brands. Look for transparency in supply chains.
6. Care properly. Wash less frequently and line-dry when possible.
7. And perhaps most importantly: pause before clicking “buy.”

That one denim skirt started a conversation in my house. It made me realise how easy it is to drift into systems we don’t fully understand, and how powerful it is to change course once we do.

Fast fashion thrives on speed and impulse. Slow fashion thrives on care and connection.

And honestly? The second one feels much better to wear. 

- Author: Kat Neilson-Jones, Wahi Tukurua.