The Business of Overproduction: How Fast Fashion Profits from Waste

Think about the last time you bought something just because it was “too good of a deal to pass up.” Maybe it was a $10 top you wore twice or a trendy skirt that sat in your closet with the tags still on. I have done it too. But what we do not see in that quick purchase is the hidden cost: the waste piling up in landfills, the chemicals running into rivers, and the people making our clothes for pennies. Behind every “trendy” piece is a supply chain of factories, chemicals, and waste that most of us never see. Once you do, it’s hard to look at your closet the same way.

In July, we at TeenCEO had the honor of meeting with Dr. Amy Williams, a professor at the University of Southern California who specializes in fashion design, post-secondary design education, and change leadership consulting—all united by a core theme of sustainable innovation. With more than 40 years of experience in fashion, from designing sweaters in New York to running a fashion program in California, she has witnessed firsthand the environmental and human cost of the clothing we buy. 

When people think about fast fashion, they often picture cheap clothes that fall apart quickly. Amy describes it as quickly made, trend-driven products designed for short use and addressed at a mass market. These items are meant to be produced at lightning speed to catch a momentary trend, sold for a low price, and replaced almost immediately. But that speed comes at a cost.

The environmental damage begins with the fabrics. Many fast fashion items are made from polyester or nylon, which come from fossil fuels and can take hundreds to thousands of years to break down. Amy calls these “the 1000-year skirts and shirts.” These fabrics are often treated with chemical dyes and finishes that pollute water during manufacturing and release microplastics every time they are washed. Then there is the waste. Unsold items often end up in landfills or are shipped overseas where they can overwhelm local markets or pile up in massive clothing dumps like those in Chile’s Atacama Desert.

The human cost is just as troubling. “Eighty percent of apparel workers are women,” Amy told us, “often in unsafe conditions, without protections, and with little opportunity to move up.” In many manufacturing countries, women are not allowed to own factories or property, which means men hold most of the decision-making power. Workers may be paid only pennies per piece. Fast fashion keeps this exploitative system running. 

So, what can we do? Amy believes in building what she calls a “circular economy,” which means designing clothing with its next life in mind. Instead of making something, selling it, and throwing it away, circular fashion reuses fibers and materials again and again. She encourages avoiding blends that are difficult to recycle, such as cotton mixed with spandex, and buying quality pieces that will last. She recommends a few specific stores including: The RealReal, Poshmark, Everlane, Levi’s, Ralph Lauren, and Patagonia. No brand is perfect, but these brands are working their hardest to become more sustainable. 

Though not always the case, some argue that sustainable brands are far to expensive. To that, we say there are other options to making a change in the apparel industry. Renting outfits for special events, shopping second-hand, choosing timeless pieces over trendy ones, and slowing down our purchases all make a difference.

Fast fashion thrives because we let it. By rethinking our shopping habits, even in small ways, we can chip away at an industry built on overproduction and exploitation. What we buy today determines the kind of world we will live in tomorrow. As Amy said, “Slow down. You’ll still look beautiful without the extra shirt.”