To wish that the government would legislate on fast fashion

[FlowersAndFruit]

Specifically clothes made from synthetics. I already buy cotton clothes from vinted for my family, but if I do want something new for myself, which I do as I am pregnant and I'm jumping between sizes, women's clothing shops are stuffed with synthetic materials, whilst menswear is mostly cotton.

Why is this?! Why do we accept it?

People talk about passing clothes on rather than binning them, but you can't do that if the clothes are in too bad of a condition. Clothes with mixed fibres bobble really quickly.

We know that textile waste is being sent to the third world for "recycling".

This short documentary about the issue illustrates how bad it is, with mountains of burning plastic clothes that have been sent by container ship from countries such as ours.

My experience is that clothing made of natural fibres doesn’t last. I do make a point to always buy natural for myself because I prefer the feel of it (especially as I live in a hot country) and because I can afford to replace frequently, but the fact is that it just doesn’t last as long as synthetics.

And some people can only afford cheaper synthetic clothing.

Cotton is the most polluting fibre of them all. Even more than synthetics.

This is true.

The only answer is for people to stop buying as much, whether cotton or polyester.

It's not just cheap places. My husband bought a lovely suit from Reiss, 100% wool, gorgeous fabric. Not one of the women's suits - not one was made of the same fabric. All of them were a poly mix, and to make it worse were priced the same or higher. How is this okay?

Cotton is not the solution btw, the production of cotton is extremely wasteful. I don't think legislation is the answer either, there needs to be a culture change. I don't know how and admit it is easy for me to proclaim this when I am lucky to be able to afford better quality and have a wider choice. (Not Reiss 😉)

I do only buy natural fibres. Once I hit perimenopause, my skin couldn’t cope with synthetics. But it’s so expensive. Whereas basic men’s clothes are cotton by default.

I think part of the problem, as exemplified by some comments on this thread, is that people think that buying expensive clothes means they're "better" and going to "last longer" and that only cheaper shops sell clothes that are fast fashion that won't last 5 minutes.

My last lot of tops from Boden managed a season due to bad design and poor material quality. I've got a pair of Primark trousers that I've had since 2005 and a jacket I've had from them since 2007. These are extreme examples from my wardrobe but it's all about the choices you make from those shops, not the shops themselves, they often have a mix of pieces that will last alongside "fast fashion" regardless of price point.

And the quality of the item or its environmental credentials isn't as simple as "cotton good, synthetics bad" either.

People need to start taking responsibility for their own choices instead of dropping £50 on a pure cotton top that they're still done with after 2 years and feeling like that makes them superior to people who shop at Primark. Or thinking it's okay to wear something once if it then goes to a charity shop like they've done some great service to the environment. No one ever talks about the impact on the environment of these ridiculous weddings where 50-100 guests all buy a brand new outfit and wear it once to that one wedding then ditch it, for example.

There is also a huge issue that if we ban fast fashion/synthetics completely, supply to charity shops will dry up and (as we keep being told by people claiming to be charity shop managers on threads about charity shop pricing) they'll still price the second hand "good brands" in ways that leaves it unaffordable for people who can't afford the original brand, so what are people on benefits then supposed to do? Charity shop managers keep telling us they categorically don't recognise their role as providing cheap affordable clothing to people who can't afford to buy new and that they're a business first and foremost. Then again, I think some people in society would really be happy to have people on benefits wear rags to denote their status.

We just need to make better choices and stop expecting the nanny state to do it for us because a one size fits all approach literally isn't going to work on this.

But how long will they last? I was thinking that perhaps people could save up to buy, for example, a pair of leggings or a t-shirt that would last for 5-10 years, rather than having to buy new ones every year. If a t-shirt was 10 times the price but lasted 10.30 times as long, the financial outlay would be the same as buying 10 cheaper t-shirts over the same time period.

Alternatively, if clothing (and furniture and pretty much everything else) were generally of better quality (like it used to be) there would be a much bigger and better 2nd-hand market.

I was thinking that perhaps people could save up to buy, for example, a pair of leggings or a t-shirt that would last for 5-10 years

I really don't think they are making anything that will last that long anymore....
Edit to add, for regular wear, not once every few months wear

The issue is mainly attitudes towards fast fashion and a cheap throw away society. I have cheap, fast fashion clothes that I wear regularly from 8 years ago. They are only fast fashion if you stop wearing them! Yes I am very unfashionable but I wear what I like and don't just buy for the sake of it.
When the kids were tiny I'd buy Frugi Preloved, both kids wore it and then I sold it. To be fair nearly all their clothes up I til age 5 were Preloved or hand me downs.
Other people I knew were aghast at their baby wearing 'other people's clothes' and regularly binned outgrown things even with tags on 😳

Same with interior decoration and design. New cushions and throws for every season, new Christmas theme every year. People are willing to spend on this crap just to throw it out next year.

Please don't try and ban synthetics, my kids school jumpers are indestructible!

I wouldn’t describe second hand as tatty, but my honest experience when my friends have very kindly gifted me hand-me-downs for my kids is that they are great but don’t last as long because they have shrunk in the dryer.

I only buy clothes when I need them, and when I do I buy clothes that I like, that fit me. I don't want to be told what I should or shouldn't buy. My dd has asd and wore nothing but her school uniform for 3 years, she would never go anywhere as she had nothing to wear. I was thrilled when she finally found clothes on shein that fit her very narrow criteria. I am not keen on shopping in Shein but she has clothes she likes and has started to go out at weekends. I still only buy clothes as needed, I do think that people buy far too much stuff because it's cheap which is generally a much bigger problem that synthetic fibres.

I agree, although more around the quality of clothes. It's a joke companies talk about sustainability when their clothes don't even last a season. Last year was the first year I've thrown clothes in the bin due to holes and pilling, these were all less than a year old. It's disgraceful

I have Decathlon leggings for the gym/yoga that I've had for ten years, one pair cost £9.99 and the other £14.99. They haven't a single hole in them, not have they gone bobbly nor worn thin. And I do actually wear them! I run, do yoga and do weights and cardio in the gym.

So cheap doesn't necessarily mean crap. I look for value for money.

My last lot of tops from Boden managed a season due to bad design and poor material quality. I've got a pair of Primark trousers that I've had since 2005 and a jacket I've had from them since 2007. These are extreme examples from my wardrobe but it's all about the choices you make from those shops, not the shops themselves

I find this a huge issue. Because shops all order through manufacturers, rather than making stuff in house, the quality can vary massively within a single shop. It's very hard to find somewhere consistently reliable. I was watching a documentary about Laura Ashley making everything in a few in house factories - and you can tell by the quality of their 1980s/early 90s stuff.

Even expensive clothes can be really bad quality now. I'm renting a dress that retails at £175 - so not designer price but higher end high street - and it looks lovely, very heavy fabric, but the zip is so cheap.

I try to buy as much second hand as I can and rent occasion pieces.

Vicious circle - clothes are cheap so people feel they have to have a new outfit for every night out, and the more people buy into the ridiculous idea that you can't be seen in the same thing twice the more the demand there is for poorly made tat.

I live in leggings the I buy. I have several pairs. I could not afford too much for each pair.
If I am saving up to buy, I am without them up up until then.