Consumerism vs climate action - conflicting values facing Gen Z

A Brief History of American Consumerism and Fast Fashion

Due in large part to its alarmingly high fast fashion consumption rates, the United States has been long associated with overwhelming levels of consumerism. The concept of consumerism in America is thought to have emerged during the late nineteenth century, and, having continued to climb on a relatively stable trajectory in the decades following World War II, rates of which reached never-before-seen heights in the late 1990s and early 2000s. 

The establishment of Amazon in 1994, and other subsequent online shopping platforms, gave rise to the institution of fast fashion— the production of cheap and low-quality clothing in bulk as quickly and easily as possible. With user bases of 1.5 and 2.7 billion respectively, Tiktok and Youtube play major roles in the proliferation of materialism and overconsumption, particularly by adolescents. This was exceptionally apparent during 2020, as most of the global population was restricted to the confines of their homes, with the internet as a lone resource for escapism. Census reports have evidenced that e-commerce sales increased from $571.2 billion in 2019 to $815.4 billion in 2020.

 A prime example of the media intensifying the demand for an article of clothing was seen in the popularity of the infamous lime green House of Sunny dress, which sold out twice on the House of Sunny website and then resold for over $1,000 on other ecommerce sites after being excessively promoted on Tiktok. 

Fast Fashion and Greenwashing 

Gen Zers are the first generation of “digital natives,” and as such, tend to be the more savvy and critical consumers of media. They are prone to imposing their social values on their shopping habits, and are thus likely to engage with brands and organizations that display similar values—particularly those that promote themselves as being socially and environmentally conscious—as well as to call out brands for being inauthentic in their environmental campaigns via employing “greenwashing.” 

However, despite more than 54% of Gen Zers claiming that sustainability is important, they are also some of the largest consumers of “fast fashion”, with the highest levels of consumption being driven by social media. A study conducted by ThredUp found that about one in three Gen Zers in the study said they felt “addicted to fast fashion,” and 45% of college students said that it was “hard to resist the temptations that fast fashion offers.”

One of the more widely accepted but environmentally-harmful fast fashion trends promoted by social influencers are “fashion hauls,” where clothing is bought in bulk in order to gain followers, and, ultimately, consumers. These hauls are often sponsored by organizations and brands like SHEIN, which notably came under fire for exacerbating fossil fuel production and microfiber pollution. The implicit divide in Gen Z’s supposed values and their buying habits has largely been attributed to two main factors: the cost of fast fashion versus higher quality garments, and the constant pressures of social media influencers.

Responsible Shopping Tips and Intentional Advocacy

The implications of Fast Fashion extend far beyond economic and social prominence; the greatest impact is on the environment. More than 10% of greenhouse gasses contributing to climate change are produced by the textile manufacturing industry since it requires such significant amounts of energy and harmful chemicals to meet production quotas. In addition, more than 2,700 liters of water can be used to make one cotton shirt, and when decomposing, harmful dyes from discarded clothing can leak into soil and groundwater. 

Despite the far reach of fast-fashion, there are ways to help combat and mitigate its damages. Consumers could aim at simplifying their wardrobes and find ways to wear their clothes longer, reducing the impulse to constantly buy cheap but low-quality clothing. Shopping with more sustainable brands, and even brands that are able to produce clothing while minimizing waste and pollution, can help reduce the negative environmental implications of fast fashion. Thrifting, upcycling, recycling, and donating clothing are all also ways to further reduce expenditures and to keep clothing out of landfills.

While hope for environmental reform may seem unattainable, with today’s unnerving circumstances, it is imperative that Gen Z remain determined to improve their consumer behavior and conservation efforts. This should be done tangibly—with solutions like those mentioned above—as well as digitally, with well-researched posts in support of positive environmental advocacy. Considering the media is at the forefront of an increased variety of pernicious pollutants and is much to blame for their consequent repercussions, working to stay informed of environmental issues by following accounts like @earthlyeducation, @environment, and @unep, in addition to sharing climate updates on personal accounts, could provide great relief in the long run of our future and the role of climate change.

Written by Gracelyn Duenas