Fair Trade Fashion vs. Fast Fashion
- Nicholas U.
- Oct 28
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 29
The debate between fair trade and fast fashion has been quite controversial in the public eye. While there have been many arguments made for both sides, there is no debate on which one is better for the workers and the products being made which are fair trade products. Fast fashion may keep up with the trends and fads but fair trade garments maintain quality and are sourced ethically. Now let's dissect both fast fashion and fair trade to get a deeper understanding.
What is fast fashion, fast fashion is the quick cycle that allows companies to make current trending clothing sold by mass markets. When it comes to fast fashion, the up to date and the fast production is what draws most consumers in. It allows them to get the hottest trending clothing pieces in just 3-5 business days after ordering, this is a factor not many can resist. However the way that they go about producing these fast turnaround garments is where the issue lies. In 2023 and 2024 Shein faced serious allegations of 4 incidents of child labor being used in their factories. They have also come under scrutiny in 2022 for maltreatment in their workplaces by only paying their employees $0.40 per product. They made their employees work 16+ hours daily and had only one or no days off per month. This is extremely inhumane and is a big factor of criticism for these giant fast fashion companies like Shein as many operate the same way.
Fair trade fashion however promotes everything that is criticised in the fast fashion production. The principles of fair trade that directly advocate against these unfair conditions and practices are the fair trade practices, fair payment, no child labour/forced labour, and good working conditions. Fair trade practices are to uplift those who are struggling with unemployment or moving out of hard living situations. Fair trade gives people in impoverished countries a boost to get a fair and liveable wage instead of the lucrative wages that have been shown in the past and are still continuous in some workshops to this day.
The relationship between fair trade and fast fashion is a hard one for consumers. On one hand you could get cheap and trendy outfits with bad quality but on the other hand if you purchase from a fair trade store or brand you get a good quality garment with fabric that will last years if taken care of well. This compared to the polyester quality that is in the Shein and other fast fashion products that makes them so flimsy, thin, and has no longevity to it. Fair trade is the way to go, it supports artisans around the world, makes a living and helps bring a different part of the world into your home.
Nicholas Unruh is a Senior Fashion Design major at Illinois State University and an intern for Crossroads for the Fall 2025 semester. Nicholas enjoys sketching outfits, doing hair and makeup and biking in nature. A fun fact is Nicholas used to be a competitive figure skater for 13 years.