In this digital age, I’ve always found trends quickly making their way into my life. I used to be particular about keeping up with fashion trends. This particularly also included micro-trends.
Micro-trends are specific and short-lived trends that typically remain trendy for a couple of weeks or months. An example would be the resurgence of the 'Y2K aesthetic' in 2020. Although a fun and nostalgic trend, I later realized its negative environmental consequences.
They quickly come and go; everyone moving on to the next big thing. One day it’s about corset tops, and the next it’s about ballet flats. This cycle creates a “wear once and toss” mindset, which pressures many into buying the next big thing, and getting rid of what’s not “in”. Furthermore, many brands that do participate in this are involved in fast fashion.
Fast fashion works by mass producing clothes at a cheap cost and quick pace. This process is often uses (environmentally) harmful materials, such as polyester, a type of microplastic. As fast fashion clothing has cheap production costs, they are usually sold at a very affordable price. Some name brands in this category include Zara, Shein, or H&M.
What happens to clothes once a micro-trend is not trending anymore? Oftentimes, they end up in the landfill. Since fast fashion uses synthetic fibers, these clothes do not decompose easily, but can take hundreds of years to break down. Over time, the microplastics in these clothes are released into the water or soil, polluting the ecosystem. On top of that, fast fashion factories typically use a lot of water to cool down their machinery. With the high volume of clothes being produced daily, these factories use millions of litres of water every year just on clothing production.
So what can you do instead when it comes to micro-trends? One small change I’ve made is thrifting and shopping secondhand. It's more sustainable, and it also feels like a treasure hunt. Some of my favourite outfits are secondhand, and I love how much character they have. Thrifting also helps be more intentional with what I buy. It's eco-friendly, and friendly on the wallet!
I also do a quick closet audit before buying new clothes. That means taking a look at what I have, and what clothes I have stopped wearing for a while. This allows me to understand how much I have and prevents overconsumption.
Small steps are what matter here. It’s not about giving up your passion for fashion or neglecting the next fun trend. It’s all about enjoying fashion in a way that is kinder to the planet.
