Gen Z Claims Mental Health Clashes With Fast Fashion
Half of Gen Z believes the pressure to participate in fast fashion is damaging their mental health, a new study found. But the research, released by secondhand wholesaler Garson & Shaw, also revealed a degree of hypocrisy couched within those sentiments.
Over 10 billion garments are thrown away annually in the United States, with 65 percent of Gen Z shoppers trashing at least one top a month—more than any other age range. While 55 percent of millennials, 36 percent of Gen X and 25 percent of Boomers do the same, Gen Z’s “eco-anxiety” is at an all-time high as Zoomers are “disgusted” by the environmental damage fast fashion causes.
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The Atlanta-based secondhand apparel platform’s recent report, “Promoting the Circular Textile Industry: A Call for Strategic Policy Action in the Americas,” showed that the “constant pressure to cycle through clothes” is driving that anxiety. Half of Gen Z reportedly bought a fast-fashion frock to fit in, while about a third (43 percent) didn’t repeat an outfit after it was seen IRL and URL.
By contrast, “The secondhand clothing sector can make young people feel good about buying clothes again,” said Lisa Jepsen, CEO of Garson & Shaw. “We can even help boost the U.S. economy through mindful fashion by creating jobs and investment through climate friendly practices.”
The report revealed dramatic difference between clothing overconsumption rates between Gen Z and the rest of America. But it also found that the secondhand clothing industry in the U.S. makes a “massive contribution” toward reducing the impact of apparel on the environment. The best way to reduce textiles’ contributions to climate change is reuse, the report stated. The secondhand sector stands to save about 20 trillion gallons of water over the next decade, according to a 2016 report commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers.
“The message is clear: reuse clothing to help the environment and tackle climate change,” Jepsen said in a blog post. “This message is especially important for young people who generally care about tackling climate change, but whose overconsumption of fast fashion is having the biggest impact here in the USA.”
The secondhand sector isn’t just good for the environment, the report alleged, but also for the economy. The research found that hand-me-downs generated $25.6 billion in annual retail sales last year and has the potential to hit $75.5 billion by 2033. The industry created $2.5 billion in tax revenues last year, which could reach $8.8 billion in a decade.
“At Garson & Shaw, we have long championed the reuse of textiles as part of a sustainable circular economy,” the group said in a statement. “Our latest report underscores not just the significant environmental benefits but also the economic benefits of the secondhand clothing sector in the U.S., which currently supports 342,000 jobs and generates $2.5 billion in annual tax revenues.”
American consumers are keen to beef up the secondhand sector through political backing to combat the plight of fast fashion; nearly 70 percent of respondents believe the government should support the industry, with just over half (53 percent) agreeing on the need for more government intervention and investment.
The report mostly functions as a call to arms, as the name implies, suggesting that policymakers take advantage of this “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to expand and enhance the space.
“An urgent shift is required from disposable fashion to a model where reuse is prioritized, aligning with global sustainability goals. Transitioning to a circular economy can dramatically reduce waste and environmental degradation, with the [secondhand] sector at the forefront of this transformation,” the report reads. “However, this can only happen if governments adopt supportive policies and incentivize innovation and scalability across the clothing value chain.”
With that in mind, Garson & Shaw proposed five solutions for making extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes more successful. The company argued the reuse industry should receive investments from EPR funds. The EPR subsidy should be paid to reuse businesses throughout the value chain, not just recyclers. The group endorsed the Americas Trade and Investment Act, as was overall stable regulatory frameworks.
“In order to maximize the rate of clothing reuse across the Americas, policies and regulations need to be drafted judiciously to avoid undermining the strategically vital [secondhand] sector,” the report concludes. “Ultimately, it is the used clothing sector that will deliver greater reuse of clothing around the world, necessary to create a truly circular economy; the circular textile industry urgently needs a shot in the arm.”
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