Taliah de Miranda, senior psychology major, said fast fashion brands like Shein can be an accessible option for students.
“A lot of their stuff is $5 for a whole dress,” de Miranda said. “You’re not going to find that anywhere else.”
According to a 2023 report by BBC, more than 100 billion items of clothing are produced globally every year.
Some students, like Jaquez Moorer, freshman marine biology major, find that buying fast fashion comes with hidden costs.
“I, personally, don’t buy from Shein,” Moorer said. “When I bought something from Shein, it ripped really easily.”
Fast fashion items aren’t made to last, so they often fall apart quickly, which can lead to discarded pieces and more purchases.
14.5 million tons of waste in the United States come from textiles, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. With popular brands increasing prices and fast fashion quickly ending up in landfills, some students are seeking more sustainable alternatives – even on a tight budget.
Thrifting, or secondhand shopping, is one way that students are lowering their fast fashion footprint.
“I like [thrifting] because it’s usually a lot cheaper than buying something new that’s overpriced,” Moorer said.
Students can also donate clothing they no longer use to places like Goodwill or THRFT, an on-campus secondhand store started through the Huizenga Business Innovation Academy, keeping pre-existing textiles in circulation and out of landfills.
Clothing swaps offer another sustainable option for students who want to refresh their wardrobe without adding to textile waste. These events allow participants to exchange gently used clothing for free, giving unwanted pieces a second life.
“You can always get clothing from a sibling or a cousin or anyone you know who doesn’t wear some of their clothing anymore,” said Lauren Solovey, senior biology major and president of the Green Sharks Sustainability Club. “I’ve personally borrowed so much clothing from my friends and it’s a really great way to save money and be sustainable.”
The Green Sharks Sustainability Club has also hosted clothing swaps and thrifting events to encourage more eco-friendly fashion habits.
“Our goal is to help make the campus environment more sustainable, so that partaking in sustainable practices is more convenient than not,” Solovey said.
“You have to think twice about your actions. Think about how that purchase affects not only the money you’re paying, but the environment and the world around us.”
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