Explainer: The psychology of fast fashion — Transcript

Why are so many of us addicted to fast fashion?

When we know it's bad for the environment and for fast fashion factory workers?

Fast fashion is designed to make you want more.

The average consumer buys 60% more items of clothing than they did 15 years ago, and they keep the items for half as long.

In Ireland, we're buying double what people in other European countries are.

And around 67,000 tonnes of textiles end up in Irish landfills every year.

We just can't stop.

And it seems one of the reasons why is the psychology of fast fashion.

Researchers in the US used fMRI technology to study people's brains while they shopped.

When the subjects saw something they wanted, the pleasure center in their brain lit up.

Brands know this, so they try to encourage people to buy a lot and buy often.

Solene Schirrer runs Fabric of Change in Dublin.

You get this hit, this buzz, and the dopamine hit, and that is something that is hard to replicate with sustainable fashion because you won't have the act of purchasing as often.

Obviously, there's the online marketing making you feel like you're going to miss out, like you need to click now, all the ads, all the countdowns.

And there's always something new, it's 52 seasons a year, it's just scrolling down, down, down, there's never an ending, it's like TikTok.

So what can we do to break the fast fashion cycle?

The main thing I would recommend to do is get informed a little bit more on what sustainable fashion is, what fast fashion is.

Distance yourself a little bit as well, trying to follow less accounts that are promoting fast fashion.

Getting rid of the apps and just, you know, taking your time to look at your own wardrobe, like, what is my consumption, what can I change?

It doesn't have to be a drastic change.

So what do you think?

Are you going to try any of Solene's tips?

Do you think fast fashion is avoidable?