I teach high school students at St. Stanislav’s Institution in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Recently, 50 of them took part in a lesson on topic The Cost of Fast Fashion. Here are some of the most interesting reflections and posts from the students about the topic:
– It seems to me that fast fashion wastes water, money, and therefore generates a lot of waste.
– The topic seems to be too present everywhere, and when I have to make a decision about something we talked about, I prefer to choose what suits me better, even though it’s not sustainable.
– We need to talk about this, but I doubt we can make much of a difference on our own; systemic changes at the state level are necessary.
– Fashion pollutes water, which some people in underdeveloped countries drink or use to water rice, for example.
– Companies like Shein exploit people who work long hours for very little money.
– People should buy sustainably, and the state should support this more.
– I believe it’s more environmentally friendly to buy quality and sustainable clothing for more money, which we can use for a longer time.
– For items we use every day for a long time, it’s worth buying good quality, even if it’s a bit more expensive. For some things, it’s not worth it.
– I think it’s good that the number of second-hand shops is increasing because people are buying pre-made clothes more. However, I’m bothered by the prices since they’re high.
– The discussion seemed interesting to me. Many different opinions came up.
– The problem is that from elementary school onward, we hear about the “green transition” in Europe, while Asia continues to rely on coal power plants and heavy mining.
– Fast fashion is an entirely unnecessary thing that only harms our planet.