My closet is filled with Céline, Givenchy and Diane von Furstenberg.

OK, not really. For most college students, snagging these coveted designer items is impossible.

But with just a trip to the mall, I can get a pretty convincing designer knockoff at stores like Forever 21, H&M and Zara.

This is known in the industry as “fast fashion,” and has become a controversial subject for retailers and shoppers.

America is known for the over-consumption of food, fossil fuels and stuff in general. Americans purchase nearly 20 billion garments per year, according to Elizabeth Cline, author of “Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Fast Fashion.”

Cline, who graduated with a political philosophy degree from Syracuse University, wrote about the environmental and human rights consequences of buying cheap clothes.

Manufacturing in low-wage countries like China means these products are made of cheap, synthetic materials and by makeshift manufacturing processes. The fashion wave of stores like H&M and Forever 21 give massive orders to third-world factories that are not equipped to produce them. The Guardian columnist Lucy Siegle said, “Third-world firms will never tell Western retail superpowers that an order is too difficult, so workers simply must finish it.”

Americans also throw away an average of 10 pounds of clothes per person, per year. Even I can attest that I’ve thrown out many cheap dresses from Forever 21.

Simon Collins, the dean of fashion at Parsons The New School for Design, said, “You see some products and it’s just garbage. It’s just crap, and you sort of fold it up and you think, yeah, you’re going to wear it Saturday night to your party — and then it’s literally going to fall apart.”

The way we shop has changed with fast fashion. We’re more impulsive with lower prices and we buy things we don’t need, then consequently throw them away after a few wears. I know the familiar rush of finding a good deal, and today, it’s easier than ever. Buying 10 items of clothing from Forever 21 for about $90 isn’t unheard of.

The turnover at thrift stores is just as fast as stores like Zara, but the terrible quality of these fast-fashion clothes are filling Goodwill and the Salvation Army with items that are “unwearable.” Pretty soon, real designer vintage finds are going to be rare.

There are some retailers that are adopting the “buy less, buy better” ethos, such as Everlane. The San Francisco-based e-retailer is based on the notion that by sourcing straight from the manufacturer and avoiding the overhead cost that comes with having a physical store, it can sell quality items for less than luxury retailers.

But if everyone cuts fast fashion out of their spending completely, will factory workers get better conditions? Or will they just lose their jobs altogether?

Obviously, many people don’t have a choice when it comes to buying designer versus cheap knockoffs. With a small or nonexistent paycheck every week, many Americans don’t have the expendable income to buy well-made products.

What you can do to stop buying fast fashion in bulk and still save money is simple: Shop less. Get your boots re-soled instead of buying new ones when they wear down. Buy second-hand clothes. Repurpose your clothes with do-it-yourself projects. And don’t throw out your perfectly wearable clothes, donate them.

With what I’ve learned from the anti-fast-fashion movement, I can say I’ll try to save my money for higher-quality items that will last longer. I’ll buy my basics from more upscale stores like J.Crew and Nordstrom, and only buy what I need.

The Céline knockoff bag in my closet may have only been $50, but the cost for the factory workers and environment is much higher.

Allison Mariotti is a senior magazine journalism major. She has too many shoes to count, but could always use another pair. Her fashion column appears every Monday in Pulp. She can be reached at [email protected].

Published on March 31, 2013 at 10:42 pm