How Microtrends in Fashion are Destroying the Environment

 Emily Eklund

Like in many industries, consumer tastes in fashion change gradually over time, creating trends. However, with the

advent of social media, these gradual changes have become not so gradual at all. These “microtrends,” or trends that occur over

a small period of time, have severe environmental consequences.

A style of clothing will gain popularity on social media platforms like TikTok at an incredibly rapid pace, until almost

everyone who uses the platform has participated in it. Once it reaches that stage, people will quickly lose interest and move onto

something newer and more exciting. It’s just like how jokes will go viral and people will quickly grow bored of them.

The length of time that these trends last for is growing smaller and smaller as people get bored quicker and quicker, driven by

consumerism and the instant gratification of buying new things. 

This has major consequences for the environment. According to Mariel Nelson, “The volume of clothing Americans throw
away each year has doubled from 7 million to 14 million tons in under 20 years.” The acceleration of fashion trends is a direct
factor in the increasing amount of textile waste. The clothing that was bought during that microtrend will end up in landfills after
the trend is over, and when people move on from the next trend, that clothing will end up in landfills too. 

The fast fashion industry produces cheap clothing by using cheap labor and cheap materials to fit each trend. These cheap materials
leak microplastics into the ocean every time they are washed, and it’s estimated by a study from Australia that there are now
14 million tons of microplastics on the ocean floor. The clothes don’t last long either, encouraging consumers to go out and buy more clothes more often. 

Though it may seem impossible to stop the overconsumption of clothing that microtrends have caused, you can take actions to reduce
the amount of harm. Before you buy clothing, think of whether you will still wear it five years from now, and how often you will
actually wear it. If you’re only buying it to fit the latest trend, will you still wear it after the trend is over? If the answer is no, don’t buy it. 

Additionally, consider shopping for clothes secondhand. There are a multitude of apps and platforms for secondhand clothing
to choose from, and buying secondhand means keeping clothing out of landfills.

Fast fashion and microtrends are harming the environment with vast amounts of textile and plastic waste, but by making
wiser decisions about the clothing you purchase, you can reduce your own impact.

Works Cited

“The Impact of Fast Fashion On the Environment - PSCI.” Princeton University, The Trustees of Princeton University, psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/7/20/the-impact-of-fast-fashion-on-the-environment.

“Micro-Trends: The Acceleration of Fashion Cycles and Rise in Waste.” WRAP, 17 May 2021, wrapcompliance.org/blog/micro-trends-the-acceleration-of-fashion-cycles-and-rise-in-waste/.

says:, Tamilrockers, and Name *. “14 Million Tons of Microplastic Are on the Ocean Floor.” Science in the News, 16 Oct. 2020, sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2020/14-million-tons-of-microplastic-are-on-the-ocean-floor/.