The biggest takeaway of Liz’s lecture was the recognition that I was completely oblivious, yet directly contributing to an enormous issue. The ratio of my awareness to the scale of the issue was shocking, and left me feeling manipulated by the culture of blind consumerism that surrounds me. Of course, we’ve touched on the human rights obstructions and environmental impacts of the fast fashion industry in learning environments before, but never really through the lens of the people affected by these issues. Hearing their stories, as well as the complexities and detail of how the system they are part of functions, changed everything for me. I told everyone I saw that day after class about Kantamanto and the world of re-sold clothing Liz uncovered to us. After hearing the experiences she shared, I was frustrated that they are not common knowledge.
I was also compelled to stop shopping frequently or acquiring pointless clothing articles. I generally value the integrity behind the brands I invest in, and rarely “donate” or throw away clothes. However, the few H&M pieces in my wardrobe that I do own, I am now hyper aware of. And while fast fashion corporations are essentially the ones to blame, I do believe the consumer holds power to some degree. People are slowly shying away from fast fashion brands, but because of the general cultural shift to slightly more sustainable options, not because of direct knowledge. The stories Liz is amplifying have the ability to transform the industry. It is just a matter of finding a platform large enough to reach the enormous fast fashion consumer market.
