By Taylor Trotta...

Disclaimer: Images used in this article may contain content that some individuals could find disturbing.

During my undergraduate studies in gender studies, I became deeply invested in exploring the intersections between systemic oppression and consumerism. Now, as I work toward my master’s thesis in the same field, my passion for uncovering the feminist dimensions of global issues continues to grow. Among these issues, fast fashion stands out as a critical feminist concern. The industry epitomizes exploitation, environmental harm, and gendered inequality, as scholars like Vandana Shiva have pointed out when critiquing the oppressive nature of global commodity chains.

Fast fashion—characterized by the rapid production of cheap, trendy clothing—relies on a deeply flawed system. It disproportionately impacts women, particularly those in the Global South who make up the majority of the garment workforce, and perpetuates cycles of poverty, environmental degradation, and exploitation. Here’s why we should start to address fast fashion as a feminist issue:

The Exploitation of Women Garment Workers

The garment industry is heavily feminized. In countries like Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, and Cambodia, women dominate the workforce. For example, in Bangladesh, women constitute 80% of the four million garment workers. These women endure grueling hours, unsafe working conditions, and wages far below what is needed for a decent standard of living. On average, women garment workers in Bangladesh earn just $96 per month, a figure that barely covers basic living expenses.

These conditions leave women trapped in cycles of poverty, unable to access education or achieve financial independence. They also face workplace harassment and discrimination, with limited legal recourse. The Rana Plaza collapse of 2013 serves as a chilling reminder of this exploitation. Over 1,100 garment workers—the vast majority of whom were women—died when the building housing multiple clothing factories crumbled due to structural failures. The incident revealed the devastating consequences of prioritizing profit over human lives and underscored the industry’s reliance on the cheap labor of vulnerable women.

Aftermath of Rana Plaza Collapse, visited by a grieving mother

Photo by Taslima Akhter

Environmental Degradation and Its Gendered Impacts

The environmental consequences of fast fashion disproportionately affect the communities where garment factories are located. Textile production is one of the leading culprits of global industry pollution, using toxic dyes and chemicals that contaminate surrounding waterways and devastate local ecosystems. A stark example is Indonesia’s Citarum River, one of the most polluted rivers in the world due to textile factory wastewater. The communities surrounding the river, reliant on its water for drinking, bathing, and farming, face severe health risks and dwindling resources.

Image of the Citarum River in 2019 

Photo by  James Wendlinger

Additionally, the overproduction of clothing in Western markets creates mountains of discarded garments, much of which ends up in the Global South. In Ghana, the Kantamanto Market is inundated with textile waste from developed countries, overwhelming local infrastructure and displacing local clothing businesses. Just a few days ago, over 1000 stalls in Kantamanto were destroyed due to a fire that was able to rapidly spread due to the overwhelming amount of textile waste in the market.  Women in these areas bear the brunt of these environmental harms due to their roles in water collection, farming, and caretaking. The burden of managing toxic textile waste adds another layer of exploitation, exacerbating gender inequality.

An aerial view of the damages of the fire in Kantamanto Market.

Photo by Nipah Dennis

Child Labor and the Feminist Lens

Child labor has long been a feminist issue because it undermines young girls' potential and perpetuates systemic gendered inequalities. In the garment industry, children—often girls—are employed to meet the relentless demand for cheap, fast production. These young workers face the same harsh conditions as adult women, including long hours, low pay, and unsafe environments.

Cultural norms in garment-producing countries often prioritize boys’ education over girls’, so it’s usually girls who get pulled from school to work or help at home. This deprives them of the education they need to break free from cycles of poverty. Once trapped in the workforce, they have very few opportunities for upward mobility. It’s infuriating to know that, according to a 2021 report by the International Labour Organization, there are still around 160 million children in child labor worldwide, and many are in textile production hubs.

Fast fashion touches on so many systemic issues that it’s impossible to see it as just one group’s problem. Sure, it’s a feminist issue because of how much it exploits women and girls, but the ripple effects go far beyond that. The environmental damage alone—polluted rivers, overflowing waste—harms entire communities, not just women. When ecosystems are destroyed, food security, public health, and local economies all suffer.

What really hits me is how the displacement of local businesses by imported textile waste destabilizes economies and erodes cultural traditions. That kind of destruction hurts everyone, no matter their gender. Recognizing fast fashion as a feminist issue doesn’t mean it’s only a women’s issue, it just highlights how addressing gendered oppression within the industry is crucial to fixing its broader impacts. Honestly, we all have a stake in dismantling this system. If we don’t, the cycle of harm will just keep growing—affecting people and the planet alike.

Sources: 

Citarum River Case Study https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371571109_Environmental_Damage_Due_to_Hazardous_and_Toxic_Pollution_A_Case_Study_of_Citarum_River_West_Java_Indonesia

Global Child Labor Statistics https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/child-labour-rises-160-million-first-increase-two-decades

Kantamanto Market Fire News Coverage https://www.businessoffashion.com/news/global-markets/kantamanto-fire-secondhand-clothing-trade-ghana/

Labour Behind the Label https://labourbehindthelabel.org/the-women-who-make-your-clothes/

Rana Plaza Case Study https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/the-rana-plaza-disaster