I Broke Up With Fast Fashion and You Should Too

Gabrielle Smith speaks to the overconsumption of fashion and the ethical discourse with the environment. She brings to light the horrific statistics of how the fashion industry is actively degrading the environment and using unsustainable overconsumption models to produce fast fashion. She speaks to the social ethical problem of fast fashion workers and the terrible working conditions they are put through alongside the dangers most of the female workers undergo. 

She relates personally to the internal tension of feeling like she needs to buy clothes to find outfits that represent her, but also having to take into consideration her moral and ethical boundaries with the fast fashion industry and environment. Now, before she purchases clothes, she looks into the companies to see if she wants to support brands that are aligned to her views. She checks if they are transparent, provide fair wages, or partake in limited edition productions before she purchases. To her, fashion is a way to express yourself. She wants to make sure the clothes she wears represent her, and fast fashion brands that are socially damaging do not align with her identity and views. 

This Ted Talk relates to the central problem by emphasizing the harmfulness the fashion industry brings. Globalization allowed for the creation of fast fashion, and this mode of production is extremely damaging. Gabrielle Smith was able to find a balance of identity expression through fashion and sustainable consumption. She is socially responsible but not letting the harmful side of the fashion industry stop her in her identity expression.

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