F*** Fast Fashion teaches students to shop and style sustainably with creativity

By Jazlyn Dieguez STAFF WRITER

Fashion plays a crucial role in people’s lives. It allows individuals to freely express themselves and their creativity. But at what cost will one’s fashion choices have a long-term environmental impact?

Major companies that contribute to the unsustainable methods of fast fashion, or the mass production of clothing, include Shein, Princess Polly, Forever 21 and H&M. These businesses profit from their insufficient efforts to produce ecologically friendly clothing.

At San Diego State, F*** Fast Fashion has actively participated in raising awareness surrounding sustainable fashion and conscious-consumption. FFF’s mission is advocated by Rachel Jung, the club’s president who is a fourth-year integrated marketing communications student.

“We want to build a community where we are not shaming people for buying fast fashion because in the end, it’s not the consumers’ fault. But what we can do is increase more awareness in getting people to know that there are an endless amount of options in secondhand clothes that you can do so much with,” Jung said.

Jung joined FFF in the spring of 2021, when the club’s communication was moved online due to COVID-19. Her interest in the fashion industry prompted her to join, especially once she discovered how much the fashion industry has affected Generation Z.

“Just seeing how that market really influenced an entire generation on how to consume clothes, it was kinda disappointing to see that my mindset was like that too,” Jung said. “And I didn’t like it because it seemed as if we were treating clothes as such a temporary thing when clothes should be something that are intertwined with us and throughout our growth.”

SDSU students who share Jung’s perspective on fast fashion have discovered this club as a way to express creativity through sustainable fashion. The club engages with their members through online conversations by discussing sustainable consumption and encouraging members to submit photos of their best thrifted outfits. Members of the club also share their personal tips and tricks to thrifting.

FFF is most known for its pop-up clothing exchanges, where students can get two to three clothing items for free.

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