With social media like TikTok and Instagram being so prevalent today, there's a lot of content centered around the trendiest clothes to buy. Especially now with resources like TikTok Shop and SHEIN, poorly made "trendy" clothes aren't only being pushed onto you from every site, they're also accessible with a few clicks. If you see a post about a shirt that you just need, you might not even have to leave the app to buy it. It's almost too good to be true. But what happens after a few months? The clothes you just bought aren't just falling out of style, they're falling apart. Influencers sometimes make it seem like the trendy, fast-fashion apparel they're promoting is a necessity, but the truth is, the clothes you have now work just fine. Not participating in fast fashion helps slow the masses of thrown-away clothes that litter every landfill. It also means you're not funding the unethical work practices of most of the companies that sell them. So the next time you see a shirt on the internet you're convinced you can't live without, remember, the shirt you have on right now is just as good.

This post effectively illustrates the relationship between social media consumption and unsustainable consumer behavior in the fashion industry. The accessibility of fast-fashion platforms like TikTok Shop and SHEIN creates a cyclical pattern of overconsumption and waste. When garments deteriorate rapidly due to poor manufacturing standards, they contribute significantly to landfill accumulation. Additionally, the carbon emissions generated from manufacturing, shipping, and disposing of these low-quality items represent a substantial environmental cost. By maintaining existing clothing items rather than participating in trend-driven purchasing, individuals can reduce their personal carbon footprint while simultaneously decreasing demand for unethical production practices. The data supports that extending the lifespan of existing garments through conscious consumption is one of the most effective strategies for reducing fashion-related carbon emissions and textile waste in landfills.