This week, the internet has been on fire over a Forever 21 controversy. The fast fashion company had been including samples of diet bars inside their plus size customer’s online orders. Not only is this wildly inappropriate, it’s tacky and preys on the insecurities of its young customer base. But is this the reason we should be cancelling Forever 21 altogether? Honestly, we should have done this ages ago.
Labor
Forever 21 isn’t the only fast fashion retailer to run into labor disputes, but this brand runs into them constantly. Those $6 tank tops and $13 leggings come at a high human price, such as low wages, long working hours, and dirty or unsafe working conditions. These are often the reported working conditions in their factories in Los Angeles, and there is hardly any internal protection or oversight for their overseas factories in Asia or South America. According to the LA Times, a dress investigated by the news outlet had a price tag of $24.90 at Forever 21, but with earners working the federal minimum wage of $7.25, the cost of the skirt should have retailed at least $30.43. With the profit margin so low, how is the company able to stay in business, and continue growth? The simple answer, pay people less.
Design
Forever 21 has a lot of design issues too. When I was getting my degree in fashion design at FIDM, it was often joked about that Forever 21 had more lawyers on staff than designers. This is because they are consistently and brazenly stealing designs from independent designers and artists. A quick google search of “Forever 21 steals art” will give you numerous examples of occasions where the retailer ripped off a design for a quick buck. The joke was on the mega retailer when it tried to steal the work of an artist who is outspoken about being anti-fast fashion. The most infuriating thing about this is that small, independent artists aren’t being paid royalties owed for their work.
Sustainability
Fast fashion also produces the most waste out of almost any industry in the world. This one isn’t solely about Forever 21, but fast fashion in general. H&M has at least begun the process of instituting a recycling program for their customers, and many brands only use recycled clothing or fabrics to keep their fashion sustainable. Unfortunately, this means spending more per item, and buying less frequently. We as a culture need to stop buying outfits for one outing, and then relegating them to the back of the closet to die. It’s time to be proud outfit repeaters.
Religion
Lastly, the retailer touts itself as being a Christian company. Like the bottom of your In ‘n Out soda, all Forever 21 shopping bags are imprinted with “John 3:16” (which is a reference to living forever if you believe in Christ, so the name, Forever 21 is inherently imbued with religious connotations as well). I am all for religious freedom in this country, and so long as they aren’t gatekeeping who shops or works there due to religion, I truly don’t mind. However, if the company is willing to steal from artists, and keep people in inhumane working conditions, they have no basis with which to claim Christ. Jesus would be ashamed to be aligned with this mess.
So what can we do, as consumers, to make this better? For one, stop shopping at Forever 21. Vote with your dollar. If you are in a place to afford more sustainable fashion, purchase it, and purchase things that last, less often. Participate in a clothing subscription service like Rent the Runway or Gwynie Bee. If that’s not financially feasible for you, share independent artists and designers on your Facebook page or Instagram. Share this article so folks can be more educated on what they’re spending their money on! Put pressure on brands you love on twitter or yelp to improve their products and working conditions. And if by some chance, you receive a diet bar in your online order, send that crap back!
