Younger Americans are experiencing trend fatigue

From “cottagecore” to “mob wife aesthetic,” the fashion trend cycle in recent years has been a whirlwind to keep up with. And many younger Americans are getting tired of it, according to a new NY Times report.

Fast fashion

The turnaround rate for fashion trends has sped up significantly in recent years, with experts mostly attributing the trend to three major factors:

1. Social media’s constant need for novelty to hold our attention, and algorithms able to elevate the unknown to ubiquity in a matter of days.
2. The rise of fast-fashion marketplaces, which can quickly meet demand generated online.
3. The spread of online click-to-buy features, making it easier than ever to transition from scrolling social media to buying a product.

There are some negative impacts. In addition to placing more strain on consumers’ wallets, analysts say these quick-changing trends also harm the environment.

The average number of times a single garment is worn has decreased by 36% over the past 15 years. And for every five garments produced today, three end up in a landfill or incinerated, costing consumers ~$460 billion/year in clothes they could keep wearing.

📸 Big picture: The textile industry is currently responsible for ~10% of global CO2 emissions – and its carbon footprint is expected to go up-and-to-the-right. Emissions from textile manufacturing alone are projected to increase 60% by 2030, according to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.