Shein lists thousands of new products every single day. Prices start at a few pounds. The range is enormous. And the environmental and human cost is staggering.
We’re not here to lecture you. We know that fast fashion is cheap for a reason, and that not everyone has the budget to spend more. But we do think it’s worth knowing what you’re actually buying when you shop from ultra-fast fashion brands — and what the alternatives look like.
What Is Ultra-Fast Fashion?
Fast fashion has been around for decades — brands producing large quantities of trend-led clothing quickly and cheaply. Ultra-fast fashion takes this further. Brands like Shein use algorithmic trend-spotting to produce thousands of new styles daily, with prices so low they’re almost disposable.
The business model depends on volume. Sell enormous quantities at tiny margins, keep production costs as low as possible, and move on to the next trend before anyone asks too many questions about the last one.
The Environmental Cost
The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters on the planet. Ultra-fast fashion makes this significantly worse.
Overproduction. When clothing is produced in massive quantities to hit a price point, unsold stock often ends up in landfill. Millions of tonnes of clothing are thrown away every year — much of it barely worn, or never worn at all. The scale of this is visible from space — as this Business Insider investigation into discarded fast fashion piling up in Chile’s Atacama Desert shows.
Synthetic fabrics. Most ultra-fast fashion is made from polyester, nylon, and other synthetic materials derived from fossil fuels. These fabrics shed microplastics every time they’re washed, which end up in waterways and oceans. They also don’t biodegrade — they persist in the environment for hundreds of years.
Water pollution. Textile dyeing and treatment processes use enormous quantities of water and chemicals, much of which is discharged into rivers and groundwater in countries with weak environmental regulation.
Carbon emissions. The combination of global supply chains, air freight, and the sheer volume of production makes ultra-fast fashion one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world.
The Human Cost
Prices that seem impossibly low usually are — for someone. Investigations into ultra-fast fashion supply chains have repeatedly found evidence of poverty wages, excessive working hours, and unsafe conditions. When a garment costs £3, the person who made it is not being paid fairly.
This isn’t unique to Shein — it’s a systemic problem across fast fashion. But the ultra-fast model, with its relentless pressure on price and speed, makes it worse.
The Quality Problem
Beyond the ethical issues, there’s a practical one: ultra-fast fashion often doesn’t last. Garments made to hit a £5 price point are not built to survive repeated washing, regular wear, or the test of time. When they fall apart after a few wears, they go in the bin — and the cycle starts again.
Buying one well-made garment that lasts three years is almost always better value — and better for the planet — than buying five cheap ones that don’t.
What We Do Differently
At Designed by Debz, we make everything to order. That means we produce nothing speculatively — every piece is made because someone has chosen it. We send nothing to landfill.
We use organic cotton and recycled fabrics — materials that are kinder to skin, kinder to the environment, and built to last. Our bras, briefs, swimwear and clothing are handmade in the UK and Europe by us, with care.
We’re not a fast fashion brand. We’re not trying to be. We make less, we make it better, and we make it for real bodies in sizes from 3XS to 10XL.
What Can You Do?
We’re not asking you to never buy cheap clothing again. But here are some things worth considering:
Buy less, buy better. One well-made piece that lasts is worth more than five that don’t.
Check where things are made. “Made in the UK” or “handmade to order” are good signs. “Dispatched from a warehouse in 24 hours” for a £3 garment is not.
Look for natural fabrics. Organic cotton, linen, and recycled materials are better for your skin and the planet than raw polyester and nylon.
Support independent makers. Small brands making things by hand — like us — are the alternative to the ultra-fast fashion machine. Every purchase from an independent maker is a vote for a different kind of fashion industry.
You don’t have to put up with clothing that’s bad for you, bad for the people who made it, and bad for the planet. There is a better way.
Shop handmade, made-to-order clothing from Designed by Debz | Where our clothing is made
