What is fuelling fashion’s overconsumption problem?

We get experts to weigh in on what drives our desire to consume more fashion than we need to 

It isn’t hard to come by grim facts about how, in recent times, the fashion industry is putting our planet in an increasingly precarious position. Earlier this year, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change revealed that the sector emits the same quantity of greenhouse gases annually as the entire economies of France, Germany and the United Kingdom combined. While information of this nature–which becomes particularly rampant during April (commonly referred to as ‘earth month’)–urges us to rethink the way we shop, many of us find that the motivation we experience is often short-lived. Mere months later, our carts and closets are, once again, full to the brim with the latest trends. Why, despite being acutely aware of the adverse impact that our actions have on the environment, do we continue to shop excessively? We ask sustainability advocates as well as mental health experts to share their thoughts.  

The people we follow 

According to Earth.Org, an environmental news and data platform, most garments are worn as little as seven to 10 times before they are discarded. This alarming figure, indicative of a growing need for newness, is a result of several factors.

Delhi-based fashion designer Urvashi Kaur explains that apart from fast fashion brands which use low price points to lure consumers into buying trend-driven garments that not only have a short lifespan but also seem irrelevant as soon as the next collection drops, another key contributor to throwaway culture is the content that crowds the social media platforms we frequent. “When influencers post a new product every day, consumers buy into that lifestyle, building a fear of being seen in the same outfit twice,” she says. Moreover, content creators also feed our fear of missing out by coming together to elevate the appeal and exclusivity of a product. When you don’t buy an item that almost every influencer is endorsing, you might feel like you’re falling behind. What makes matters trickier is Instagram’s algorithm, which can crack even the most strong-willed amongst us.

“Social media has the power to overwhelm you with something that you showed interest in. The algorithm is designed to surround you with similar brands, products and influencers, which ultimately leads to overconsumption,” says Kriti Tula, founder of sustainable label Doodlage.

The company we keep 

However, our shopping habits aren’t solely shaped by the influencers we admire on Instagram. The people we choose to interact with offline also play a large role. For instance, if the company we keep–or aspire to keep–owns of-the-moment clothes or accessories, we’re likely to feel pressured to make similar purchases. “Human beings are social beings, and being part of a group is a basic survival response. This inherent desire to belong can make us feel like we need to conform to certain standards of fashion, increasing the amount we shop,” says trauma-informed psychotherapist Suchismita Bose.

Additionally, it’s important to note that we learn through observation. Those who grew up watching their parents consume more than they needed to could have subconsciously picked up the same behaviours. Sujata Biswas, co-founder of mindful lifestyle brand Suta, attests that our role models influence our consumption patterns. “During our childhood, my sister and I learned how to appreciate the beauty of handmade clothes. While our mother would stitch new outfits for us, our father would explain the origins of each piece of clothing we bought,” says Biswas. who continues to keep these learnings close.

The emotions we feel 

Very early on in life, when we’re at our most impressionable age, we also internalise the idea that acquiring new items, especially fashion-related ones, has the ability to lift our spirits. “As kids, when we’re sad, our parents give us a little something to cheer us up. So from a very young age, buying something new becomes a part of making us feel better,” says Tula.

Abisha Fernandes, a mental health professional, explains that some of us deal with difficult emotions such as sadness, frustration or even boredom by resorting to shopping because it gives us a dopamine hit. “Dopamine is a hormone associated with the pleasure and reward system in our brain. When we get that hit, it feels good for a short time,” she explains, highlighting that retail therapy is only a temporary solution. Not too long after, the feelings that we were faced with initially resurface, leading us to seek the same surge in dopamine through another impulse purchase. “The trouble is, the more we get, the more we want, and the less we know what to do with what we already own,” adds Biswas. 

The solutions we need 

Since a spontaneous shopping spree is often correlated to our state of mind, assessing our emotions before we add to our carts is an effective way of keeping ourselves from buying what we don’t necessarily need. “People recommend that you don’t go grocery-shopping when you’re hungry because you end up buying things that you don’t require. It’s important to bring that awareness to all kinds of shopping,” says Fernandes.

Another strategy that can curb overconsumption is tweaking the kind of information we access on social media. “The content we consume on Instagram can be informative and educational. Today, there’s a lot of material on reusing, repurposing and recycling clothes. It’s also easy to come by DIY tips on how clothes can be mended to last longer,” says Mariya Khanji, founder of sustainable fashion platform Nete. For most Indians, the good news is that making these shifts is not so much about acquiring new skills, but rather about returning to our roots. “Overconsumption hasn’t really been an issue for Indians. If you look back at the earlier generations, you’ll find very wise buying patterns and an emphasis on longevity and quality,” concludes Kaur, explaining that conscious consumption might come to us more easily than we expect.

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