We are no longer surprised when a T-shirt loses its shape after a few washes. Pilling sweaters, twisting seams, thinning fabrics, or blacks fading after a few washes are almost considered normal. Yet, not so long ago, our expectations for clothes were completely different. It was commonplace for a product to last for years.
Today, however, the fashion industry largely operates on speed. Trends change faster, collections are released more frequently, and products remain in stores for increasingly shorter periods. As a result, many clothes are no longer produced to be durable but to be consumed quickly.
This system has a name: Planned Obsolescence.
This concept first became widespread in the technology world. It was particularly associated with electronic products slowing down, becoming difficult to repair, or technically becoming "obsolete" after a certain period. However, today the same logic is very visible in the fashion sector.
Because the shorter the lifespan of a product, the faster the consumption cycle.
Especially with the growth of the fast fashion model, the fashion calendar has completely changed. While there used to be a few seasons a year, today some brands operate with weekly or even daily product flows. According to trend forecasting company Heuritech, the lifespan of trends has significantly shortened in the post-TikTok era. An aesthetic trend can sometimes remain visible for only a few weeks.
This speed affects not only trends but also production methods.
Lower-grammage fabrics are used. The polyester ratio increases. Sewing and labor times decrease. Because the goal is no longer just to produce clothes; it's to introduce new products into circulation as quickly as possible.
Today, the amount of clothing produced globally has roughly doubled in the last 20 years. However, studies show that people use their clothes for much shorter periods than in the past. According to data from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the lifespan of many clothes has significantly decreased in the last 15 years. So, we actually own more clothes but use them less. Moreover, the issue is not just physical wear and tear. In the fashion world, there is now also a concept called "psychological obsolescence."
Even if a piece of clothing is still usable, it can start to "feel old."
Social media plays a big role here. We constantly see new outfits, new aesthetics, new "core" trends. Algorithms constantly highlight novelty. Thus, even if the product in our wardrobe doesn't wear out, it can lose its relevance in our minds.
Perhaps that's why many people today feel like they "have nothing to wear," even though their closets are full. Because the problem is sometimes not a lack of need; it's the constantly changing pace of consumption.
The true cost of seemingly cheap clothes emerges precisely here. A low price often only refers to the amount we pay at the register. But there are other invisible costs:
- Shorter lifespan
- More textile waste
- More frequent need to repurchase
- Invisible production labor
- More intensive resource consumption
Today, the fashion industry has become one of the biggest waste producers in the world. It is estimated that a truckload of textile products is burned or sent to landfill every second.
That's why sustainability is not just about recycling. Perhaps the issue begins a little earlier: in truly wanting to use a product for a long time.
Is it possible to produce less but with a longer lifespan? Is it possible to evaluate the value of a garment not only by its price but by its usage period?
Perhaps the real question now is: Not how cheap a piece of clothing can be, but how long it can live?
