When making a purchase decision, different thoughts come to one’s mind. One might question how a specific product he is about to purchase is made, while others might even consider whether the company manufacturing and marketing a particular product is ethical. For the last few years, one of the commonly asked questions about a specific fashion brand is whether the brand is fast fashion.
UNIF is not fast fashion. The fashion brand’s products are highly-priced, durable, uniquely designed without imitating existing designs, and are not mass-produced.
In this article, you will discover why UNIF is not fast fashion. In addition, you will also understand what to look for when determining whether a specific fashion brand is a fast-fashion or not.
What Is UNIF?
UNIF is a fashion brand that sells its apparel from its online store. UNIF is an acronym for Ur Not in Fashion. The company is based in Los Angeles, California. UNIF was established in 2010 by Eric Espinoza and Christine Lai.
UNIF products are designed in Los Angeles and made in China. However, even if UNIF products are primarily made in China, the company does not mass produce its products. For example, some hoodies and baby tees are made in the USA. As a result, UNIF products are expensive.
What Is Fast Fashion
Fast fashion is a business strategy where fashion brands imitate the latest catwalk trends and high fashion designs, mass produces them at a low cost, and stock them at the retail stores when the demand is still high.
As is evident from the definition, everything about fast fashion is fast. It is this ‘fast’ aspect of fast fashion makes many people want to avoid fast-fashion brands.
Fast fashion is trendy, cheap, and disposable. When you purchase a fast fashion product, you are expected to use the fashion product a few times and dispose of it as you buy another fast-fashion product.
Due to fast fashion products’ ‘fast ‘nature, fast fashion has negatively impacted everyone involved. Those that purchase fast fashion products spend money on products that are not durable as they only last 10 wears.
To the workers working at various garment factories that produce fast fashion products, their rights are abused as they work in unsafe working environments and are also underpaid. In addition, child labor is also commonly used in these factories.
As far as the environment is concerned, fast fashion has a devastating impact on the environment. Specifically, fast fashion mainly uses cheap synthetic fabrics to sell trendy fashion products at a low price. However, these fabrics have a negative impact on the environment since they do not decompose.
Moreover, the production of various synthetic fabrics has a devastating impact on the environment since harmful carcinogenic chemicals are used. When these chemicals are emitted into water and air during the production of synthetic fabrics, the chemicals have significant environmental damage.
So, is UNIF fast fashion? Different factors have to be considered to determine whether the fashion brand is fast fashion. Here are the other reasons UNIF should be seen as fast fashion and why it is not seen as fast fashion.
Why UNIF is Fast Fashion
To determine whether a specific fashion brand is fast-fashion or not, different aspects of the fashion brand operations should be considered. Here are some features of UNIF that make the fashion brand be viewed as fast fashion.
Most UNIF Products Are Made In China
One of the main features of a fast-fashion brand is that products are made in countries with low production costs. These countries comprise China, Turkey, Bangladesh, India, and Egypt.
Even if some UNIF products are made in the USA, most of the company’s products are made in China and other countries with low production costs. Thus, from that perspective, UNIF can be considered a fast-fashion brand.
Use Of Synthetic Fabrics
Fast fashion brands use synthetic fabrics since the fabrics are cheap and can be modified to meet the needed properties. Fast fashion brands commonly use synthetic fabrics comprising polyester, nylon, and spandex.
Most of the clothing products that UNIF sells are mainly made from synthetic fabrics. So from that perspective, UNIF can be said to qualify to be a fast-fashion brand.
Why UNIF Is Not Fast Fashion
To determine whether UNIF is fast-fashion or not, it is important to find out the different aspects that make the brand a fast fashion and those that make the brand not qualify to be considered fast fashion. Since the features of UNIF that make the brand seen as fast fashion have already been discussed, let’s now look at the different reasons why the fashion brand does not qualify to be considered fast fashion.
Products Are High Priced
Fast fashion brands are sold at low prices since the companies want the customers to purchase new products released on a regular regularly. Specifically, fast fashion product prices do not exceed the $50 mark.
Most UNIF products are priced above $100, with only products on offer being sold below $100. Thus, from the perspective of the prices of various UNIF products, the company does not qualify to be categorized as fast fashion.
UNIF Products Are Durable
Fast fashion products are not meant to last a long time. That is because fast fashion brands want customers to continue buying new trendy products.
Indeed, fast fashion products will last a maximum of 8 wears. However, in the case of UNIF, the company’s products are known to last a long time. As such, UNIF does not qualify to be considered fast fashion.
Does Not Mass Produce
Mass production is the main feature of fast fashion brands since it makes it possible for them to produce the products at low costs and thus sell products at low prices while still making profits.
UNIF does not mass produce its products. As a result, the company has to incur high production costs hence the reason UNIF products are always sold at high prices.
A Lot Of Emphasis On Sustainable Practices
Fast fashion brands tend to ignore sustainable practices since when a fashion brand wants to be sustainable, the brand has to be ready to pay the high cost of being sustainable.
UNIF has put different measures to ensure that the company is sustainable, implying that it does not qualify to be considered a fast fashion. Indeed, the company uses recycled fabrics to make some of the products certified organic and uses dye with low impact implies that it is not a fast fashion.
Product Release
Fast fashion brands release new products frequently. In most cases, the fashion brands can release new products every week or at least once in 2 – 3 weeks.
UNIF does not release new products regularly. Moreover, contrary to fast fashion brands, UNIF restocks different brands once the stock has run out.
Unique Designs
Fast fashion brands mainly imitate designs from fashion shows or clothing worn by celebrities. However, in the case of UNIF, the company’s designers are responsible for designing the company’s products. As a result, UNIF products are unique and are not copied from existing designs.
Conclusion
UNIF is not fast fashion. Instead, the company designs its products, places a lot of emphasis on ethical practices, sells products at high prices, offers durable products, and does not release new products regularly.
