How clothes got so fast and so cheap, and who pays the difference.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 15 November 2026
What is fast fashion?
A business model built on speed and volume: spotting trends, often from the runway, and getting cheap versions into stores within weeks rather than the months a traditional fashion calendar takes. New stock arrives constantly, so shoppers have a reason to come back every week.
Who invented it?
Zara, founded by Amancio Ortega in Spain in 1975, perfected it: much of its production stays close to its base in Galicia, Portugal, Morocco and Turkey so it can react fast to what sells. Its parent Inditex is now the world’s biggest fashion retailer. H&M, Primark, Uniqlo and Mango grew into global giants with versions of the same model.
What is ultra-fast fashion?
The online version, led by Shein and Temu. Shein lists thousands of new items a day, makes tiny test batches and reorders only what sells, and has shipped parcels directly from Chinese factories to customers. That model has been squeezed by the US ending its duty exemption on small parcels in 2025 and by France’s 2026 law aimed at ultra-fast fashion platforms. See the new rules in Europe.
Why is it a problem?
Low prices depend on low wages, cheap synthetic fibres and enormous volumes, and they train us to treat clothes as disposable. The result is overproduction, waste and pressure on the garment workers who make the clothes. The answer is not to shame people on tight budgets; it is to buy less, wear more and push for rules that apply to every brand.
Read on Ayerhs: Who’s Really Winning Fast Fashion? · Fast Fashion Is Going to Be Dead Soon · How Fast Fashion Brands Stay Profitable