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Open to Debate

Fast Fashion: Shop or Stop?

Open to Debate

Open to Debate

News, Society & Culture, Education

4.5 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 26 August 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Fast fashion has taken over the fashion industry, but is less expensive, trendy clothing really worth the purchase? Those who say to “stop” argue fast fashion harms the environment in many ways and exploits workers in countries with lax regulations. Those who say “keep shopping” argue it’s up to shoppers to choose, as fast fashion offers affordable options, supports jobs, and boosts local economies. Now we debate: Fast Fashion: Shop or Stop?  Arguing Stop: Kenneth Pucker, Former COO of Timberland; Professor at The Fletcher School at Tufts University   Arguing Shop: Katherine Mangu-Ward, Editor-in-Chief at Reason    Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates  Visit OpentoDebate.org to watch more insightful debates.   Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed on our curated weekly debates, dynamic live events, and educational initiatives.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:54.6

This is open to debate. I'm John Donvan. Hi, everybody. This week we're taking a look at a past debate just in time for the sales that we'll be popping up on Labor Day weekend. And before influencers, fashion designers, and magazines place their eyes on what's coming down the runway for New York Fashion Week.

0:59.5

Our particular focus is on a part of the scene that didn't really exist until relatively recently.

1:06.0

Fast fashion. Fast fashion is the practice by some manufacturers of very quickly producing new lines of clothing based on what is just becoming hot and hip, and getting those items into stores with amazing speed

1:12.0

and offering them all at amazingly low prices.

1:15.4

Shoppers, especially younger shoppers,

1:17.3

are buying this stuff up and wearing it proudly,

1:20.1

but not necessarily wearing it out.

1:22.8

Rather, they keep going back for more and more new stuff

1:25.3

because it is new, and there is always something

1:28.3

new, just hitting the stores. So what is the debate? It's about who is really winning and

1:33.1

losing in this process, because on the one hand, fast fashion gives lots of people a chance to be

1:38.5

in style in a way that they can afford. There's lots of choice and there's access if you're in a

1:43.0

market that delivers fast fashion.

1:44.7

But it's also being argued that the prices are so low because the workers making the clothing

1:49.7

are being exploited and that the environment is suffering, owing to all of these clothes, not being

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