By Lucy Yoder
November 8, 2025
On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh experienced a devastating accident, one that would indefinitely shape the fashion industry. The Rana Plaza, an eight-story commercial building centered in the outskirts of Dhaka, unexpectedly came crumbling down, killing over 1,000 people. Additionally, limbs were caught under fallen structural beams, leaving many more trapped and injured.
The day prior to this calamitous incident, there were large cracks reported in the structural foundation of the building. Warnings were disseminated, yet many were ignored due to “management pressures” (Clean Clothes Campaign, 2013).
The Rana Plaza tragedy is simply one of thousands of accidents that occur in the fast fashion industry. In fast fashion, workers are subject to work appalling hours in substandard working conditions with poor pay.
Together, the trifecta of a lack of fair hours, working conditions and pay, creates this concept of fast fashion, which is the rapid production of cheap clothes for mass consumption.
In the culture of American and European societies, fast fashion is so prevalent that it is normalized. Rapid purchasing, one-time use and the emphasis on trends is part of the daily consumerism culture, but one annual event significantly distinguishes itself from the rest in terms of unforeseen consumption: Halloween.
Traditionally, Halloween is a time for parties, dress-up and trick or treating. Now, with fast fashion capitalizing on many individual’s purchasing decisions, it has shifted Halloween into an unprecedented fever of consumerism.
Gabby Morgan, a freshman at High Point University, shared her individual perception of how fast fashion correlates to Halloween.
“I feel like as a kid, my mom would try to do partially DIY costumes,” Morgan said. “Sometimes, when I was really little, she would buy stuff from the store. But now, as I get older, I feel like it is still a mix of the same, but I use Shein, which I know is bad. It’s just so easy and efficient. Everyone relies on it.”
Shein is a popular online shopping site for inexpensive clothes and accessories. Shein is also one of the most popular choices when it comes to Halloween due to its versatility and multifaceted purchasing options. When creating costumes, Shein has fairy wings, princess tiaras and jewelry to bedazzle any idea.
Shein, however, is simply one of hundreds of brands that capitalize on consumerism and make excessive spending normalized. H&M, Zara, Forever 21, Free People, Victoria’s Secret and Mango are other popular brands that fall under the fast fashion category, and the efficiency, reliability and affordability of their products makes the fast fashion business quite lucrative.
Social media is a catalyst for many ideas and impulses. Morgan shared her experiences with how social media prompts fast fashion, specifically through the lens of consumption during Halloween.
“If you just look up on TikTok ‘Halloween costume ideas,’ tons of videos will pop up,” Morgan said. “Then, depending on what is trending, like a certain costume or meme or something, those costumes will be more prevalent.”
When she was younger, Morgan shared that her mom would purchase costumes from the store for her to wear for a year—maybe two at most. The trend of one-time use has continued as she has grown, and, like many others, continued the cycle of fast fashion.
The production of many fast fashion items is riddled with danger during the entire process.
Thousands of deaths occur at the factory and production level, as seen in the Rana Plaza disaster. Farmers in charge of producing materials and textiles commit suicide due to the stress associated with debt, climate change and drought. Children born near agrarian regions suffer from birth defects and cancer due to the use of excessive pesticides.
In all, Morgan defines the reality of fast fashion in America well, combining the sentiment that although it is understandably detrimental, many still choose to partake in it due to its accessibility.
“To me, fast fashion is mass-produced, cheaply made; that’s why you are getting it so fast, and it is just a waste. As much as we rely on it, it definitely is wasteful and a bad habit,” Morgan said.