Fast fashion is a fairly new term that has been thrown around a lot recently. Many have heard the word, but are not familiar with the meaning. Fast fashion is a phrase that describes the way that clothing is cheaply and rapidly produced to keep up with fashion trends. Up until recently, the fashion industry consisted of up to four seasons. Designers and brands would release a new line of clothes two to four times a year. That's no longer the norm. Fast fashion brands are now releasing 52 collections, almost a new one each week (Stanton). After these short lived trends die, if the clothes haven't fallen apart yet, they are often thrown away or ignored. Chances are, you've purchased from a fast fashion retailer before. It's hard to avoid. Popular clothing companies such as H&M, Forever 21, Gap, Zara, and Fashion Nova make millions a year off of their cheaply produced clothing. This process is popular for many because its a way for the consumer to keep up with current trends at low prices that the buyer won't feel bad about after the trend fades. Cheap, trendy clothing sounds great, but when you look beyond, there are many issues that come from this process. Not only is the clothing bad quality, it has many negative effects. The environmental affects of the fashion industry, fast fashion in particular, are explained here. Fast fashion is also inhumane, and the factories used to produce these clothes pay cheap wages and are unsafe places to work. They take advantage of many living in poverty who wouldn't have a job otherwise, and often mark up their clothes highly, selling clothes for lots of money, and paying the maker of the clothes a small fraction.