Millions of Australians hooked on ultra-fast fashion despite environmental cost

Australian shoppers are addicted to ultra-fast fashion, with retailers Temu and Shein luring more than seven million locals into a buying frenzy despite serious environmental concerns.

New research has found shopping on the throwaway platforms is well thought out and planned, with consumers building wish lists and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Ultra-fast fashion addiction grips Australian shoppers

“So they shop, they build a wishlist, and then when it’s payday or when there’s a flash sale, they are ready to pull the trigger and buy,” Associate Professor Carol Tan from RMIT University said.

Social media is a major influence fuelling the craze, exposing shoppers to the latest trends which change overnight.

“They are analysing how people shop on TikTok and it’s using AI to analyse consumer behaviour,” Tan said.

Suppliers are churning out up to 10,000 garments per day for the sites, compared to retailers like Zara and H&M which introduce new products every two to four weeks.

“We don’t need more of it. We don’t need more stuff,” one expert warned.

But the extreme affordability means consumers can’t get enough, with millions pushing environmental and ethical concerns aside.

“Because it’s more important for me to buy something for Saturday night,” one shopper admitted.

Each year Australians dump the equivalent of three fully-laden aircraft carriers full of fashion waste — 300,000 tonnes — straight to landfill.

“I think people are a little bit sick of seeing fast fashion and they want something different,” one consumer said.

But retail experts say that’s the exception, and the ultra-fast fashion furore is set to explode.