Popular | European | Japanese | To Avoid | Affordable Alternatives
The Fast Fashion industry is an ever growing industry. The market is expected to grow to around $39 billion in 2025. With such a lucrative nature, it is no surprise that there are so many top quality brands competing in the industry.
What if I told you that the clothes you wear are not designed to last? Fashion retailers rely on high volumes and low margins. The average customer visits a store twice per month- meaning it only needs to sell an outfit every six months for someone who shops at these chains once a week!
Fast fashion brands usually come under fire because of the nature of their business. As per the nature of their business, they need to have continuous production to maintain their fast fashion brand status. This can also lead to more wastage which is considered bad for the environment. Even though the fast fashion industry is growing, there are also concerns about the impact the industry is having on the environment. Instead of being sustainable and proactive towards saving the environment, most fast fashion brands are doing the opposite.
Fashion is an ever-changing industry that can be difficult to keep up with. The latest trends are always changing, and it seems like the fast fashion brands are always coming out with something new for us to wear. This blog post will cover some of the most popular fast fashion brands in recent years.
Top Popular Fast Fashion Brands
#1. Forever 21
The Brand: Do Won Chang and Jin Sook Chang found Forever 21 in 1984. The first store appeared in Los Angeles, and now it is one of the biggest fast fashion brands. From teenagers to adults, everyone shops from this brand.
Need To Know: The brand shares that it aims to eliminate child and forced labor. Besides that, it also aims to encourage fair practices in the industry. You will find everything at Forever 21, from clothing to accessories and much more.
#2. Shein
The Brand: Shein has become one of the top global fast fashion brands in no time, with twenty million followers on Instagram. Each day, Shein adds five hundred products to its site. But, of course, the prices are incredibly low.
Need To Know: Shein is one of the most popular brands among millennials. It continues to grow because of its stylish and affordable solutions rapidly.
#3. Fashion Nova
The Brand: Fashion Nova became a clothing sensation in no time. It has one of the strongest social media presence among brands. Three years ago, the brand was the top searched fashion brand on Google.
Need To Know: Celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Cardi B, and many others endorse this brand. It aims to create the best clothing solutions for women of all sizes.
#4. Missguided
The Brand: Missguided is one of the most popular fast fashion brands in the UK. It is not only selling fast fashion but also rapid fashion. That is because the brand launches a thousand new styles each week.
Need To Know: The name of the brand is after an American sitcom known as Miss Guided. The sitcom did not survive after the first season, but the founder of Missguided liked the name.
#5. Boohoo
The Brand: In the past decade, Boohoo is experiencing rapid growth in the fast fashion industry. The brand delivers what it is promising, which is excellent designs and styles.
Need To Know: The primary aim of Boohoo is to make fashion accessible. They have more than ten million followers on social that wear their clothes.
Top European Fast Fashion Brands
#1. H&M
The Brand: H&M is a Swedish multinational retail company that sells fast fashion for children and adults. The brand has more than 3,500 stores in almost sixty countries. That makes H&M the second-biggest clothing store.
Need To Know: Many other brands also come under H&M. These include H&M Home, COS, Weekday, and many others.
#2. Zara
The Brand: No fashion list is complete without talking about Zara. Zara is one of the top Spanish fast fashion brands. In fact it may be the most popular Spanish clothing brand in the world. The brand is trying to enhance its image by introducing recycling programs. That is because it is trying to change the planet with its efforts.
Need To Know: Zara also owns Pull&Bear, Massino Dutti, Zara Home, and many others. Such brands are possible because the company has a responsive supply chain.
#3. Marks & Spencer
The Brand: Marks & Spencer is one of the most popular fast fashion brands in Europe. It sells everything from clothing to furniture, and much more. Its high quality has garnered it global popularity. Marks and Spencer is one of the elite clothing brands that is loved all over the world.
Need To Know: You will also find some of the best chocolates, biscuits, and wafers at Marks & Spencer. Many people worldwide love the food collection more than the fast fashion.
#4. Primark
The Brand: Primark is an Irish that has become one of Europe’s largest fast fashion brands. It outsources its manufacturing. Besides that, the brand has huge stores all over Europe that offer everything from daily wear to shoes and much more.
Need To Know: Primark has almost 400 stores across Europe and the United States. The largest store of the brand is on Birmingham High Street. It also features dining experiences, barbers, and a beauty studio.
#5. Next
The Brand: Next has its headquarters in England, and it is one of the best multinational clothing brands. It offers footwear, clothing, home products, and much more. It offers top quality products that you can wear to make a fashion statement. NEXT offers a vast range of products so there is something for everyone.
Need To Know: Next focuses on creating a sustainable and ethical chain of production. It is recently making amends to create better changes in the fast fashion industry.
Top Japanese Fast Fashion Brands
#1. Kenzo Clothing
The Brand: Kenzo Takada found Kenzo Clothing. It is a worldwide clothing brand, skincare, perfumes, and much more. Unfortunately, the owner of the brand died in 2020. However his successors are trying to bring the brand to new heights and for the most part they have succeeded in doing so.
Need To Know: The company adds new clothing styles each day. Because of this, you will find some of the best clothing solutions daily.
#2. A Bathing Ape
The Brand: A Bathing Ape is one of the most popular Japanese streetwear fast fashion brands. Everyone wears this brand, from rappers to celebrities, to enhance their style game.
Need To Know: The founder of this brand is Nigo. He aims to revolutionize streetwear with A Bathing Ape.
#3. Uniqlo
The Brand: Uniqlo is one of Japan’s most popular fast fashion brands. Their clothing is now available in more than twenty countries.
Need To Know: The brand creates high fashion and haute couture. You will find some great pieces in their collection.
#4. Junya Watanabe MAN
The Brand: Junya Watanabe has been creating men’s clothing for a while now. He is a pupil of Comme des Garcons and has changed men’s fashion in Japan for good.
Need To Know: The brand offers luxury clothing and limited designs. That is why all men wear this brand to symbolize luxury and uniqueness.
#5. Tadashi Shoji
The Brand: Shoji found Tadashi Shoji a long time ago to offer the best clothing to Japanese people. The brand offers everything from dresses to accessories, perfumes, and more.
Need To Know: The brand is affordable and aims to make fashion accessible. You can get some of the best casual clothes at the lowest prices.
Fast Fashion Brands To Avoid
#1. Mango
The Brand: Mango is one of the biggest Spanish fast fashion brands. It has a huge network with stores in more than a hundred countries. The company is trying to create better clothing with recycled polyester and organic cotton.
Need To Know: The latest blends of materials by Mango are some of the softest fabrics. The new clothing collections are better, durable, and stylish.
#2. Urban Outfitters
The Brand: Urban Outfitters has been one of the most popular fast fashion brands for the past five decades now. It continues to grow as it adapts to the changing fashion industry.
Need To Know: Urban Outfitters combines cultural understanding, creativity, and more to create the best designs. You will find the clothes comfortable and stylish.
#3. Guess
The Brand: Guess began in 1981 as one of the biggest fast fashion brands. It sells everything from clothing to watches, jewelry, perfumes, and more.
Need To Know: Guess is a designer and luxury brand. However, the prices are still more affordable than other luxury brands.
#4. Victoria’s Secret
The Brand: Victoria’s Secret is the largest lingerie retailer in the United States. The brand signed the Detox My Fashion campaign. It aims to eliminate all harsh chemicals from its supply chains and products.
Need To Know: Victoria’s Secret creates some of the best loungewear and lingerie. The best part is the material that is comfortable and durable.
#5. Stradivarius
The Brand: Stradivarius is one of the top Spanish fast fashion brands. They have more than nine hundred stores worldwide. Now, Stradivarius is run by the Inditex Group.
Need To Know: You will find the clothing from this brand in more than sixty countries. Of course, the online store is the one that creates the highest sales for the brand.
Top Affordable Brands That Are Not Fast Fashion
#1. Quince
The Brand: Quince is one of the best affordable brands. It offers jewelry, clothing, home goods, and much more. But, of course, the best part is its excellent practices.
Need To Know: The brand offers fair wages and utilizes fair labor. Besides that, it uses OEKO-TEX and Bluesign Certified sustainable materials for its clothing. It also creates eco-friendly packaging.
#2. ABLE
The Brand: ABLE aims to end poverty. However, it plans to create more economic opportunities for people, especially for women. It aims to enable women to work so they can provide for themselves.
Need To Know: The brand opts for fair labor practices and wages. Besides that, the clothing is handcrafted by artisan women. ABLE also sources the materials responsibly to reduce waste and environmental impact.
#3. Boden
The Brand: Boden has been one of the best sustainable brands for the past three decades. Their clothing collection is sustainable and incredibly. You will find everything at Boden, from children to adult apparel, in no time.
Need To Know: Boden focuses on ethical production. It does this by responsibly sourcing sustainable materials for its products. Besides that, it offers fair wages, gives back to the community, and creates recyclable packaging.
#4. Kotn
The Brand: Kotn is one of the best Egyptian clothing brands that is affordable and sustainable. It offers home goods, adult cotton basics, and loungewear. The brand prides itself on creating quality and comfortable clothing for its customers.
Need To Know: Kotn uses sustainable and organic cotton to produce clothing items. It also offers fair wages and labor. Finally, it gives back to the community by making the planet a better place.
#5. Happy Earth
The Brand: Happy Earth is all about protecting the planet, no matter what happens. The brand follows the highest ethical and sustainable standards to ensure it is doing right by the plant. You will find everything from adult clothing to accessories, headwear, activewear, and much more.
Need To Know: Happy Earth uses organic materials to create comfortable and high-quality clothing. Besides that, the brand is a Certified B Corp that is carbon-free. It also gives back to the community to guarantee it is doing good in every aspect.
Article Sources
- https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/affordable-ethical-fashion-brands
- https://www.irreverentgent.com/top-japanese-clothing-brands/
- https://thesustainablelivingguide.com/fast-fashion-brands/
- https://www.minimalismmadesimple.com/home/fast-fashion-brands/
- https://www.sustainably-chic.com/blog/fast-fashion-brands-to-avoid