These days, buying clothes has never been easier. Fashion trends have always been a part of society’s culture, but social media has made them increasingly more frequent and easier to dispose of and replace with another trend; these are referred to as “micro-trends.” Once the trend disappears from the “For You” page, many of the clothes from the trend are disposed of, even if they were almost unworn.
British influencer Lottie Lashly records videos about fashion and clothing waste. Lashly highlights trends that have already been discarded in 2026 and presents the confounding data that shows the sheer volume of clothing that is bought for trends and disposed of soon after. For example, she notes that as of April 24, the popularity of the argyle pattern has decreased 90% since the beginning of the year. She discusses trends from recent years that currently occupy landfills, like corset tops and bucket hats.
In early May, she posted a video rating current Spring 2026 micro-trends on the likelihood that they will end up in landfills; she rated ballet flats a 4/10 and long drop-waist skirts a 10/10 chance of being quickly discarded. Lashly brings to light the sad reality that although micro-trends may look cute, they cause significant clothing pollution.
How do you prevent further contributions toward the waste generated by micro-trends? Simply, buy less.
Consider whether you would still wear a clothing item after the trend has “died out” before buying it. This same logic can be applied to buying clothes in general. If your favorite brand drops new releases, you do not need to always buy the new items, even if it’s your favorite brand.
There’s a difference between buying the clothes you see online because you became interested in them after being exposed to them versus buying them because “it’s what everyone is wearing.” That mindset of trying to dress identical to the majority of people around you creates a wasteful habit; once the majority of people around you begin to dress differently, you’ll have to buy new clothes to match.
I am not discouraging you from ever participating in a trend, but I suggest being mindful of every aspect that goes into participating in them. Often, people will buy the item from wherever it can be shipped fastest to them, and the ethics of where they’re buying it from and the material of what they’re buying may not be considered.
A more resourceful way to avoid contributing to clothing waste is to shop secondhand. Walking into a consignment store or thrift shop with an idea in mind of what you’re looking for might provide guidance and prevent you from buying items you don’t actually want. When cleaning out your closet, donate your clothes to people who need them instead of throwing them away.
There’s a straightforward choice between contributing to the clothing pollution crisis and making more mindful decisions about what we buy, wear and discard.
