In today's planet-conscious society, there's a continued debate about the state of fast fashion. No matter what anyone says, things aren't built like they used to be. While your grandparents might've kept their fridge for decades, modern products have a nasty habit of falling apart as soon as they're out of warranty. This has led to a rise in us not keeping anything for long, as fashion also heads the same way.
Fast fashion tends to use unsustainable materials and poor manufacturing to churn out clothing, with outlets often producing multiple variants of the same item to encourage you to buy more.
While fast fashion has a place in 2024 as much as couture, the likes of Shein and Temu are called out as its worst offenders. We all love a deep dive into the weirdest things that Temu sells, and while some of it is pretty much garbage, there's a huge market.
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Jeff Bezos is clearly keen to get in on the trend, with Amazon launching its own Temu-inspired marketplace for fashion and more. Haul is the latest brand to join the Amazon family, but unfortunately, not everyone is 'sold' on the idea.
Already launched for customers in the USA, Haul caps its items at $20, offering 'crazy low' prices with most being around $10 and some as low as $1. Although consumers will have to wait up to two weeks for delivery unlike Amazon's typically zippy Prime Next Day, they're told it's worth the wait to nab a bargain shipped directly from a Chinese warehouse.
Responding to the announcement, the Instagram account Sustainable Fashion Friend accused Amazon of 'pushing a cycle of overconsumption, waste, and environmental destruction.' The account said: "The race to offer the lowest prices may be great for your wallet, but it’s a nightmare for the planet & those that produce these products."
They weren't alone in their concerns, with others in the comments agreeing that Amazon is only adding to the problem.
One unhappy shopper wrote: "This is sad… when are we going to understand that there is enough clothes on earth for the next 8 generations?.. and that what we need is quality, not quantity. 😔."
Another added, "I wish we would all just collectively stop for a second and think about our habits of consumption. All those things being bought to fill holes no material goods can fill and meanwhile destroying the only planet we have 😩."
It's not just crocheted Shrek hats and the like you can find on Haul, with everything from selfie sticks to kitchen tongs and 'elegant' jewellery available to buy. With Christmas just around the corner, expect Haul to make a 'haul' before the end of the year.
There are continued questions about Amazon's return policy, and although you can pay to pick up a box of random returns, there are accusations that billions of dollars of returned products end up in landfill sites.
Considering Bezos' private jets reportedly pump out 207 years worth of pollution every year, the announcement of Haul hardly paints the world's second-richest man in the best light when it comes to saving the environment.