Ultra-fast fashion is built on speed, cost-cutting, and massive volume. Algorithms scan social media to predict micro-trends, and thousands of styles launch each week, each sold at prices so low that fair pay becomes impossible. Behind every cheap garment are workers enduring extreme hours, instability, and a lack of protection. As ultra-fast fashion consumption grows, so does our reliance on the business model that accelerates harm for people and the planet. 

Working Faster, Not Fairer 

In ultra-fast fashion supply chains, workers are commonly paid by the piece, not the hour. They are typically paid as low as 50 cents per item, so to earn enough to survive, many work 11-hour days—often without contracts or social security. In factories linked to brands like Shein, interviews reveal unsafe conditions, relentless production targets, and no time off. 

Shein alone works with more than 7,200 suppliers, creating a decentralised network of subcontractors that is nearly impossible to monitor. This opacity removes any leverage for reform; if one supplier demands fairer terms another cheaper factory quickly replaces it. 

Ultra-fast fashion’s algorithm-driven system also means unpredictable workloads. When micro-trends fade within days, factories are pressured to constantly cut costs, often at the expense of workers’ health and safety. 

Forced Labour and Poverty Wages 

Ultra-fast fashion’s impact extends deep into global supply chains. In China’s Xinjiang region, Uyghur and Turkic Muslim minorities are subjected to state-sponsored forced labour, feeding raw materials like cotton into the global garment trade. Brands may deflect responsibility for the labour conditions behind their products by claiming to be ‘just marketplaces’. 

Meanwhile, the economic reality for most garment workers remains dire.  

According to Oxfam, only four percent of the retail price of a piece of clothing sold in Australia goes to workers’ wages. This is why our Ethical Fashion Report continues to find that majority of companies are failing to pay a living wage to any workers in their supply chain.  

Only four percent of the retail price of a piece of clothing sold in Australia goes to workers’ wages.

Child labour also persists, with an estimated 138 million children worldwide still engaged in child labour, nearly half in hazardous conditions. 

In Baptist World Aid’s podcast Behind the Barcode, Ethical Fashion lead Katherine Halliday said, ‘A living wage is not a luxury. It’s just something that meets your basic needs in life. Putting food on the table, sending your kids to school, putting away a little bit for a rainy day. And we found that only two percent of companies in our research in 2024 were paying a living wage just at their final stage factories.’ 

This stark reality highlights the depth of inequality woven into the clothes we buy. 

Gendered Inequality and Abuse 

Women make up the majority of garment workers and face disproportionate violence and insecurity. Research across 31 factories in India found that every woman interviewed had experienced or witnessed workplace harassment, often from male supervisors. Many factories still require pregnancy tests during recruiting to avoid paying maternity leave. 

The Path Forward 

Solving these issues requires collective responsibility: 

  • Businesses must pay living wages, ensure safe conditions, and consolidate suppliers to enable accountability. 
  • Governments need to enact enforceable laws that hold brands responsible for labour practices in their supply chains. 
  • Consumers can push for change—not only through mindful purchases, but by demanding transparency and stronger legislation. 

Ultra-fast fashion magnifies problems that have existed for decades. The difference now is speed, and the invisibility of harm hidden behind a few clicks. 

When a top costs less than a coffee, someone else is paying the price. The path forward lies in justice: fair pay, safe work, and a fashion industry that values people as much as profit. 

The path forward lies in justice: fair pay, safe work, and a fashion industry that values people as much as profit. 

As a consumer you can advocate for change! Use our Speak Out tool to contact your local MP and fight for stronger protective legislation in the fashion industry. 

This blog was adapted by Keziah Redelinghuys from Episode 3 of Baptist World Aid’s Behind the Barcode podcast. To find out more about ultra-fast fashion and its implications listen here!