The fast-fashion concept emerged in the 1990s with large fashion companies beginning to mass produce clothes. In terms of labor rights, this industry is still, in many cases, breaking the law, with human rights violations still a practice that affects many of the 75 million people working in the textile industry. 

Particularly in countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, many cases of child labor and modern slavery are reported.

Also, many factory workers are paid below the legal minimum wage, forced to work long hours in unsafe environments, and with no access to health care or paid leave.

The fashion industry also took advantage of the development of faster and more efficient trade routes that facilitate transactions across the world. Value chains have become increasingly complex, with multiple intermediaries, from production to sale. Thus, consumers have unlimited access to all types of clothing at any time (using e-commerce), leading to excessive, unsustainable and unethical consumption of clothing.