Curating the perfect vacation itinerary is an important part of the process, but for some travelers, what's in their suitcase is even more important.
A post in the r/Anticonsumption community reveals a screenshot of a social media influencer's feed and how they prepared for their trip to Europe.
The photo shows a floor covered in delivery packages from H&M and Amazon — and those are just the visible brands. Several of the boxes are unidentifiable.
"When the Europe outfit starts costing more than the actual Europe trip," the post said.
Vacations are a way to break out of a routine and explore the world. It's only natural to want a new outfit to visit a new place. But there is a great divide between want and need, and landfills are left with the residuals of our decisions.
If you're buying clothing because you don't own the appropriate apparel for the climate, that's one thing. However, opting for more sustainable fashion choices can support a healthier planet.
The amount of waste caused by fast-fashion brands like H&M, Forever 21, Zara, and Shein is extremely damaging. Fast fashion is the mass production of apparel that is trending. While the appeal is that it's affordable, the quality is poor because the items are made using cheap materials and labor. The industry has also been flagged for human rights concerns.
The fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water, using more than 20 trillion gallons a year. According to a Fair Planet report, citing data from the nonprofit CDP, one-third of all produced clothing never reaches consumers.
When items are returned, they generally end up in landfills, contributing to the gases overheating our planet. Instead of buying things new, try thrifting or resale apps like Depop, Poshmark, or The RealReal.
It should be noted that H&M is among the brands now offering resale services through thredUP. Hopefully, even more companies follow suit in the years to come.
The post attracted lots of attention, and several people agreed that the photo reflected a giant waste of money that could have been put toward a longer vacation or the possibility of an extra stop.
"I've seen so many posts about 'American vs. European fashion' and they're always ridiculous," one commenter said. "We don't care what yall wear."
One Redditor wrote: "I prefer to hold off and find a few special pieces of clothing or jewelry DURING the trip."
"At least buy quality [clothing] that will last you decades if not your whole life," another suggested.
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