Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
54% of Gen Z consumers say they buy fast fashion because it’s affordable
62% of Gen Z respondents say they prefer shopping online for fashion items
Gen Z purchases an average of 5 fast fashion items per month
72% of Gen Z shoppers cited social media as a primary influence on their fashion choices
59% of Gen Z feel a conflict between their environmental values and their fast-fashion purchases
41% of Gen Z say they shop fast fashion to keep up with trends
83% of Gen Z consumers have purchased fast fashion in the past 12 months
Only 22% of Gen Z say sustainability is a top consideration when buying clothing
Depop reports over 90% of its 30 million users are Gen Z, seeking alternatives to fast fashion
40% of Gen Z shoppers admit returning fast fashion purchases regularly for social media photos
74% of Gen Z say clothing resale is appealing but still buy fast fashion actively
Shein is ranked as the #1 preferred fast fashion brand among Gen Z females
Gen Z drives 25% of all Shein’s sales globally
Generational Comparisons
- Gen Z is three times more likely to shop from mobile devices than millennials
- Zara reports that Gen Z contributes 35% of its sales globally
- Gen Z is the most likely age group to support ultra-fast fashion cycles
- On average, Gen Z members own 2x the number of clothing items as millennials
- Gen Z is 80% more likely than gen X to purchase fashion items weekly
Interpretation
Gen Z may champion sustainability online, but their twice-stuffed closets and weekly fashion hauls—mostly bought by thumb—prove that clicks often speak louder than conscience.
Personal Expression and Identity
- 25% of Gen Z say fast fashion helps them express their individuality
- 68% of Gen Z say fast fashion makes them feel more included in fashion trends
- 57% of Gen Z see fast fashion as a creative outlet despite sustainability concerns
- 22% of Gen Z survey respondents said fast fashion helped them cope with pandemic loneliness
- 35% of Gen Z say fast fashion enables fashion freedom not available in ethical brands
Interpretation
For Gen Z, fast fashion is less a closet of compromise and more a stitched survival kit—where self-expression, trendiness, and emotional relief are worn proudly, even as the planet pays the price.
Shopping Preferences and Behaviors
- 54% of Gen Z consumers say they buy fast fashion because it’s affordable
- 62% of Gen Z respondents say they prefer shopping online for fashion items
- Gen Z purchases an average of 5 fast fashion items per month
- 41% of Gen Z say they shop fast fashion to keep up with trends
- 83% of Gen Z consumers have purchased fast fashion in the past 12 months
- Depop reports over 90% of its 30 million users are Gen Z, seeking alternatives to fast fashion
- 74% of Gen Z say clothing resale is appealing but still buy fast fashion actively
- Shein is ranked as the #1 preferred fast fashion brand among Gen Z females
- Gen Z drives 25% of all Shein’s sales globally
- 49% of Gen Z think secondhand clothing is less desirable than new fast fashion
- H&M reports that 40% of its online traffic now comes from Gen Z shoppers
- 53% of Gen Z use buy now, pay later services when purchasing fast fashion
- Gen Z represents 40% of the global consumer market and is rapidly shaping fast fashion
- Shein’s app is among the top 5 shopping apps downloaded by Gen Z women
- 28% of Gen Z engage in weekly fast fashion shopping
- Gen Z spends an average of $103 monthly on fast fashion
- 30% of Gen Z returns clothing simply due to buyer’s remorse, especially fast fashion
- ASOS reports Gen Z accounts for 60% of its customer base
- Gen Z consumers are twice as likely to buy fast fashion for events like festivals
- 38% of Gen Z prioritize price above all when shopping for clothes
- Missing sizes and delayed deliveries rank as top complaints from Gen Z about fast fashion
- More than 1 in 4 Gen Z shoppers say they’ve "rage-returned" items bought from fast fashion brands
- 69% of Gen Z say clothing quality is less important than affordability
- Gen Z shows a 98% year-over-year increase in fast fashion spending between 2021 and 2023
- 84% of Gen Z say they’ve purchased from a fast fashion brand at least once in the past year
- Over 61 million Gen Z globally shop fast fashion from mobile-first platforms like Shein
- 31% of Gen Z admit owning fast fashion items they’ve never worn
- Gen Z accounts for 45% of growth in mobile fashion e-commerce globally
- Gen Z consumers are 70% more likely to shop fast fashion during sales events
- 61% of Gen Z agree they are addicted to online browsing and purchasing fast fashion
Interpretation
Gen Z may preach sustainability, but with cartfuls of fast fashion clicking through Shein and ASOS on buy-now-pay-later plans, their wardrobes reveal a generation caught between eco-conscious ideals and swipe-happy impulses.
Social Media and Digital Influence
- 72% of Gen Z shoppers cited social media as a primary influence on their fashion choices
- 40% of Gen Z shoppers admit returning fast fashion purchases regularly for social media photos
- TikTok fashion hauls have more than 7 billion views, driven largely by Gen Z users
- 35% of Gen Z follow fast fashion influencers for style tips and product links
- 70% of Gen Z use Instagram for fashion inspiration
- 61% of Gen Z feel pressure to wear different outfits on social media, encouraging fast fashion buys
- 45% of Gen Z have purchased clothing from fast fashion after seeing it on TikTok
- 58% of Gen Z say influencer promotions strongly impact their fashion purchases
- 66% of fast fashion ads targeting Gen Z focus on microtrends and haul culture
- 43% of Gen Z follow fast fashion brands directly on social media
- Gen Z is almost 50% more likely than millennials to share fashion hauls online
- Nearly 30% of Gen Z turn to YouTube for fast fashion product reviews
- TikTok content mentioning brands like Shein and Zara received over 96 billion views in one year
- 55% of Gen Z say fashion hauls help them discover new trends cheaply
- Gen Z consumers drive 35% of all usage on fashion-focused hashtags
- 47% of Gen Z are concerned about not repeating outfits online, fueling purchase rates
Interpretation
Gen Z may call it a “fit check,” but these stats reveal a generation dressing for the algorithm—where aesthetics rule, repetition is a sin, and fast fashion thrives in the endless scroll.
Sustainability and Ethical Concerns
- 59% of Gen Z feel a conflict between their environmental values and their fast-fashion purchases
- Only 22% of Gen Z say sustainability is a top consideration when buying clothing
- 68% of Gen Z say brand ethics matter, yet affordability wins in fast fashion choices
- 86% of Gen Z say fast fashion brands should be more transparent
- 64% of Gen Z expect brands to reduce environmental harm but still support fast fashion
- Only 19% of Gen Z say they would pay more for sustainable fashion
- 31% of Gen Z have used resale apps to offset guilt over fast fashion buying
- 48% of Gen Z respondents say they want better diversity in fast fashion brand models
- 34% of Gen Z say they wear fast fashion items fewer than five times
- 52% of Gen Z say they’re aware of the issues with fast fashion but continue buying
- 26% of Gen Z have lied about where they bought fashion items to hide fast fashion use
- Only 14% of Gen Z respondents think fast fashion will phase out in 10 years
- 39% of Gen Z say they associate fast fashion with mental stress due to rapid trends
- 12% of Gen Z report donating fast fashion clothes within 30 days of purchase
- Online resale market growth driven 44% by Gen Z seeking escape from fast fashion guilt
- 27% of Gen Z would boycott a fast fashion brand for unethical labor practices
- 50% of Gen Z say they wish fast fashion brands would offer recycling programs
- 63% of Gen Z research fast fashion brands before first-time purchases
- 49% of Gen Z have purchased fast fashion while feeling guilty about it
- TikTok trend “outfit repeater” is rising, countering Gen Z’s fast fashion patterns slightly
- 36% of Gen Z have deleted fast fashion apps as a sustainability statement
- 20% of Gen Z who stop shopping fast fashion cite climate change as primary reason
Interpretation
Gen Z wants to save the planet in vintage denim and recycled crop tops—but until sustainability stops clashing with style and price, they’ll keep buying fast fashion through a veil of eco-anxiety and resale app redemption.