The Impact of Replica Fashion

Image Courtesy: Strike Magazine Tallahassee

A brand-new pair of Rick Owens x Doc Marten boots sells for about $400 in our current market. This piece has always caught my eye, but I stay away from high-end designer brands because of their hefty price tag. However, you can find hundreds of replicas for these exact boots for $20 while scrolling through TikTok. So, what's the catch?

Image Courtesy: Hypebae

Replica fashion has its pros and cons. Starting with the pros, replica fashion allows people to wear some of their favorite pieces at a low price. Personally, I bought a pair of knock-off Nike dunks because I didn't know if I would like it. I didn't want to take a $300 gamble so I only paid $25 dollars. Websites like PandaBuy are gaining popularity on TikTok and attracting many people to replica fashion. Creators now have spreadsheets, or “storefronts,” with thousands of replica fashion pieces for their followers to buy from. While this new form of fashion is interesting, it is also important to look at the negatives.

Replica fashion is unfortunately a huge contributor to the growing problem of fast fashion. These products are created by thousands of factories with unethical labor practices.

Replica fashion also prevents environmental sustainability, since the materials used for replica fashion are often unsustainable and can be harmful to the environment due to the waste after production.

Fashion designers themselves suffer from replica fashion; their designs get stolen with little to no punishment from the producer of the replica product. While it might not seem like a big deal for million-dollar companies to lose more money, this could ultimately hurt the future of the fashion industry. 

Image Courtesy: Think Sustainability

Replica fashion isn't new, but it is growing rapidly every day. Looking through thousands of replica products online can become very tempting but alternatives like consignment and used listings can be used as a more ethical route. While we cannot control whether this industry stops or continues to grow, at least we can become more educated on the products we purchase.

Strike Out,

Writer: Adrian Botton

Editor: Noelle Knowlton

Graphic Designer: Mallory Reale

Tallahassee