Fast Fashion Brand Forever 21 Files For Bankruptcy!

Just five years after filing for bankruptcy, fast fashion brand Forever 21 has now filed for bankruptcy again. All 350 of its remaining stores will be closed.

In the last month, they’ve laid off over 300 employees and closed its Los Angeles headquarters. Since being bought by Authentic and Simon Property Group and Brookfield Corporation, they partnered with one of the biggest fast fashion brands today, Shein.

The company hoped the partnership would boost growth but sales continued to decline to the point they asked their landlords for a break on rent. The company couldn’t keep up with the rise of ecommerce.

Forever 21 was once a powerhouse in the clothing industry, amassing $4.4 billion dollars in revenue in 2015. At its peak it had more than 500 stores in the US and up to 800 worldwide. Many people probably remember seeing their stores whenever they went to a mall. But similar to other non eco friendly brands, it constantly changed trends and added regularly new styles, contributing to the textile pollution that accounts for 20% of pollution.

In addition to it’s contribution to textile pollution, it was reported in newspapers that Forever 21 underpaid their workers, paying them only $6 dollars an hour. Some workers would have to work up to 11 hours pinning tags and snipping loose threads. The employees demanded back pay for all of the clothing they produced.

While Forever 21 closing all of its doors is a win for sustainability, the store is still only a small piece of a larger puzzle. Companies like Shein and Zara will continue to mass produce clothes with little regard for the environment. Activists will continue to demand changes and educate the public about the damaging effects of fast fashion.