‘Fast fashion’ hotline wants to cure your shopping addiction

August 19, 2022

Step away from that sale rack.

Online resale retailer thredUP has joined forces with “Stranger Things” star Priah Ferguson to launch a new phone service designed to deter fast fashion lovers from impulsively snapping up cheap clothing — much of which quickly lands in landfills.

ThredUP created the initiative after a survey of 2,000 Gen Z Americans found that a third of them felt “addicted” to fast fashion — which includes affordable, trendy clothes sold at some of the country’s most popular retailers, including Zara and Forever 21.

“Hey Priah here, you’ve reached the ‘Fast Fashion Confessional Hotline,’ which means you want to break up with fast fashion,” Ferguson, 15, states in a recorded message that plays after a US caller dials 1-855-THREDUP.

“You and the planet deserve better,” the actress continues, before giving callers three different options.

Ferguson is seen promoting the new hotline in an ad for thredUP. The "Stranger Things" star has recorded a series of message for shopaholics who phone the number. — Ferguson is seen promoting the new hotline in an ad for thredUP. The “Stranger Things” star has recorded a series of message for shopaholics who phone the number.

Ferguson shot to fame after joining the cast of "Stranger Things" back in 2017. — Ferguson shot to fame after joining the cast of “Stranger Things” back in 2017.

“If you’re on the verge of a splurge, girl no. Press 1,” Ferguson demands, with the number leading to a lecture from the star on why fast fashion is bad.

If a caller presses 2, they’ll be able to hear Ferguson explain why thrift shopping is a superior alternative for the environment.

Meanwhile, an option to press 3 results in the starlet sharing her own fast fashion horror story in a bid to get the caller to put their clothes back on the rack.

Fast fashion clogs landfills and is widely known to be bad for the environment — but people can't stop shopping. A 2018 survey of 2,000 Brits found they were buying double the amount of clothes than they were just a decade before. — Fast fashion clogs landfills and is widely known to be bad for the environment — but people can’t stop shopping. A 2018 survey of 2,000 Brits found they were buying double the amount of clothes than they were just a decade before.

“We were surprised by the number of people who said they were perfectly aware of their individual consumption habits and that they had an impact on the planet, but were doing it anyway,” thredUP’s VP of Integrated Marketing Erin Wallace told Vogue Business this week.

Many youngsters are shopping for clothes for their social media feeds, before ditching the designs after just a few wears. The clothes are subsequently thrown in the trash, where they often end up in landfill taking decades to break down.

Laborers are seen working in a garment factory in southern Pakistan back in 2019. Fast fashion is cheap to make and sold at affordable price points.

In 2018, The Post reported on survey of 2,000 Brits which found a majority of them were buying double the number of clothing items than they were just a decade earlier.

The survey also revealed that one in 10 respondents dumped their clothes after wearing them just 3 times in photos posted on Facebook or Instagram.

Meanwhile, one in 5 respondents admitted to stuffing unwanted couture in the trash rather than donating or recycling it.