A TikTok creator is unleashing their frustrations over just how abysmal shopping has become because of socially unaware companies and a lack of quality products.
In a video posted about a week ago, creator Kathleen Pan (@kathleenlinpan), shared how fed up she’s become with shopping, despite her love for retail therapy. Pan specifically hones in on how the reliance on synthetic materials has led to lesser quality clothing and, therefore, a subpar shopping experience. And her displeasure didn’t just include clothing but also makeup.
“I opened up the Sephora sale the other day, and nothing gave me excitement. Nothing’s innovative. Seventy-five percent of the brands are supporting a f*cking genocide. Skincare is extremely overpriced. Sorry Drunk Elephant, your packaging is cute, but I’m not going to spend
“Every single TikTok shop video, which is like every other video, is a piece of junk. … The grandpa sweater, that’s the sweater of the season, it’s literally f****** plastic,” she claimed
Pan recounted a previous video she made about the certain materials she looks for when shopping for clothes, specifying that she pays so much attention to quality because of her dad’s job as a physicist in polymer science. (Polymers can be manmade or natural. Some of the most common manmade polymers include plastic or elastic-like materials.)
“I grew up learning all about polymers,” Pan said. “So I know to look at the material to know what the clothes are. I urge everyone, when you’re shopping, open up the part that says ‘materials’ or ‘description.’ See what the clothes [are] made out of.”
In the video, she gave an example of one sweater from the company Oak + Fort. She showed a chunky cable knit sweater that is retailed at $108. According to Oak + Fort’s website, the sweater is made of 35% recycled polyester, 35% polyester, 20% acrylic, and 10% nylon.
“Not a single natural fiber found. Not a single one. For $108, you are literally buying plastic. Recycled plastic, so it’s a little better, right? If you haven’t paid attention to materials before, start paying attention to it, and once you do, it’s probably going to make you depressed, because it’s going to make you realize that everything around us [is] plastic.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Pan via email for further comment on her video.
According to the Council of Fashion Designers of America, polyester is a synthetic fiber, or plastic, derived from petroleum. Some polyester can be made from recycled materials or even waste. Although polyester has become a favorite material from a consumer and retailer standpoint—mainly due to its versatility and durability—studies have shown that polyester sheds microplastics with each wash. Another downside is that polyester is not biodegradable.
Some of the top non-plastic materials of sweaters include wool, cashmere—a type of wool—and cotton.
In her video, Pan also had an answer to people who may attempt to debunk her line of reasoning just because they come across a soft garment.
“It’s f*cking soft because they took the polyester, pulled it into superfine fibers, and that’s why it feels so soft,” Pan explained. “Give that sweater two to three years, that sh*t will be in the trash, and that’s why this is fast f*cking fashion guys.”
Pan said she now opts more for buying second-hand clothing, concluding materials were different “20 years ago” than what’s primarily used now.
Many commenters seemed to agree with Pan’s disappointment over quality products.
“It’s like Nordstrom selling a 100% polyester dress for $445. It should be illegal,” user @avamilahandmade said.
“It’s the overconsumption and never ending marketing… it’s partially why I picked up fiber arts like crochet and knitting,” user Kris (@krisswaff) said.
“Its a deadly cycle,” user @luv_bananama said. “We’re forced to wear literal plastic. then us with sensitive skin are forced to shell out extra for skincare.”
Today, nearly 70% of clothing produced are synthetics made from petrochemicals, according to Collective Fashion Justice, making not only the shopping experience less enjoyable but also contributing to climate change throughout the world.