Fast Fashion: The Third Wheel of Valentine's Day

This Valentine’s Day, the UK is projected to spend more than £2.1 billion¹, with a YouGov poll reporting that 5% of these expenses will go towards clothing gifts².

This spending boom around Valentine’s Day is like a soulmate for fast fashion. The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) describes how “fast” business models have exploited the wholesome origins of Valentine’s Day ‘by selling us a bunch of ‘Valentine’s-themed stuff’ we don’t really need³.’

Dress to Impress

The overt marketing around Valentine’s Day clothing is unavoidable, with fast fashion brands such as Ann Summers and Pretty Little Thing emblazoning Valentine’s Day selections on their websites. PIRG also identifies the excess of Valentine’s Day clothes on Shein, who cannot ‘possibl[y] be sourcing sustainable materials […] when they add up to 10,000 new designs on their website every day³.’

Outsider Fashion recommends sustainable materials such as ‘organic cotton, bamboo or linen⁴’ when shopping Valentine’s Day fashion. For lingerie, TWOTHIRDS empowers the consumer to resist Valentine’s Day selections and instead ‘choose sustainable lingerie brands in shades of red, or rebel, or simply wear whatever the hell you want⁵!’

With 4% of UK women intending to buy clothing gifts on Valentine’s Day², it is equally important to consider sustainable options for male clothing. Rewound Clothing, for example, offers a dedicated selection ‘For Him,’ with each product ‘crafted with the planet in mind, featuring 100% recycled or natural fibres,’ and ‘built to last⁶.’

All this said, the Home of Direct Commerce has reported a 40% reduction in revenue for the lingerie and underwear sector between Valentine’s Day 2024 and 2025. They identify a sustainable shift by the consumer towards personalised gifts, with revenue increases in DIY purchases (58%), food and catering (27%), and home furnishings (23%)⁷.

The promising shift ‘towards thoughtful, personalised experiences over conventional gift-giving⁷’ suggests that more and more consumers are starting to reject the ultra-commercialist nature of holiday products altogether.

Excessive Displays of Fashion

Fast fashion business models remain a leading cause of clothing poverty. While fast fashion made from cheaper materials may have the initial appeal of a lower retail price, their reduced quality and the resulting need for replacement can trap the consumer in a vicious economic cycle.

Any holiday-themed clothing – from festive jumpers at Christmas to couples’ pyjamas on Valentine’s Day – risks contributing to global textile waste. Clothing designed to celebrate a specific time of year will inevitably gather dust in people’s wardrobes, rather than be repurposed for the people who need them all year round.

Social media and marketing campaigns, especially around Valentine’s Day, have normalised a system of ‘clothing overproduction and microtrends³.’ The excess of the market has encouraged excessive behaviour by the consumer.

The commercialisation of 14 February has been fuel for fast fashion. In the fight against clothing poverty, retailers and consumers alike must re-evaluate the sustainability of their choices and put the love back in Valentine’s Day.

References:

1. CBRE (2025). How Valentine’s Day steals your heart and your money.

2. YouGov (2025). Valentines Day 2025: How are People Celebrating?

3. PIRG (2025). Break up with fast fashion.

4. Outsider (2023). Sustainable Fashion for Valentine's Day: Outsider's Guide to Celebrating Love and the Environment.

5. TWOTHIRDS (2024).  How to Dress for Valentine’s Day the Eco Way.

6. Rewound (2025). Valentine’s Day Edit: Thoughtful, Sustainable Gifts for Him.

7. Home of Direct Commerce (2025). Valentine’s Day 2025: Consumers shift from traditional lingerie to practical and creative gifting.

Cover photo by Tirza van Dijk on Unsplash