"Five Dresses for Travel at 40,000 Won"...After the Perfect Photo, Straight to the Trash

Controversy Over "Disposable Fashion" Among Chinese Millennials and Gen Z Tourists
Photo-Ready Outfits Sold for 10,000 to 30,000 Won
Two Million Tons of Textile Waste Annually Accelerates Environmental Pollution

The trend of "disposable fashion," where clothing is worn once for photo shoots at travel destinations and then discarded, is rapidly spreading among young Chinese tourists, raising concerns about environmental pollution.

According to the South China Morning Post on September 3, a new consumption pattern has taken root among people in their 20s and 30s in China, as seen on social media: buying large amounts of cheap clothing solely to wear once or twice during travel and then throwing it away. This includes elaborate dresses or traditional outfits that are not typically worn at home, but are purchased for travel photoshoots and quickly discarded afterward.

The primary reasons are to reduce luggage and save costs while traveling. In fact, online communities have seen a surge of posts with the hashtag "Cha Pao Yi" (#次抛衣), sharing reviews of cheap clothing purchases. One user shared proof of having bought five outfits for a seven-day trip for less than 40,000 won. The user stated, "I bought all my travel clothes for less than 200 yuan (about 38,000 won), and I have no intention of keeping them after the trip."

Disposable fashion shopping malls are increasing exponentially by emphasizing low prices and convenience during travel. QQ.com

Disposable clothing typically consists of flashy skirts or jackets that are difficult to use as daily wear but are perfect for eye-catching social media photos. According to local Chinese outlet City Express, one women’s fashion store sells a wide variety of dresses for beach vacations, moving approximately 15,000 items per month. The report went on to add that the main customers are between the ages of 18 and 30, and that the best-selling products are priced between 10 and 50 yuan (about 1,900 to 9,500 won)—the cost of an inexpensive meal.

Experts warn that these consumption habits are accelerating the volume of global textile waste. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 92 million tons of textile waste are generated annually worldwide. Textile production doubled between 2000 and 2015, but the lifespan of textiles dropped by 36% during the same period. In particular, cheap disposable garments are often made from low-quality, plastic-based materials, worsening environmental degradation.

Photo for article understanding purposes, not related to specific content. Unsplash

Most disposable clothes are simply discarded after a trip, but some consumers try to resell them on second-hand platforms. However, concerns have also been raised about hygiene or adverse effects on skin health, especially since proper disinfection is rarely carried out in the recycling process. Some users have reported, "There was a pungent smell upon opening the package, and many items didn’t even have washing labels," adding, "The fabric was so coarse that I developed a rash and contact dermatitis after just one day of wearing them."

This trend is being debated, with some claiming that it is a cost-effective way to lighten one’s baggage while traveling, while others criticize the practice as excessive—using perfectly good garments as disposable items for a single photo. One online community member commented, "The world is turning into a giant studio for social media."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.