"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 clothes are worn once for photoshoots at travel destinations and then thrown away, is rapidly spreading among young Chinese tourists, raising concerns about environmental pollution.

According to the South China Morning Post on September 3, China's social networking services have recently seen a surge in the consumer behavior of millennials and those in their 30s buying large quantities of cheap clothing specifically to wear once or twice during trips before discarding them. It has become a new trend: people purchase flashy dresses or traditional attire—items they would find difficult to wear in everyday life—solely for photo opportunities at travel sites, only to dispose of them immediately afterward.

The main reasons are to reduce baggage and save money during travel. In fact, online communities are flooded with posts carrying the hashtag "Cha Pao Yi," sharing reviews about buying inexpensive clothing. One user posted a testimonial stating, "I bought five outfits to wear during a seven-day trip for less than 40,000 won." They added, "I spent less than 200 yuan (approximately 38,000 won) in total, and after the trip, I had no intention of keeping any of the clothes."

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

Disposable clothing typically consists of flashy skirts and outerwear, not usually worn as daily outfits but designed for social media photoshoots. Chinese local media City Express reported that some women's clothing stores stock a wide variety of dresses for beach trips and sell around 15,000 items per month. The report added that the main customer base is aged 18 to 30, and the best-selling product prices range from 10 to 50 yuan (about 1,900 won to 9,500 won), similar to the cost of a meal.

Experts warn that these consumption habits are accelerating the generation of global textile waste. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 92 million tons of textile waste are produced worldwide annually. While textile production has doubled between 2000 and 2015, the average lifespan of textiles has decreased by 36 percent. Especially problematic is that cheap, disposable clothing is often made from low-quality plastic-based materials, further aggravating environmental damage.

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

While most of these clothes are discarded immediately after trips, some consumers try to resell them through second-hand marketplaces. However, even when recycled, inadequate sanitization has raised concerns about potential hygiene risks and adverse effects on skin health. Some buyers have reported, "There was a pungent smell when I opened the package, and many items didn't even have washing labels." Others shared, "The fabric was so rough that after wearing it for just one day, I experienced rashes and contact dermatitis."

This trend has sparked debate between those who view disposable travel clothing as an efficient way to cut travel costs and baggage, and critics who argue that throwing away perfectly good garments for the sake of a single photo is excessive. One online community user remarked, "The world is turning into a giant studio just for social media."

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