Stitching Up Consumer Protection: The Case for FTC Intervention in Fast Fashion’s Practices

April 2026
Citation:
56
ELR 10162
Issue
2
Author
Ruchi B. Patel

This Article explores the significant, detrimental implications of the intellectual property (IP), environmental, and human rights harms created by fast fashion. Fast fashion takes advantage of gaps in U.S. copyright and trademark law; is a leading contributor to waste, greenhouse gases, and microplastic pollution; and allows for continuation of human rights violations, including labor exploitation and unfair wages. The Article (1) examines the current U.S. legal landscape across IP, federal and state actions, and corporate self-governance to highlight the gaps enabling these problems to persist; (2) offers a look into how environmental and human rights harm is directly linked to consumer injury in the United States by discussing specific detrimental impacts at the national level; and (3) proposes that the Federal Trade Commission use its broad statutory authority to regulate the unfair business practices of the fast fashion industry.

Ruchi B. Patel is a 2025 cum laude graduate of Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.