Week 2 Writing Homework

Go Back to Course

Prompt :

Write a feature article (350–400 words) titled “The Fast Fashion Dilemma: What Your $10 T-Shirt Really Costs.” Use your article to uncover the hidden human and environmental costs behind cheap clothing. Balance emotion and evidence as you reveal the story behind something most people take for granted. Your article must include: A headline that sparks curiosity and tension (e.g. “The Hidden Cost of Cheap Clothes”) An opening paragraph that hooks the reader with contrast, imagery, or a surprising fact At least one human story (e.g. a factory worker, designer, or student shopper) Facts and statistics that expose inequality or exploitation in the supply chain A balanced perspective showing both the convenience and the cost of fast fashion A final paragraph offering a possible solution (e.g. ethical brands, second-hand shopping)

SLIDES: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mA8P657B_VYjb-neJv1LXxxJ0vvbwESt?usp=sharing

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  • Due Date : October 24, 2025
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14 thoughts on “Week 2 Writing Homework”

  4. Sehej Dhillon

    The High Cost of Low Prices: What Your $10 T-Shirt Really Means

    By Sehej

    It’s soft, trendy, and only ten dollars, a bargain that seems too good to pass up. But as you slip that T-shirt over your head, have you ever wondered who paid the real price for it? Behind the fluorescent lights of shopping malls and glossy online ads lies a story woven with hidden sweat, polluted rivers, and exhausted hands stitching for survival.

    In a cramped factory on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, 23-year-old Rina works 14-hour shifts sewing seams on shirts that will sell for less than her daily wage. “Some days, I can’t feel my fingers,” she says softly, eyes fixed on the fabric in her lap. Her pay? About $2 a day. Enough for rice, maybe rent, but not dignity.

    Fast fashion thrives on speed and illusion. Brands release new collections every week, tempting shoppers with endless “must-haves.” According to the United Nations, the fashion industry produces 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and shipping combined. Each year, 92 million tons of textile waste end up in landfills, and 2,700 liters of water are used to make a single cotton shirt, enough to sustain one person’s drinking needs for two and a half years.

    But let’s pause. Isn’t cheap clothing a good thing? It democratizes style, allowing students and families to afford trends once reserved for the wealthy. For someone like Mia, a college student juggling two part-time jobs, buying a $10 shirt means she can look professional at her internship without breaking the bank. Can we really blame consumers for choosing affordability over ethics?

    And yet, how “affordable” is it when the planet pays the rest of the bill? When rivers in China run blue with dye and mountains of discarded polyester choke the soil? The price tag may read $10, but the true cost is written in invisible ink, on workers’ lives, ecosystems, and future generations.

    So, what can we do? Small changes can rewrite the story. Choosing ethical brands, second-hand clothing, or simply buying less but better can ripple into real impact. Imagine a world where every stitch tells a story of fairness, not exploitation. The next time you hold that $10 T-shirt, ask yourself, is it really a bargain, or just beautifully disguised debt?

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  5. Tamim Shahriar

    The Hidden Cost of Cheap Clothes
    You might walk into a store or browse online and spot a trendy shirt for just ten dollars. It looks fashionable, fits perfectly, and seems like a great deal. Without thinking twice, you add it to your cart just like millions of other shoppers around the world. But the truth is, that shirt costs far more than its price tag suggests. The real price is paid by the environment and by the people who make it.
    The fashion industry is one of the most resource-intensive industries on the planet. It consumes vast amounts of water and energy to produce the clothing we wear. In fact, it is the second-largest consumer of water globally, and producing a single cotton T-shirt can require enough water to meet one person’s drinking needs for two and a half years. Dyes and chemicals used in textile production often flow into rivers, polluting ecosystems and harming communities that depend on those water sources.
    Beyond environmental damage, there’s also a human cost. Many fast fashion brands rely on factories in developing countries where workers are paid extremely low wages and endure unsafe conditions. These laborers often work long hours with little rest just to meet the world’s growing demand for cheap, trendy clothing. While consumers in wealthier nations enjoy affordable fashion, the people making the clothes are trapped in cycles of poverty.
    Because these items are inexpensive, consumers tend to buy more than they actually need. The average person today buys 60% more clothing than 15 years ago but keeps each item for only half as long. Most of these garments end up in landfills or are burned, creating even more pollution.
    To reduce this hidden cost, we can make small but meaningful changes—buying fewer, higher-quality pieces, supporting sustainable brands, or shopping secondhand. When we choose to value quality over quantity, we help protect both people and the planet. Cheap clothes may seem like a bargain, but the true cost is far greater than ten dollars.

    Reply

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