Purdie Photography Designs is a print on demand fashion label. Featuring nature inspired designs with a touch of urban coolness. We do slow fashion rather than fast fashion.
Shoppers are becoming more conscious of what they wear, where it comes from, and how it’s made. Two big trends shaping the industry are fast fashion and print on demand (POD) fashion. At first glance, both can give you trendy clothing at a fair price—but behind the scenes, the two couldn’t be more different.
What is Fast Fashion?
Fast fashion refers to mass-produced clothing that’s designed to replicate the latest runway trends and get them onto store shelves quickly. Retail giants produce thousands (sometimes millions) of identical pieces at lightning speed.
If you’ve ever seen the Netflix doco of mountains of clothes being sent to third world countries where even they don’t want it, it’s a real eye opener into the world of fast fashion. There is literally a scene in the documentary that features a huge mountain of clothing going to landfill.
At the sale end think racks and racks of the same clothing appearing in big department stores. It’s okay if the items are generic like a pair of jeans which are hard to tell if many people have them, but when you are talking tops, dresses, skirts, shorts, leggings and the like, it’s easy to see the same people wearing mass produced items they bought at the local shopping centre or places such as Temu or Shein.
Key traits of fast fashion:
- Manufactured in bulk mostly overseas.
- Short production cycles to keep up with micro-trends.
- Rarely available the year after in the same season. The trends move on fast.
- Lower costs, but often at the expense of quality.
- Creates a “wear it once, toss it out” culture.
- Same items can be bought in many stores.
- Same standard sizing.
While fast fashion is affordable and accessible, it has downsides—waste, environmental harm, and questionable labour practices. It also means you are highly likely to end up wearing the same thing as others especially at parties and events.
I don’t know about you, but I have certainly turned up in a dress to an event and a friend was wearing the same. She said I wore it better and she vowed never to wear her dress again which was a shame. Two men who turn up in the same shirt tend to gravitate to each other and become best buddies. Women are often the opposite and hate to be seen in an outfit that someone else is wearing too. With print on demand fashion, there’s less chance of this happening as the clothing is often unique and not definitely not mass produced.
What is Print on Demand Fashion?
Print on demand flips the fast fashion model upside down. Instead of making thousands of items that may or may not sell, POD products are created only when an order is placed.
Key traits of Print on Demand Fashion:
- Every piece is made-to-order—no overproduction.
- Designs are customizable, often unique to the brand or artist.
- Eco-friendlier approach, since no leftover stock.
- Focus on creativity and individuality, not mass replication.
- Tend to be sold in larger sizes that aren’t available in general stores.
POD empowers shoppers to express themselves through designs that feel personal, while also reducing waste and supporting a local artist or small business owner.
PPDDesigns in Business:
Having been in the print on demand business for only 5 years and having thousands of designs, you might be the only person in the world who has one of my designs in that particular item. I certainly have tops, leggings, dresses and footwear that is unique and a one off. Sometimes because the manufacturer stopped selling that item so my one sample I use and wear, is likely to be never made again, or sometimes it’s because I just haven’t sold any of those items. A good chance to get in and get something special.
All the clothes I own from my store are my favourites. From the sunflower top to the wildflowers top, the photographer t-shirts to summer dresses and the long sleeve top I wear all winter, plus lots of leggings I love to lounge around in.
Print on demand fashion is more than just clothing—it’s a movement towards thoughtful shopping, supporting artists and small business owners, and reducing fashion’s footprint on the planet.