'Disposable fashion': Chinese youth buy cheap outfits for travel photos, then toss them

A trend of buying cheap clothes to wear once or twice for travel photos before throwing them away is gaining traction among young people in China. While the practice lets travelers wear a variety of outfits suited to each destination, it is also drawing growing criticism over environmental and health concerns.

The South China Morning Post reported Thursday that a consumer trend known as "chapoyi" — a Chinese term for clothes worn once or twice and then discarded — has been generating buzz in China.

On one Chinese social media platform, hashtags related to "chapoyi" have racked up millions of views.

One woman said she bought five outfits for a seven-day trip and spent less than 200 yuan ($30), with no intention of keeping any of them afterward.

Unlike typical fashion products, these garments prioritize eye-catching designs over practicality — think elaborate long skirts, capes, outdoor jackets and resort-style dresses built to stand out in photographs.

Some clothing vendors have adapted to the demand by rotating their stock according to destination and season — stocking beach-friendly dresses in May, traditional costumes around holidays, and exotic-looking attire aimed at travelers heading to the Xinjiang region.

The owner of one women's clothing store said she sells about 15,000 garments a month, with customers mostly between 18 and 30 years old. Popular items are priced at 10 to 50 yuan per piece — comparable to the cost of a cheap meal.

After trips end, the clothes are often simply thrown away or resold on secondhand platforms. Some consumers reportedly market the items as "worn once" or "nearly new."

Despite the appeal of wearing a different outfit at each destination for next to nothing, critics say the habit generates unnecessary textile waste.

The UN Environment Programme says roughly 92 million tons of textile waste are produced globally each year. Clothing output doubled between 2000 and 2015, while the average time garments are worn fell by 36 percent over the same period.

Health concerns have also been raised, as disposable clothing is often made from low-quality materials. Some consumers have reported experiencing itching or skin redness after wearing the items.

Cai Xiangwei, a professor and director of the Cultural Industries Research Center at Sichuan University, said disposable clothing sold on secondhand platforms may pose hygiene risks.

Criticism has also emerged online in China, with some users writing that "everything happens because of how things look in photos — disposable clothes seem to exist only to be photographed" and that "the world has become one giant photo studio."