Fast fashion may be the death of you, literally

The Cut · Jul 21, 2026 19:28 · 2 min read

Fast Fashion May Be the Death of You, Literally — by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images

On the heels of Zara’s palazzo pants going viral, Madewell recalled 6,000 flammable sweaters.

At this point, we all have plenty of arguments for why we shouldn’t contribute to the well-oiled, billion-dollar-making machine that is fast fashion. Its labor violations and dangerous working conditions are well-documented, as are its increasingly detrimental effects on the environment. Now, though, you can add “threat of bodily harm” and “time in the burn unit” to the list of reasons to think twice before adding an impossibly cheap piece to your cart. Shortly after a pair of Zara pants went viral for causing face-plants, Madewell announced last week that one of its $138 sweaters could combust if you get it too close to an open flame.

On July 16, the retailer officially recalled its Double V-Neck Pullover and V-Neck Cardigan for “not fully [meeting] federal flammability standards for clothing textiles”. Approximately 6,000 units have been flagged and pulled from shelves for “posing a risk of serious burn injuries or death”, according to a recent U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notice. Both sweaters were sold at Madewell and T.J. Maxx stores, as well as on their respective websites, between December 2024 and October 2025. Although no injuries have been reported as of Tuesday, the mass retailer reported one instance of a garment catching fire.

So what do you do if you’re afraid the fire-safety-risk sweater might be in your closet? Check your item’s interior tags for style number NT611 or NT612 and the season identifier HO24 on the interior tags. If you spot the not-so-lucky details, Madewell advises you to “destroy the sweater by cutting it in half” (sure!) and contacting the company for a full refund or store credit.

The recall of Madewell’s flammable sweaters comes just days after another life-threatening mall-brand item went viral for all the wrong reasons: a super-wide pair of Zara pants that TikTok has nicknamed the “Zara death pants”. Users are sharing stories of the dangerously long and flowy palazzo pants getting caught in escalators and causing their wearers to trip and break bones. “POV: The Zara trousers are going to be the death of you,” influencer Jessica Pearce titled a video of her face-planting onto her driveway. Commenting in solidarity, one user detailed a similar experience of “wiping out so badly in the street [and] taking my friend down with me.”

Zara has not yet commented on the pants hazards, but the brand is continuing to roll out similar wide-legged baggy bottoms. Just make sure to get them hemmed first or, at the very least, wear them with a platform shoe you feel safe in.

The Cut has reached out to Zara and Madwell for comment and will update this post if we hear back.