Ultra-fast fashion is a newer model than fast fashion. Fast fashion brands predicted what shoppers wanted and released collections a few times a year. Ultra-fast firms watch social media, then make what is trending, in some cases releasing up to 10,000 collections a year. They produce so much that even fast fashion can't compete. Customs rules helped it grow, because small parcels shipped directly to consumers can slip past the checks and safety standards that apply to goods imported in bulk, so importers can bypass them. The scale of waste and environmental impact is enormous.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.