Normally when I write about a certain topic for one of these blogs, the inspiration behind it is my mother teaching me to be more sustainable. However, for this one, on fast fashion (as you read in the title), the inspiration is my friends. Over the past few years, I have noticed my own preferences in clothing begin to change. But, there were a couple of problems with this. On one hand, the clothing that I am now into tends to be very expensive when buying from retail stores. On the other hand, who is to say that my preferences in clothing will remain the same in a few years? If my fashion sense changes again, then the hundreds of dollars I will spend now will have gone to waste. Additionally, it is common sense that sites spewing new “trendy” clothes for too-good-to-believe prices is not at all beneficial for our environment. In fact, “trendy” clothing creates all sorts of problematic environmental implications. That is why I would like to thank my friends for introducing me to thrifting to solve this problem.
Firstly, what is fast fashion? Fast fashion is a business model in the fashion industry in which production of inexpensive and trendy clothing garments is ramped up and then sold in large quantities. Because fast fashion is entirely dependent on the current trend, it means that a lot of the clothes that are produced quickly get thrown away as soon as the trend dies out.
Looking at the numbers, this business model is very scary for the environment. The fast fashion industry produces over 100 billion garments of clothes annually, a shocking 78% of which will end up in landfills. Even more surprisingly, only a mere 1% of these garments will be recycled. Even worse, the fast fashion industry tends to be growing at an exponential rate. In fact, the average individual buys 60% more garments of clothing which they only keep for half as long as people did 15 years ago. Products produced by the fast fashion business model really do not last long as the average garment may be worn fewer than 10 times before its disposal.
The rampant production of these garments is an environmental disaster. The apparel industry is responsible for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions. By 2050, fashion production is projected to account for 26% of carbon emissions, especially since clothing production has doubled since 2000 and will triple by 2050.The production of these garments not only results in greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, but also directly pollutes lakes and streams. Fast fashion garments are manufactured using highly toxic chemicals and dyes, which is why they are so inexpensive to manufacture. These dyes get polluted into lakes, streams, and aquifers which sicken people and ecosystems, causing significant losses in biodiversity. Synthetic fabrics that are used in the production of clothes often release microplastics into the environment which pollute our ecosystems. To be more specific, washing synthetic clothing accounts for roughly 35% of the microplastics which end up in the ocean. The microplastics have also entered our food chain. A study in the Netherlands has concluded that microplastics were present in the blood of 80% of the people tested.
Although I mainly focus on environmental implications in my blogs, I thought I should also include that fast fashion also has significant ethical concerns. The production process of fast fashion garments raises one eyebrow. Most fast fashion brands produce their clothing in countries with lax labor regulations where there are concerns over labor conditions. Most of the workers tend to be women who work long hours, are in very poor working conditions with long hours and extremely low wages. The sweatshops they work in often violate human rights and also tend to employ child labor. The low wages workers are faced with work to trap the fashion industry in a cycle of poverty and exploitation.
Although the numbers project the expansion of the fast fashion industry, there is still a lot we can do individually to fight it. Firstly, we have to stop giving in to sudden fashion trends. Even though people may be wearing jorts (denim shorts) all of a sudden, they may go out of style very soon. Practicing minimalism is key in fighting fast fashion. No one needs a bunch of pairs of jeans that only slightly vary in color. Secondly, the practice I am most fond of is buying second-hand clothes. This generation is showing signs of an appeal towards thrifting. In Montrose, near where I live, thrift stores are popping up by the dozen, and rightfully so. I love going out to the thrift stores from time to time and seeing what I can find with a few friends. Lastly, selling lightly used clothes on websites like Depop or Ebay allows for clothes to cycle through the market longer than simply ending up in a landfill. Another alternative is just donating the clothes that are no longer being used. People in poverty around the world would love to get old clothes for free.
Unfortunately, fast fashion is a growing industry, but it is not too late to change this. Increased awareness about the environmental dangers of fast fashion and the ethical context of it will cause more people to practice more sustainable fashion. Maybe next time you are thinking about going to the mall to find your own pair of the latest trend, take a trip to the local thrift store and see if you can find it there!
Works Cited
“Fashion for the Earth – EARTHDAY.ORG.” Earth Day, http://www.earthday.org/campaign/sustainable-fashion/?gclid=CjwKCAjwyeujBhA5EiwA5WD7_Y_SPzejBK4xGhzf6TFmIZZDHLZuxhP-VUPlcF8bZj4wNN7mam5L5RoCL-EQAvD_BwE. Accessed 3 June 2023.
“Sustainable Ways You Can Fight Fast Fashion at Home.” Cleanipedia ZA, http://www.cleanipedia.com/za/sustainability/sustainable-ways-to-fight-fast-fashion-at-home.html.
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