Fast Fashion and its Impact on the Environment

Fast Fashion has been making its impact on the world’s economy by bringing in $36 billion USD annually and creating a whole industry and community following the latest trends. Though fast fashion may come cheap, the price the environment has to pay is far more expensive.

What is Fast Fashion?

Fast fashion is the rapid mass production of popular clothing made from low quality material that is marketed to feed current trends. The most popular brands that indulge in fast fashion are UNIQLO, Top Shop, Victoria’s Secret, Urban Outfitters,

etc. Their products are imported from some

of the most industrious nations, such as China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, where items are rapidly produced, hence fast fashion.

Why is Fast Fashion harmful for the environment?

After the oil industry, the fashion industry is the world’s biggest polluter with the vast emission of greenhouse gasses and immense use of energy and water. Water pollution has increased due to the production of clothing items. For reference, washing clothes results in roughly 500,000 microfibers being dumped into the ocean annually, which is equivalent to 5 billion plastic bottles. The fashion industry is also the world’s second largest consumer of water, using 700 gallons of water to produce one cotton shirt and 2000 gallons to produce one pair of jeans. Yes, only ONE. Wastewater from production centers and factories that have not been facilitated yet can be hazardous when not properly disposed of. It contains dangerous chemicals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic that, if continuously emitted, could lead to the extinction of various aquatic creatures as well as lack of water sources for nearby civilizations.

While the fashion industry plays a large role in pollution of aquatic areas, air pollution is just as harmful, causing 10% of annual global carbon emissions. With all the damage being done to the environment, you would think the products produced would not go to waste, right? Wrong. Fast fashion is called fast for more than one reason. Trends are constantly changing and people want to keep up with what is new, so items considered “last season” are tossed out. In fact, 8% of textiles end up in landfills annually, where they are burned, emitting carbon and greenhouse gasses. Greenhouse gasses trap heat in the atmosphere to keep our planet sustainable, but with fast fashion, too much heat has been enclosed leading to problems such as global warming. With the disregard of these environmental factors and lack of consumer awareness, the fashion industry grows as our planet decays.

How can you help slow the fashion industry’s carbon footprint?

• When purchasing clothes, look for items made in countries with strict environmental regulations (Canada, the UK, or the USA).

• Target clothes that are made from organic fibers as opposed to manufactured chemicals.

• Thrift! Thrifting can be an easy way to find cute and different clothes while also saving the planet.

• Don’t be so quick to throw out your clothes! Reuse or alter them to fit your desired look.