Waste More, Want More: The Epidemic of Fast Fashion

3.8 billion pounds of clothing are recycled each year. Can you believe that this only amounts to 15% of clothing thrown away, leaving 85% in landfills? I think that we need to seriously reconsider how we dress ourselves: in our ever-changing culture, the ramifications of “fast fashion” are certainly more severe than what meets the eye. What are you actually buying into when you go on a shopping spree at the mall? What are the ethical considerations you need to make that are a lot more impactful than whether that colour compliments your complexion?

You might be wondering, what exactly is “fast fashion”? It's clothing that is mass-produced, trendy, and ever in rotation. Think of brands like Forever21 and H&M. You can easily find cheap, cute outfits… but what is the real cost? Firstly, you have to be considering the labour involved in making these items. You might have wondered how these clothes can be sold for such a low price when higher-quality pieces can be very expensive. Well, the price cuts have to come from somewhere, and you know they're not coming from the company CEO’s paycheck.

Fast fashion has been notoriously critiqued for the use of child labour. The parents of these children, primarily girls, are promised fair wages and good living and working conditions in textile factories; little do they know they are sending their daughters to work in appalling conditions. In cotton picking, children are seen as the ideal employees as their small fingers do not damage the crop. Voiceless and naive, children work dutifully. At the end of the day, no one should have to work in poor conditions for little pay, let alone children who should have the right to an education. Yet fast fashion companies neglect ethics in favour of money, outsourcing to countries where they can get away with it.

We can't ignore the environmental impacts of fast fashion. Not only are these clothing articles harming our ecosystems at large, but our individual bodies and health. Simply put, it's a whole lot cheaper and easier to use more risky methods to produce anything. In the case of textiles, toxic chemicals are used to produce colours and fabric finishes. These chemicals are not only toxic but bio-accumulative, carcinogenic, and disruptive to hormones. We should not be near these chemicals, yet they touch our skin 24/7.

In addition, textile production is actually the second largest polluter of clean water globally, after agriculture. Our oceans are filled with microplastics thanks to polyester, the most common fabric used for fashion. We effectively eat what we wear since these microscopic bits of plastic go up the food chain until they arrive back to us on our dinner plates. It’s disgusting to think about, but we don’t do anything about it. Because in our culture, what’s trendy is what’s important. We forget the legacy that our clothing is leaving, and I’m not talking about one in fashion magazines but the enormous environmental consequences that are and that will affect us all.

The best solution? Stop supporting fast fashion! Maybe easier said than done, but by getting out of the system, there is one less individual permitting these companies to continue what they do. The average American throws out 81 pounds of textile waste each year. Break the cycle! If shopping is a hobby for you, why not check out small businesses and clothing stores? The pieces are a lot pricier, but you’ll feel great knowing exactly who made what you’re wearing. Besides, one gorgeous sweater that fits perfectly is oh so much better than ten crappy ones from Forever21. Another great option is to check out thrift stores! There are plenty of them in Ottawa filled with lots of quirky clothes. You never know what you’ll find! Not to mention, thrifting is much cheaper than shopping at a mall and favours a “reduce, reuse, recycle” approach rather than a “buy, wear once, and toss” one.

You have an impact. They say your style reflects yourself… so don’t support child labour, toxic chemicals, and a damaged environment. Stand up for what you believe in with every outfit you wear.