Everyone loves a good outfit. With fashion inspiration at everyone’s fingertips, you need to be on top of the game. However, the mass production of clothing made to fit the recent trends is contributing to the environment’s decline. Coming to terms with the fact that one person can alter the state of our environment is the first step to sustainability.
Fast fashion is the mass manufacturing of cheap, low-quality clothing so that consumers can fit in with the latest trends as soon as possible. Since the early 2000s, this has been considered one of the most convenient ways to expand your wardrobe. However, since then, the number of fast fashion purchases has doubled due to low prices.
This is a problem. The cheaper an item is, the less the consumer values it, and the more likely they are to throw it away as soon as it is out of style. One may think that this is okay because the clothing can be recycled, but according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), only 2.5 million tons out of 17 million tons of textile waste was recycled in 2018. The thin and weak fibers used to produce fast fashion items are nearly impossible to unweave and be used for the production of new fabrics.
Not only does the fast fashion industry produce millions of tons of textile waste, it also makes up 10% of the Earth’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This happens through the transportation, purchasing, and possible burning of these clothes. If the industry continues to emit CO2 at this rate, a quarter of the global carbon budget will be used up by 2050. The materials of the fabrics used to make these clothes also contribute to the CO2 emissions. Manufacturing fabrics with petrochemicals, which is what 63% of textiles are made of, inevitably releases CO2 with its production and extraction. CO2 emission is the main contributor to global warming.
In addition to the fast fashion industry causing issues on land, it causes just as many issues in the ocean. Often, a company will capitalize on the fact that their clothing is made from recycled materials, claiming to be "green" or "eco-friendly." However, when the clothing is washed or a landfill is rained on, the microplastics in their fabric reaches the ocean and disturbs marine wildlife. Furthermore, the chemicals used in factories of this industry are very dangerous to inhale and damaging to their surroundings. Because of this, workers will dispose of the wastewater through sewage. This causes all of the chemicals to make their way back into the ocean and pollute it.
The people involved in the process of manufacturing these clothing items are also being damaged by the industry. Factories still sometimes resemble sweatshops, which are workplaces with terrible, unhealthy conditions for its workers, not to mention long working hours with little pay. Because of the lack of safety regulations in lesser developed countries, workers are subjected to the inhalation of toxic chemicals, the use of dangerous machinery, and human rights violations such as child labor.
At this point in today's world, one can never be 100 percent sustainable, especially when it comes to fashion and the various trends continually cycling out new ideas of what’s acceptable to wear. While this is true, there are still ways to be better when it comes to the constant consumption of clothes and the use of fast fashion. Here is a checklist of the top three things one can do to become more ethically continuous when it comes to fashion:
The 30 wears test. The 30 wears test is designed to see how often a person wears a singular piece of clothing. Did you know that the average garment is only worn seven times before being discarded? Think back to your everyday life and the clothes you wear: Do you have a select few favorite pieces that you wear over and over? Do you have a shirt or pants in your closet that you've only worn one, or not at all? The 30 wears test minimizes this drastic difference. Go into your closet and pick out some clothes you've never worn and donate or sell them. Now, the next time you're buying a new piece of clothing, think to yourself “Will I wear this 30 times?”, if the answer is no, don't buy it, but if the answer is yes, then you're one step further to becoming more sustainable!
Learn how to repair your clothing. I once had a favorite pair of jeans, and when they ripped, I was distraught. As I was on my way to put them in the trash, my mom said “Why don't you just put a patch on those?” Such a simple yet a perfect solution: just patch them up! I was able to wear my favorite pair of jeans for years after, and still have them to this day. You can get a sewing kit at the dollar store and search up a 10 minute youtube video. It is the little things that allow you to be more sustainable.
Donate your clothing. Today, there is practically a thrift store at every corner. Just drop off your clothing donation and you can make someone's day! While it is not always as simple as this, and millions of garments still end up being thrown away and discarded once they reach a second-hand store, it's still important to try. There's a good chance that someone will find joy in your rejected item. Buying second-hand is also a good alternative to fast fashion. You can find so many unique and cheap pieces at your local thrift store if you just take a look!
Sources:
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/what-to-wear/a41158/how-to-be-sustainable-fashion/ https://www.projectcece.com/blog/506/how-many-times-do-we-wear-our-clothes/ https://cariki.co.uk/blogs/the-green-road/what-is-the-30-wear-pledge https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/en/reducing-our-impact
https://earth.org/fast-fashion-statistics/
https://www.treehugger.com/fast-fashion-environmental-ethical-issues-4869800