The sprout of fast fashion has not only filled the wardrobes of aspiring fashionistas with contemporary, trendy, and incredibly low-cost and affordable clothing, but has also sadly caused unforeseen damage to our environment. Many struggle with understanding what exactly fast fashion is, as its meaning can be distorted and sometimes misinterpreted. Fast fashion is the production of cheap clothing catering to short lived trends in fashion rather than longevity. The practices that fast fashion encourages and promotes are often unethical and cause incalculable harm to the environment. Although for many consumers, fast fashion is often the only option for reasonably affordable or size-inclusive attire.

 

Feeding fast fashion’s ubiquity is its affordability. The industry uses cheap fabric and production methods and employs low-wage workers often in developing countries such as Bangladesh and India. Consumers appreciate several benefits that fast fashion possesses such as up-to-date trends and low-cost products. However, that being said there are several downsides to fast fashion, including the impact it has on the environment. 

 

Fossil fuels and global emissions. The fast fashion industry is the second largest polluter on the planet after the oil industry and is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions which is more than all international flights combined. The reality is that the majority of fashion in this day and age is made from fossil fuels. Synthetic fibres are led by polyester, present in 56% of textiles, and are made of finite resources, (which will eventually run out) such as crude oil and natural gas, which account for over ⅔’s of the material input for clothes globally. 

 

Not just fossil fuels and global emissions are factors that are caused by fast fashion, but the usage of water is also impacted. In countries where fast fashion attires are produced, the toxic wastewaters from textile factories are left untreated and discarded straight into the rivers. Textile wastewater contains toxins such as mercury that harms the aquatic life and the health of the millions of people living near those rivers. These contaminated waters in time reach the sea and spread globally.

 

So what can we do locally to reduce the usage of fast fashion? Buying second-hand or buying from charity shops will give clothes new life. Shop for timeless pieces that never go out of style and you can keep for a long time. Such as a white shirt, blazer, turtle neck or loafers.  These staples will mean you're contributing to reducing fast fashion usage, in such a simple and easy way!