It’s hard to not be struck by the cost of clothing, especially in fast-fashion stores such as H&M and Forever 21. Although most people are well aware of the connections between the textile industry’s involvement in child labor and worker exploitation in developing countries, it is important to address its significant contribution to our worsening environment crisis.
As it has grown throughout the last few decades, fast fashion is a movement in the clothing industry that aims to satisfy consumers appetites for shopping and consumerism in the Global North. It involves mass production of disposable, low-quality clothing that is designed to take advantage today’s rapidly changing trends.Fashion brands used to release two new collections per year. But, today, 52 micro-collections are being released by fast-fashion companies each year to keep up the pace with the speed of the internet’s rapid rate of fashion trends. The industry produces 400% more clothing today than it did 20 year ago. Today’s clothing is made to be thrown out after only a few wears, unlike the clothing of the past. A combination of poor fabric quality, increased consumption and a decrease in clothing use means that an average piece of clothing is only worn seven more times before it is thrown out. Additionally, only 20-30% of the clothing in a woman’s closet are being worn. This gluttony comes at a significant environmental cost, especially for those living in the Global South.
Cotton uses huge amounts of water. One kilogram of cotton needs 10,000 liters to produce. That means that an average cotton Tshirt will require 3,000 liters to be produced. The average pair of jeans can have used up to 10,000 liters of water to produce. This is equivalent to the amount of water that an average person consumes in a decade. The dyeing process is extremely toxic and polluting. 20% of the world’s wastewater (tainted water not fit for consumption) comes from the fashion industry. This makes it the second largest freshwater polluter. More than 70Modern textile dyes contain harmful chemicalsMost of these end up in rivers or oceans. This problem is particularly severe in the Global South where water access is limited and precious. India’s textile industry could consume 100 liters per day to provide water for 85% of its 1.24billion people for one-year. This is a huge amount for a country with 100 million people who do not have safe drinking water.
The fashion industry has a significant impact on emissions. It emits 1.2 million tonnes of CO.2Every year, more than the combined emissions from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. To make fabrics such as rayon and viscose the industry also cuts 70 million tonnes of trees each year.Endangering forests essential for biodiversity and eliminating critical carbon sinks.
Thrifting or buying secondhand clothing is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to combat this trend. You can reduce the climate impact by giving discarded clothes a second chance rather than buying more. Many companies, such as Marks and Spencer invest in the secondhand apparel industry, increasing the number and choice of thrifted clothing.You can also reduce your personal environmental impact by ensuring your clothes are made in countries that adhere to strict environmental regulations. The best way of combating fast fashion is to invest your money in clothing that is well-used and can be repaired.