Sustainable Fashion #1
Before we begin, I guess it's important to define what fast fashion is; according to Teen Vogue, fast fashion "promises trendy clothes at a low cost." But beneath fast fashion's trendy and cheap appeal rests a dark truth: the environmental and ethical cost. Although the issue is quite large and complex, I've outlined below 5 facts about fast fashion that you should know.
#1 In order to deliver on the fast fashion promise, brands rely on cheap textiles, thus compromising the quality of the garments. One of the most common of these fabrics is Polyester, which is actually made from fossil fuels! As a result, it "can shed microfibres that add to the increasing levels of plastic in our oceans when it’s put through a wash," notes sustainable fashion brand, Good on You.
#2 Because of fast fashion's quick pace, Unearthed globally estimates that "$500 billion of value is lost every year through under-wearing and a failure to recycle clothes." With that money, one could buy approximately 333,333,333,333 Panera bagels or 12,500,000,000 32 oz Hydroflasks or 4,166,666,666 years of Spotify Premium or 3,205,128,205 years of Netflix. One could also finally pay for college(or pay off college debt) and end world hunger for at least 3 years. Basically, the monetary waste of fast fashion could be saved for a lot of better things.
#3 Fast fashion is dependent on cheap labor. That's why major fast fashion brands outsource the creation of their product to developing countries; the issue is, these workers have to work in horrible factory conditions- and they aren't even being compensated for their work with a living wage!
#4 With the rise in fast fashion, more than SIXTY percent of fabric fibers are now synthetic or derived from fossil fuels. Consequently, most of our clothing now no longer decay once it reaches landfills- which is a major problem, considering The New York Times found "about 85 percent of textile waste in the United States goes to landfills."
#5 Altogether, the fashion industry is the SECOND biggest water polluter on the planet.
Phew, that was intense! Although you (hopefully) never want to support fast fashion now, I understand that it's hard. Even though I'm not a fan of contributing to fast fashion, I do love shopping...but I don't exactly have the funds to buy from 100% sustainable fashion brands. Fortunately, I've discovered a variety of solutions that neither sacrifice my style nor my wallet! To learn of these alternatives, stay tuned for the rest of the "Sustainable Fashion" Series:)
XOXO,
grace
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