Fast Fashion, Faster Environmental Decline
Updated: Jan 30
Market driven popularity of cheap garments has significantly contributed to our environment's decline. It is estimated that the fast fashion industry contributes to 8-10% of global emissions. Because of the increased cost of living, short-lived online trends and tight consumer budgets, sustainability when clothes shopping is no longer a priority for many. This is reflected in the increased popularity of shopping platforms such as Shein, Temu or Zara.
In the UK, fast fashion constitutes for the compounded £11.9 billion in revenue. Additionally, each minute two tonnes of clothing are being bought, which is a worrying statistic that's higher than in any other place in Europe. An average British person has 57 unworn items in their wardrobe.
The consequences of fast fashion overconsumption are dire. Cheap clothing is mass produced in countries such as Bangladesh, where workers are exploited and paid less than £5.75 a week. Low-income countries do also suffer the environmental consequences of mass clothes production. Water supplies are contaminated with chemicals and microplastics, released from leather tanning and fabric dyeing.
However, the existing environmental discourse has already sparked change. As much as 75% of consumers consider sustainability important and one-third want to choose brands that help the environment. Thrifting and buying second-hand clothes have become destigmatised over the past couple of years, which promotes conscious shopping. However, the thrifting industry itself is flawed - its popularity encouraged gentrification and the rising prices of thrifted clothes made it less affordable for the lower income groups. The second-hand movement doesn't also solve the problem of overconsumption and clothes that are not bought from thrift shops end up in landfills - an estimated 60 million.
The root of fast fashion is overconsumption itself. Unless we stop buying unneeded clothes, the prediction that by 2050 the fashion industry will contribute to 26% of the world's carbon budget will fulfil itself.