The Future of Fast Fashion is at Our Fingertips
By Roisin Rafferty, March 2021
“Buy Less, Choose Well, Make it Last”
What is Fast Fashion?
I’m sure you have all heard of the widely known phenomenon ‘Fast Fashion’ associated with cheap clothing made to meet short-lived fashion trends from high-end catwalks.
Undoubtedly, being able to keep up with the latest styles at a cheap price sounds great but how many of us think of the negative impacts fast fashion has?
Just think if you knew the consequences of fuelling the fast fashion industry would you continue shopping with these brands?
It is time to change our shopping patterns around clothing.
Why does it Matter?
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
Fast Fashion contributes to the growing problem of landfill waste as clothing is made of poor quality to meet short lived trends which become waste quickly.
Did you know? 20% of all global production waste comes from the textile and apparel sectors. (Source: Close the Loop). This means we overconsume and under-use our clothes. This is particularly relevant for us in the UK as we buy more clothes than any other EU country!
Fast fashion also adds to CO2 pollution with the clothing industry said to add up to 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Source (United Nations). This comes from the high amount of energy used during the production process and the transportation of goods as many of the items we buy are produced 1000s of miles away.
Water consumption is also a negative impact of producing clothing. With this amount totalling a staggering 79 billion cubic metres in 2015. Source (Global Fashion Agency). Most of this water waste occurs during the wet processes of textile manufacturing from bleaching, dyeing, printing to finishing.
Did you know? A shirt and a pair of jeans can take anywhere from 10 to 20,000 litres of water to produce!
Microplastic Pollution; Fast fashion relies on cheap and readily available polyester and synthetic materials. When our clothes are washed it contributes to marine pollution through releasing microplastics as shown below.
Tips on what we can do.
If we have learnt anything during lockdown, we now know that materialistic things mean very little and re-wearing outfits is normal.
Buy clothing via second-hand retailers: In recent years there has been a growth in this market with online retailers such as ‘Ebay’, ‘Depop’, ‘Gumtree’ or ‘Vinted’ making it easy to find clothing and give them a new lease of life. Get involved, sign up and sell your clothing instead of throwing it out as it is not only good for the environment but your bank balance too!
Fun Fact: Pre-loved clothing is expected to make up to a third of people’s wardrobes by the year 2033. Source (BBC).Get a head start and shop pre-loved and vintage! Never forget one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.
Buy sustainable brands; People are recognising now more than ever the importance of trying out more environmentally friendly products. It’s your responsibility to do the right thing and wear clothing that represents your ethical stance. By choosing brands that focus on quality made to last it can help to reduce waste and save money- a real all round win!
Upcycle Clothes; Why not mend and repair clothing to give your clothes a new lease of life. Learning how to sew is a practical life skill which can save both money and time. If your clothes need some TLC use it as a chance to learn something new!
**Fashion is forever**
