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Why choose a $300 dress when you can find one for only $40? It gets worn once and sits in your closet for months or even years as you wait for the next trend to emerge and repeat this process time and time again. This convenient consumerism has been on the rise over the past decade and is referred to as fast fashion. While buyers benefit from inexpensive clothes purchased solely for style, the environment suffers many long-lasting impacts.
Defined as the inexpensive mass production of clothing manufactured in response to current trends, fast fashion began with the invention of the sewing machine in the 1830s. Clothes started to become easier, faster, and therefore cheaper to make, leading to a rise in consumption in the Industrial Revolution. As consumerism rose, new forms of labor came into play. Sweatshops, factories where workers are employed at low wages with poor working conditions, largely sped up the production process of clothes. During the mid to late 1900s, shopping became a popular pastime among young people, contributing to the formation of short-lasting clothing trends. In the 1990s, online shopping took off, accelerating the rate of textile consumption. At any place or time, it became possible to purchase clothing and have it shipped straight to you in 4-6 business days. Increased demand for clothes caused the need to produce items even faster, making it cheaper to keep up with consumer wants. Today, an average person consumes 11.4 kilograms of apparel each year. Stores like Zara, Shein, UNIQLO, Forever 21, and H&M are just a few of the thousands of brands characterized by fast fashion. Although overall positive for buyers, this quick manufacturing is responsible for significant waste, CO2 emissions, and degradation of natural resources.
The fashion industry is the second largest consumer of water in the world. 700 gallons of water are needed to produce one cotton shirt, and one pair of jeans requires 2000 gallons. According to The GW Law Environmental and Energy Law Blog, in addition to the overconsumption of water, the dyeing of textiles is responsible for over 20% of global industrial water pollution. The hazardous chemicals in the dyes, in combination with extreme quantities of plastic and microfiber waste, contaminate water sources. Wastewater from textile production releases arsenic, benzene, and other toxic waste.
Water pollution is not the only thing that results from the production of these cheaply made clothes. An article by Earth.Org, an online news organization that educates on the issues Earth faces today, explains that most brands use synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, and acrylic, which can take up to hundreds of years to biodegrade. Because these materials take so long to biodegrade, the average American produces around 82 pounds of textile waste in one year. The poor quality clothes we buy find their way into the oceans as we continue to produce and purchase more. This unhealthy cycle repeats as the demand for the newest trends increases yearly.
To fuel this mass production of clothes, a large input of energy is needed. The Goodwill Center of Iowa discloses that 2% of the world's energy production is used for fast fashion. The intensive process of producing textiles requires large quantities of petroleum and cotton, which are not environmentally friendly. It creates the equivalent CO2 emissions of 372 million cars driving for one year!
This toxic cycle has shown no signs of slowing down. By 2030, it is predicted that CO2 emissions will rise by an additional 63%. Earth only has one life, and by buying the cutest, trendiest dress on Shein, you alone are slowly chipping away at it. Each purchase makes a difference; make yours a positive one.
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