Fast Fashion is Killing Our Planet
The fast fashion paradigm has serious consequences for society and the environment — let’s find solutions!
In the last 30 years, the way we view clothing has turned on its head — but not for the better. Instead of owning a few high quality pieces, our attention has instead turned to hoarding several low quality items instead. Far more than we actually need. And this focus on quantity over quality has had some serious effects on all aspects of our lives, not least our natural resources. This article will present a quick overview of the consequences and some of the efforts being made to combat the problem, before concluding with a call to action to anyone reading who has ideas for solutions. References for all statistics provided can be found at the end of the article. So, let’s get down to the startling facts.
Rise of fast fashion
We have never been so well clothed. According to the GRA (2017), global clothing consumption has risen to 62 million tonnes per year and is forecast to hit 102 million tonnes by 2030. This trend has been confirmed by Peters et al. (2019) who note that globally the annual weight of textiles produced per capita more than doubled from 5.9 kg to 13 kg during the period 1975–2018. This sharp increase has been fueled by the voracious fast fashion model. Most of these clothes go unworn, stuffed away in our wardrobes and never see the light of day.
Economic success of the disposable fashion model
Since shopping became a hobby and not just a basic need, the amount of clothing purchased has rocketed. During the period 1996–2012, garment purchases increased by 40% in Europe (Dahlbo et al., 2017). The economic success of the business model behind this can be attributed to consumers being provided with products that are (i) low priced; (ii) new and regularly updated; and (iii) in line with current fashion trends (Anguelov, 2015). Perry (2017) confirms that fast fashion’s success has been dependent on keeping costs as low as possible, regardless of the consequences, and providing the best possible speed to market.
Other contributing factors
According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017), the fact that the length of time a garment is used has fallen by 36% since 2005 (and worn less often) also compounds the problem of people buying more clothing than they need. This not only indicates that garments are of increasingly lower quality, but also that there is less focus on repairing what we have. Niinimäki (2018) also draws attention to the vital ingredient of “sense of urgency” in sales approaches, which drive the impulse buys necessary to ensure repeat consumption. As noted by Armour (2015), impulse purchases are the leading factor in clothing being discarded quickly.
A wasteful future?
This “perfect storm” of inputs means that fashion brands are now producing almost double the amount of clothing than was the case in the year 2000 (Remy et al., 2016). Fletcher (2016) concludes that clothing production is forecast to increase at an annual rate of 2%. These current trends show no signs of slowing down, making fast fashion a serious and ongoing problem to contend with. Any solution will need to be able to address several of the very compelling economic arguments that support fast fashion’s continued ascendance.
Economic support for fast fashion
It is this economic “success” that has been central to the rise of our disposable culture. Since our textiles and clothing work forces have effectively been outsourced to Bangladesh, Turkey and China, there are few cost-effective alternatives for repairing our own clothes domestically. A whole industry has withered away and is in need of rejuvenation. As a result, most EU countries cannot provide reasonably priced upcycling and repair services. People put a premium on freshly made products, and generally want something new — unaware that new does not necessarily mean high quality.
How social failings contribute
Existing alternatives to fast fashion do not fully engage local communities, and so do not provide the variety and range that fashion buyers, especially women, crave. Within the EU, solutions to overcoming the fast fashion paradigm are emerging, but cannot be found all under one roof. The resources of local authorities are not yet properly exploited, despite growing interest, and fast fashion alternatives are not exciting and vibrant hubs for the local community.
Textile waste through landfill and incineration
If we do not move away from the fast fashion model, the planet will continue to pay the price through the vast textile waste and damage caused by needless over consumption. According to the EMF (2017), over 92 million tonnes of textile waste are either burnt, sent to third world countries, or consigned to landfill every year.
Effects of fast fashion on water supply
The impact on the global water supply is also enormous. In 2015, a total of 79 billion cubic metres of water were needed to keep the industry surging (GFA, 2017). The Office of National Statistics (2017) also estimated that 20% of industrial water pollution could be attributed to the textile treatment and dyeing processes involved in the manufacturing process. The world’s oceans do not escape the effects either. According to UN estimates (2018), as much as 190,000 tonnes of micro plastics find their way into deep waters.
Disposable fashion and air quality
And that just leaves the air we breathe. Research by Quantis (2018) reveals that the fashion industry produces between 4 and 5 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions, representing 8–10% of the world’s total. The fast fashion paradigm has serious negative consequences for all aspects of the natural world. It is therefore clear that the fashion industry, in its current incarnation, represents a serious risk to the future of the planet we inhabit (House of Commons EAC, 2019).
Our mindset challenge
However, despite all these facts, our mindsets have still not yet adapted to the seriousness of the situation. Although everyone is aware of at least some of the environmental and societal costs associated with the fast fashion paradigm, this behavior is often “justified” by the perceived financial savings being made and the fact that the industry helps third world citizens make an income. Rampant consumerism has caused us to forget our moral compass and we have forgotten the beauty of sharing.
Importance of education
Our education system is also failing us. Not only is there an irrational fear of wearing clothes worn by others that have been cleaned properly, there is still a lack of emphasis on how fast fashion is destroying our world, and how sustainable practices can overcome these problems. High standards of education need to be established on the local level, starting with our youth, so that the foundations can be put in place for a sharing economy to thrive. However, educational systems are difficult to change, so we need to be realistic, but the provision of alternative educational programs should be part of any solution.
Leaders with answers
Thankfully we are already starting to see local and national institutions stepping up with answers. Under the leadership of Denis Bele, Komunala Izola (a local authority in Slovenia) is already pioneering successful zero waste concepts for textiles/clothing with CUP Izola. Dr Susan Priest of Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Nadeem Aziz of Dover District Council in the UK have also recently renewed their pioneering recycling and waste services contract with Veolia, continuing the good work they have done since 2011. France even now has an “unofficial fashion minister” tackling the massive pollution produced by the fashion sector at the national level. Her name is Brune Poirson, one of three secretaries of state within the ministry of “ecological and inclusive transition. The leadership is in place, and this will be a crucial piece in the jigsaw for establishing sustainable alternatives to the fast fashion paradigm.
Harnessing technology
When searching for solutions to the fast fashion problem, it is inevitable that we turn to technology. Can we harness the benefits of blockchain, AI or other 4IR technologies to help society recover its fast fashion fixation? GFX have already shown the way with their excellent “swapchain” model — are there other startups out there with similar goals? If you’re reading this, perhaps you have a technological application that you’d like to share here and get implemented? It’s time for us to start asking questions, finding answers, and implementing them before it’s too late. Everyone stands to benefit, not least the world we all inhabit!
Your ideas
To change the fast fashion paradigm for good, we’re going to need to join forces and create a movement. And that starts with finding workable solutions that make economic sense. Your ideas matter. Perhaps you’re already working on an initiative and want support. Let’s work together! Maybe you are still at the concept stage and just need some help to get up and running? Let’s bounce ideas of each other and get a plan of action in place! Do you work for a local authority and need to find people to make your organisation’s policies a reality? The people are here for you — activists, zero waste families, environmentally aware people in general. We just need to link up!
Conclusion
Together we are stronger and we all have a common objective: to maintain the choice, variety and price of the clothes we wear, but to improve material quality, slash waste, and optimize our lives in the process. We have to join forces if we are going to make changes for the better. Not only can we save water, reduce CO2 levels, and clean up our wardrobes and lives in general, we can reinvigorate our domestic economies and strengthen our communities too. So, if you are reading this and have solutions you would like to see the light of day, let me know in the comments below. I’d really like to hear from you! Let’s work together!
References
Quantis. Measuring fashion: insights from the environmental impact of the global apparel and footwear industries. Full report and methodological considerations. quantis-intl.com https://quantis-intl.com/measuring-fashion-report (2018). This report provides calculations of the impacts of fashion, including the footwear industry.
Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) & The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Pulse of the fashion industry. globalfashionagenda.com https://www.globalfashionagenda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pulse-of-the-Fashion-Industry_2017.pdf (2017).
ONS (Office for National Statistics). The feasibility of measuring the sharing economy: November 2017 progress update. ONS (online), retrieved: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/articles/thefeasibilityofmeasuringthesharingeconomy/november2017progressupdate (2017).
United Nations Climate Change. UN helps fashion industry shift to low carbon. unfccc.int https://unfccc.int/news/un-helps-fashion-industry-shift-to-low-carbon (2018).
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF). Circular Fibres Initiative analysis in EMF (2017).
Peters, G. M., Sandin, G. & Spak, B. Environmental prospects for mixed textile recycling in Sweden. ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 7, 11682–11690 (2019).
Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) & The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Pulse of the fashion industry. globalfashionagenda.com https://www.globalfashionagenda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pulse-of-the-Fashion-Industry_2017.pdf (2017).
Remy. N., Speelman. E. & Swartz, S. Style that’s sustainable: a new fast-fashion formula. McKinsey & Company https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability/our-insights/style-thats-sustainable-a-new-fast-fashion-formula (2016).
Anguelov, N. The Dirty Side of the Garment Industry: Fast Fashion and its Negative Impact on Environment and Society (CRC, Taylor & Francis, 2015). This book provides good grounding to understanding the many problems behind industrial and global fashion manufacturing.
Niinimäki, K. in Eco-Friendly and Fair: Fast Fashion and Consumer Behaviour (eds Becker-Leifhold, C. & Heuer, M.) 49–57 (Routledge, 2018).
Fletcher, K. Craft of Use: Post-Growth Fashion (Routledge, 2016).
Dahlbo, H., Aalto, K., Eskelinen, H. & Salmenperä, H. Increasing textile circulation — consequences and requirements. Sustain. Prod. Consumption 9, 44–57 (2017).
Armour, R. Once worn thrice shy — women’s wardrobe habits exposed. tfn Third Force News: the voice of Scotland’s third sector https://thirdforcenews.org.uk/tfn-news/once-worn-thrice-shy-womens-wardrobe-habits-exposed (2015).
House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC). Fixing fashion: clothing consumption and sustainability. publications.parliament.uk https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/1952.pdf (2019).
Perry, P. Read this before you go sales shopping: the environmental costs of fast fashion. The Conversation https://theconversation.com/read-this-before-you-go-sales-shopping-the-environmental-costs-of-fast-fashion-88373 (2017).
