What is Fast Fashion?
Fast fashion has become a key topic in discussions about style, sustainability, and environmental awareness. It refers to low-cost, rapidly produced clothing that imitates the latest runway trends and is quickly pushed through stores to capitalize on what’s currently popular
– Earth.org
Environmental Impacts
Water
The environmental impact of fast fashion comprises the depletion of non-renewable sources, emission of greenhouse gases and the use of massive amounts of water and energy. The fashion industry is the second-largest consumer industry of water, requiring about 700 gallons to produce one cotton shirt and 2,000 gallons of water to produce a pair of jeans.
Microplastics
Brands use synthetic fibres like polyester, nylon and acrylic which take hundreds of years to biodegrade. A 2017 report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated that 35% of all microplastics– tiny pieces of non-biodegradable plastic – found in the ocean come from the laundering of synthetic textiles like polyester.
Energy
The production of making plastic fibres into textiles is an energy intensive process that requires large amounts of petroleum and releases volatile particulate matter and acids like hydrogen chloride. Additionally, cotton, which is in a large amount of fast fashion products, is also not environmentally friendly to manufacture. Pesticides deemed necessary for the growth of cotton presents health risks to farmers.
Social impacts
Fast fashion’s impact goes beyond environmental harm, it also raises serious social and ethical concerns, particularly in developing countries. According to the non-profit organisation Remake, around 80% of the world’s apparel is made by young women aged 18 to 24. A 2018 report from the U.S. Department of Labor uncovered evidence of forced and child labor within the fashion supply chain across countries like Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, Vietnam, and more. In the race for rapid production, profits often take priority over basic human rights and worker welfare.