The Dark Secrets of Fast Fashion
If you have not, let me be the first to tell you that it is NOT approved by us climate change activists. Fast fashion is a marketing method that focuses on producing high volumes of clothing in a short amount of time. Despite its harm towards the environment, this method of fashion continues to be widely practiced in today’s market. It is important to learn about what it is, how it can be solved and how community members can help so that our community as a whole can stop this unsustainable habit.
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| Garments produced by fast fashion |
Firstly, what is fast fashion?
Fast fashion is a design, manufacturing and marketing strategy that places a focus on making high volumes of clothing very quickly. This strategy uses low-quality materials so companies can bring inexpensive styles into the market. This is very harmful to the environment because the materials will wear out much quicker than other materials, which causes the clothing to be thrown away after a short amount of time. This could explain why 11 million tons of clothing are thrown out in the USA each year. When thrown away, these low-quality materials will hardly break down due to the lead, pesticides, and endless amounts of chemicals found inside the materials. Similar to carbon waste, these clothing items will sit in landfills and release toxins into the air. On top of that, companies will often use toxic chemicals and dyes in order to make their clothing quickly, which eventually end up in water supplies. Fast fashion companies are creating an abundance of waste globally and it has to be stopped. There are also many social impacts of fast fashion. Many well-known clothing companies have their factories in developing countries, where there are fewer and less strict labour laws and they are able to get away with paying their workers wages that they are unable to live on. the working conditions are often crowded, dangerous, and the workers may face abuse.
How can we end fast fashion?
Fast fashion is widely practiced around the world to this day, which is why it may seem almost impossible to solve. Some big names in the fast fashion industry are Shein, H&M, Zaful, and Boohoo. There are however many things that can be done on an individual scale to help stop fast fashion. The best way to do this is to stop supporting fast fashion companies and start supporting “slow fashion” companies. Slow fashion allows for more natural and long-lasting materials and will prevent the pollution that fast fashion companies have caused. Although slow fashion may be much more expensive, it has a significantly better quality and will allow for less waste, which is totally worth the extra money. Slow fashion also tends to use less toxic materials, which helps prevent toxic waste. Another good way to help stop fast fashion is to support thrift stores. This is a great way to get the most use out of a clothing item and allow for less waste in general. Of course, fast fashion is not an accessible option for everyone. we do not believe that individual actions are responsible for the affects of climate change, and we do not put any blame on those who must use fast fashion. We need system change, which will require social and climate justice.
More Resources
When learning about fast fashion, it can sometimes be difficult to understand which fashion companies should be avoided and which fashion companies should be supported. A great way to learn about fast fashion companies is by supporting the app called “Good on You”. Available for download on the App Store and Google Play, this app analyzes many different fashion brands and gives them a score. This score represents how ethical and sustainable the brand is, while judging its environmental impact, labour conditions and animal welfare. You can learn about how ethical a brand is by searching the brand, and it will not only give you a rating of the brand, but it will also give suggestions for more ethical brands to support instead. You can visit their website here: https://goodonyou.eco.
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