What is fast fashion? Fast fashion is cheaply produced clothing that mimics the latest fashion styles from high-end designers. These clothing items are sold at smaller quantities with large product variety at a low price for limited amounts of time throughout the year. New style lines are constantly coming out each season, meaning high production rates and lots of waste. Fast fashion has both environmental and social implications.
On the environment: 10% of global carbon emissions are created from fashion production with 85% of all textiles ending up in landfills each year. Even after the production process, washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year which is equivalent to 50 billion plastic water bottles.
On society: Fast fashion is often produced in developing countries, so that corporations can profit off of cheap labor and limited operation restrictions. Young women between the ages of 18 and 24 make about 80% of apparel with low wages and in 2018, evidence showed that forced labor and child labor were happening in the fashion industry across the world.
What can you do to slow the harms of fast fashion? Buy from brands that ethically source materials and human capital. Further, you can reduce your clothing consumption by buying high quality and versatile clothing so that the clothing lasts, and can be worn with several outfits. And when you are finished with a piece of clothing, donate it rather than throwing it away.
Visit https://goodonyou.eco/ to see the sustainability ranking of different clothing brands as well as some featured ethical brands! And visit https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/ for more information on fast fashion!
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