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Fast Fashion: The Environmental Cost of Staying on Trend

Updated: Nov 11, 2020

Written by Wynn Murakami


The fast fashion industry has taken the world by storm, offering affordable and easily accessible clothing to all. And, with the omnipresence of the internet in our lives, many brands have popped up exclusively for the sake of online shopping. H&M, Garage, Forever 21, and Zara are just a few of the household names that offer cheap, trendy clothing at rapid turnover rates. For the first time in history, these clothes are quite literally at our fingertips. No more trips to the mall, awkward interactions with retail staff, or waiting in line to check out - awesome, right? While the perks of revamping your wardrobe seem to be endless, the environmental consequences are much more dire.

 

The internet has played a great role in the popularity of the fast fashion industry. Social media boasts connectivity and transparency, but it also heavily promotes consumerist values. Just scroll through your Instagram feed, or watch any fashion blogger on YouTube, and you may begin to feel an itch to buy new clothing. With the help of online platforms, fashion trends can whiz by on a weekly to daily basis. As such, the demand for easily accessible clothing has increased tenfold in the past few years.



Currently, cotton is the most profitable non-food crop in the world. According to the WWF, it takes about 20,000 litres of water to produce one kilogram of cotton. To put this into perspective, this is equivalent to one T-shirt and a pair of jeans.


Cotton production has led to many disasters in the past, with one of the most devastating occurring in Central Asia. The Aral Sea was once the world’s fourth largest body of inland water, but excessive use of this water body through cotton irrigation has caused it to rapidly shrink in the past 40 years. Currently, water levels have dropped to the extent that exposed seabeds take up more of the area than water. Winds blowing across these seabeds have plagued the region with dust storms of salt, fertilizer, and pesticides. As a result, the area’s inhabitants have suffered from higher rates of throat cancers, anemia, kidney diseases, and infant mortality. The cotton produced by the destruction of the Aral Sea was likely exported for use in clothing, yet very few people are aware of this tragedy.


In addition to cotton, many brands use synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester in their clothing. These synthetics are derived from fossil fuels, and cannot decompose or decay. With more and more textiles making their way to landfills every day, it is almost a guarantee that our clothing will outlive us.


The added layer of doorstep delivery creates even more problems for the environment. Oftentimes, products are over-packaged, and excess carbon emissions are produced by worldwide shipping and delivery services. Most clothing companies base their production lines in countries miles away from the customer, so clothes must be sent across the world on cargo ships. This results in the direct pollution of water bodies and marine life. Additionally, many brands boast the opportunity to return unwanted articles for refunds, the majority of which are sent directly to landfills.


The future of the environment may look bleak in the face of consumerism, but we can reduce our carbon footprint by reassessing our spending habits. Even at the individual level, the impact of the fast fashion industry can be greatly reduced by investing in longer-lasting, timeless pieces. There are many sustainable fashion brands which promote environmentally conscious and ethically made clothing (a few include: Afends, Everlane, Progoti, and Reformation). For those who want to go the extra mile, thrift stores and charity shops are a great option, both for affordability and sustainability.


While it may not seem like much, buying local and environmentally-conscious clothing is better than excessive online shopping. Remember: trends may come and go, but sustainability will always be in fashion.


 

About the Author

Wynn Murakami is a grade 12 IB student at Monarch Park Collegiate institute, Toronto, Canada. Although she wants to study environmental conservation in university, she has a very strong passion for the arts. From painting to playing the trumpet, she will do just about anything if it involves creativity! She also competes in cross country and track at school. A fun fact about her is that she has double jointed thumbs!


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