The Impact of Fast Fashion
The term ‘fast fashion’ has become more prominent in conversations surrounding fashion, sustainability and environmental consciousness. The term refers to ‘cheaply produced and priced garments that copy the latest catwalk styles and get pumped quickly through stores in order to maximize on current trends.
Fast fashion moves from consumers' closets to the garbage just as quickly as it is produced. On the floors of fast fashion factories, workers are constantly exposed to toxic chemicals and are breathing in their fumes.
The fiber production has the largest impact on freshwater withdrawal and ecosystem quality due to cotton cultivation, while the dyeing and finishing, yarn preparation and fiber production stages have the highest impacts on resource depletion, due to the energy-intensive processes based on fossil fuel energy.
Furthermore, brands use synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon and acrylic which take hundreds of years to biodegrade. It is estimated that 35% of all microplastics- tiny pieces of non-biodegradable plastic- in the ocean come from the laundering of synthetic textiles like polyester.
The production of making plastic fibers into textiles is an energy-intensive process that requires large amounts of petroleum and releases volatile particulate matter and acids like hydrogen chloride.
Doing background research on brands before purchasing clothes can help you become a more informed consumer and steer your purchases in a manner that aligns with your environmental values. The fashion industry has caused a substantial amount of damage to our environment. However, if we start to take proactive steps towards advocating for a green-friendly fashion industry and becoming an environmentally conscious consumer, we can finally slow down climate change.
At The EcoFairy, our goal is to help you build a more sustainable life by offering you a line of reusable products. We offer products that last and that will help you reduce the amount of plastic you use.