Swipe up, swipe down, choose, click, pay – and wait for the clothing you selected online to be delivered to your door. Finding fashionable clothes at rock-bottom prices is a reality nowadays, and while this is a dream come true for those who want to cram their wardrobes, it is something of a nightmare for the environment. This is because fast fashion has a serious and alarming impact on the planet by significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and waste generation. To learn more about the consequences of fast fashion on the environment, check out this article.
Key Takeaways:
- According to the UN Environment Programme, the fast fashion industry accounts for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions, surpassing the emissions from all international flights and maritime shipping combined.
- Experts state that the rapid consumption and disposal of cheap, seasonal clothing by consumers exacerbate environmental issues.
- The rise of online shopping and digital platforms has intensified competition and increased the environmental pollution arising from transportation.
- Raising awareness about the environmental impacts of fast fashion and encouraging consumers to choose certified, eco-friendly brands can drive more responsible consumption.
DevelopmentAid: What are the environmental impacts of fast fashion, and how do these compare with other sectors of the fashion industry?
“The environmental impacts of any activity must be looked at in three dimensions, economic, social, and ecological.
Socio-economic: The fast fashion industry is one that has an immense impact on employment rates and population incomes, meaning that many people are employed in manufacturing, logistics, and other segments of the value chain. Because it is linked to the textile industry, fast fashion could be positioned as the second or third sector in the world that contributes the most to job creation, especially in developing countries.
However, these socioeconomic benefits come hand-in-hand with a huge number of environmental costs (negative impacts), human trafficking and slavery for cheaper labor including child labour, enormous use of chemicals and plastic in the massive production of clothes at reduced costs, colossal emissions of CO2 contributing to the greenhouse gases which in turn have negative effects on climate change, water waste and watercourses pollution, as well as the overproduction of waste in every dimension.
Taking into consideration its negative impacts to the environment, the fast fashion industry can easily be compared to the petrol production industry, the aviation production and transportation industry, agriculture, and the food retail packaging industry, among others.”
“The environmental impacts of fast fashion are the significant production of waste and pollution by liquid discharges with all the inherent risks to human health and the environment. Production residues and unsold products, as well as those discarded by consumers, end up in nature. The industry involves a large quantity of water during production and the use of polluting raw materials. It could be compared to other industrial sectors but these adapt by improving their processes to integrate environmental measures and furthermore, fast fashion entails is a race for production to reduce the losses linked to competition.”
“The impact is colossal. Excessive water usage for dyeing and production processes leads to the depletion of freshwater resources. Synthetic fabrics, a mainstay of fast fashion, are derived from fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, discarded garments often end up in landfills, taking centuries to decompose and releasing harmful toxins. This impact far exceeds that of traditional or artisanal fashion production methods.”
DevelopmentAid: How can consumers make more sustainable choices when it comes to fashion, and what role do education and awareness play?
“The key aspect is that the fast fashion industry promotes the rapid consumption of new outfits, which are cheaper but worn less often by consumers. That’s why the disposal rate of used clothes is huge. Clothes are discarded almost immediately after purchase. Education and awareness would play an important role for consumers to make sustainable choices, but only if fashion designers and marketing departments could be involved. Awareness campaigns with obligatory video components about the immense volumes of clothes that are discarded and their effect on the environment should be conducted. Alternatively, legislation imposed by governments would contribute to consumers embarking on sustainable consumption of goods from the fast fashion industry.”
“Consumers should demand compliance with environmental standards and choose certified companies that care about the future of our planet. It’s in this sense that education and awareness take on their full meaning to raise consumer awareness and lead them to make better choices and show more responsibility towards the environment.”
“Looking ahead, trends like “slow fashion” and “circularity” offer hope. Slow fashion emphasizes quality, timeless design, and ethical production, while circularity focuses on extending the life cycle of clothing through repair, upcycling, and resale platforms. Technology also plays a role with innovations in sustainable materials and production techniques. Consumers can make a difference by embracing mindful shopping; investing in quality, durable clothing rather than trendy throwaways will reduce waste and consumption, and researching brands that are committed to ethical sourcing and sustainable practices empowers you to make informed choices. It is also crucial to create awareness. Documentaries, social media campaigns, and eco-labels can help consumers to understand the true cost of their clothing.”
DevelopmentAid: How does the rise of online shopping and digital platforms impact the fast fashion industry’s sustainability efforts?
“I think the rise of online shopping and digital platforms, which is linked to social media, has shown that consumers make choices about their clothing virtually and remotely and the sellers are required to deliver the product in a very short period. This process activates another environmental polluter – the transportation sector which in turn contributes to CO2 emissions through fuel burning. Normally buyers, when unhappy with clothes bought online, throw the goods away which impacts negatively on the fast fashion industry’s sustainability.”
“This phenomenon accelerates competition and therefore impacts the race for production through ease of access to consumer products. There is no longer any direct interaction between producers and consumers.”
DevelopmentAid: Looking ahead, what trends do you see emerging in the fashion industry that could lead to more sustainable practices?
“The trend shows that the fast fashion industry is and will always be a problematic contributor to carbon emissions, waste and water pollution. Forced labor and child labor are also negative aspects that should be considered. Awareness raising on the negative impacts of the industry to the environment must be a priority in communication efforts that aim to change consumer thinking and behavior.”
“The change in consumer behavior could perhaps be because they are the ones who determine the race for production. It should integrate recycling and the reuse of used products. We also need more restrictive standards for these industries.”
“By consciously choosing sustainable options and supporting responsible brands, consumers can drive change in the fashion industry. Increased awareness, coupled with innovative practices, can pave the way for a more ethical and eco-friendly future for fashion.”
See also: How and why should individuals reduce their food waste | Experts’ Opinions
Just like people searching for clothes online, it is the same when looking for new job opportunities. Fortunately, unlike the consequences of online fashion shopping, searching for jobs doesn’t do any harm to the environment, in fact quite the contrary. Those looking to make a change in the environment sector can find more than 500 job openings on the DevelopmentAid website from the thousands of jobs available on the platform. With an Individual Professional Membership, members can also have access to a variety of other tools such as access to Organizations and Donor profiles, Tenders for individuals, Salary trends, Grants for individuals, and many more.
