The Facts on Fast Fashion
Fast fashion is rapidly releasing clothes to match the latest trends. In order to keep up with these trends, many companies often sacrifice quality for quantity. These clothes may look glamorous, but their environmental harm is not.
60% of clothes are made from polyester, which is a synthetic fabric derived from petroleum. Polyester production created 2 to 3 times more carbon emissions than it takes to produce cotton, and 31% of plastic pollution is from microfibers. Microfibers are synthetic fibers finer than a singular thread in your clothing.
Most clothes contain polyester and synthetics. By washing these clothes, it releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean -the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles- a year. These do not biodegrade and often end up bioaccumulating in fish that either aquatic predators or humans eat.
Throwing clothes in the trash results in them ending up in landfills, making up around 85% of textile waste in the United States alone. Since more than 60% of fibers in clothes are also synthetics, the clothes will not biodegrade or decay. Business Insider reports that people bought 60% more clothing in 2014 than in 2000, with them keeping the garments only half as long. The short life span of fast fashion contributes to this landfill problem.
Fast fashion is also responsible for 20% of water pollution worldwide. The second largest polluter of water has come from dying clothes, as the leftover water is dumped into rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. Fast fashion is also the second largest water consumer.
Not only does fast fashion account for that- it also makes up 10% of carbon emissions world wide. It would be better for the environment if you went on an international flight than bought fast fashion clothing. It’s been predicted that if kept on the same course, fast fashion will make up 26% of carbon emissions by 2050.
Cutting Down on Fast Fashion
-Check the fibers of the clothes you’re buying. Stay away from polyester and synthetics such as acrylic, rayon, acetate, and nylon. Try to buy clothing made from renewable crops such as sugarcane or corn, which produce less than 60% carbon emissions than synthetic fibers.
-Buy less clothing. Opt for clothes you already have and extend their life.
-Consider upcycling your clothes. Maybe embroider designs on them or make a crop top out of an old t-shirt. Look up cute DIYs online and share that info with others.
-Buy clothing from second hand shops and donate old clothes to charity centers for those in need.
-Wash clothes less often. Yes, I know this sounds gross. But looking up and figuring out how often you’re supposed to wash your clothes can help cut down the water pollution of microfibers. Some clothes can be worn a second day or even a third before being put in the laundry basket.
-Borrow or rent clothing. If you have a special event coming up, opt for borrowing clothing from a family member or friend rather than buying a new outfit. If not that, find a service near you that rents clothing for special occasions.