Sustainable Fashion: The true COST of a cheap T-shirt!
In today’s world, fashion plays a huge role in self-expression, identity, and cultural movements, strengthened further by our online reach. Yet, behind the flashy runways and seasonal trends, the fashion industry faces significant environmental and ethical challenges; the size of which I hadn't truly grasped.
What is Fast Fashion?
Fast fashion is designed to bring the latest trends to consumers as quickly and inexpensively as possible. While this has made trendy clothing accessible to a larger audience, it has come at a steep cost to the environment, also effecting workers, and far-flung communities.
Fast Fashion’s impact
There are literally too many impacts to list, without losing the vast majority of you, so here's the highlights:
High Water Consumption and Pollution
- Water usage: Producing cotton for fast fashion consumes enormous amounts of water. For example, a single cotton t-shirt requires about 2,700 litres of water.
- Water Pollution: Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of clean water globally, as untreated dyes and chemicals are often discharged into rivers and streams.
Excessive Waste
- Landfills: Fast fashion generates vast amounts of textile waste due to the short lifecycle of products. Over 92 million tons of textile waste are discarded annually.
- Non-Biodegradable Fabrics: Many fast fashion items are made from synthetic materials like polyester, which can take hundreds of years to decompose!
Carbon Emissions
- Energy-Intensive Production: The fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Read that again.
Microplastic Pollution
- Synthetic Fibres like polyester and nylon release microplastics during washing, which enter water systems and harm marine ecosystems.
Transportation Impact
- Global supply chains mean raw materials, production, and finished products are shipped internationally, contributing to increased CO2 emissions.
Unethical Labour
- In the name of profits fashion brands often outsource production to factories in countries with lax labour laws. Workers in these factories are frequently subjected to poor working conditions, long hours, and extremely low wages.
The Alternatives
So, what are the alternatives? It seems clear that there are only two; buy second-hand clothes or make a conscious decision and choose sustainable fashion.
Embracing sustainable fashion is about making intentional choices that support a healthier planet and society. While it may require a shift in mindset and sometimes a higher upfront investment, the benefits of sustainable fashion are significant:
Longer-Lasting Garments: Investing in sustainable fashion often means higher quality clothing that lasts longer. This reduces the need to constantly replace items, saving both money and resources in the long run.
Supporting Ethical Practices: By choosing sustainable brands, consumers contribute to fair wages and safe working conditions for workers. This empowers communities and promotes a more equitable industry.
Our Role as Consumers
As consumers, our purchasing choices carry weight. For those who care about the environment and themselves, as we all should in equal measure, I see two clear options. We either buy second-hand clothes or we buy fewer well-made sustainable garments. And when shopping, look for versatile pieces that both fill a void in your wardrobe and can style with a few different outfits.
