Fast fashion is a term coined to describe the fast-paced production cycle of clothing items. These clothes are often cheap and low quality, but at high volume and low prices. Fast fashion is a major contributor to environmental issues, including water pollution, air pollution, and land degradation.
In 2017, global apparel production was valued at $360 billion and projected to nearly double by 2022. This means we’re buying more clothes than ever before - 2.8 trillion pieces produced globally per year. And while our desire for new outfits may seem a good thing, the environmental costs associated with the production and consumption of clothing are becoming increasingly apparent. In fact, according to research conducted by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) between 2010 and 2015, the average American consumer generated over 1,100 pounds of textile waste annually. That's almost three times what they were producing just 15 years ago.
The industry’s massive scale is already driving down prices and eroding profit margins – leaving retailers no choice but to slash their costs in order to stay afloat. According to research published by McKinsey & Company in 2014, 70 percent of fast-fashion companies saw their profits decrease after adopting business models designed to increase efficiency and speed. Meanwhile, employees report experiencing increased fatigue and burnout, and turnover rates have risen to unprecedented levels.
As the cost of manufacturing drops, many workers find themselves losing jobs to robots. As the number of garment workers around the globe decreases, employers have been forced to turn to countries where wages are lower and regulations nonexistent. These conditions make it difficult for international laborers to keep up with rapid technological developments and rising expectations for higher quality work. While some fast-fashion brands try to mitigate these issues by establishing ethical guidelines, others continue to exploit cheap labor practices without concern for their workers or the environment.
When you shop online for clothing that looks great and feels comfortable, you're probably not aware of how cheaply it could be made. Many people assume that items bought in fast fashion stores are only moderately priced, and a quick glance at the price tag reveals that they're pretty affordable. However, you may be surprised to learn that cheap isn't always synonymous with low quality. Take a closer look at the materials and components that go into the garments you wear each day, and you might realize that the majority of them aren't actually manufactured using high-quality processes and techniques. Instead, they tend to be mass-produced via methods that are environmentally unfriendly and harmful to human rights. To understand what exactly that means, let's take a close look at the different types of clothing and explore how each one is made.
Textiles
Fabric is perhaps the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions related to the production of apparel. Today, much of the world's cotton is grown in India, China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and the United States, and it takes approximately four gallons of water to produce one pound of cotton fiber. This intensive farming requires large amounts of pesticides and fertilizer, both of which contribute to pollution in surrounding waterways.
Synthetic fabric is often thought of as being cheaper than natural fibers, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's more eco-friendly. In fact, recent studies show that synthetic fabrics, especially polyester, nylon, acrylic, olefin and spandex, are worse than wool, flax and cotton when it comes to water usage and toxicity. If you care about the planet and want to buy something truly sustainable, opt instead for textiles made from recycled plastic bottles.
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