Fashion is constantly evolving. We’re surrounded by it everyday in magazines, television and social media. What is less often represented in the media is the damage the industry has done and continues to do to the planet.
The new age of fashion pressures us to adapt alongside disposable trends.
Society has been telling us that we can’t have a small timeless wardrobe and still have style, but that every outfit you wear needs to be “new” and “chic.” Because of this standard, many clothing companies fly through trends, manufacturing cheap and temporary pieces.
One of the reasons companies can afford to sell their clothing at such a low price is because they often derive their fabrics synthetically from fossil fuels. For this reason, the fibers in the fabric are unable to break down in landfills, meaning this textile waste will do nothing but take up space. These trends eventually add up to the non-biodegradable textile waste taking up 5% of all junkyards worldwide.
Artificial textiles aren’t the only culprit for the outlandishly cheap price tags.
In order to maintain these low figures, corporations must acquire a method to make their garments in the cheapest way possible. And far too often, that either means your clothes are being made by a child, or an underpaid and neglected worker of age.
This method of work is extremely common and even seen in some favorite brands such as Forever 21, H&M, Shein and Zara.
Supporting these companies and buying their clothes leads to the 13 million tons of textile waste piling up in landfills annually.
The fate of the fast fashion industry is in our hands. Such companies thrive off of the business attention they attract. The solution is simple; if we don’t support their wasteful ways, they have no choice but to do better or shut down.
As a society we cannot completely avoid textile waste tied to the fashion industry. No matter how small, waste will always be a sacrifice that is made in order to have clothes on our back. However, there are things we can do to limit such waste. One thing you can do as a consumer is research a company’s values and avoid companies known to be wasteful and corrupt.
There are many sustainable brands out there such as Reformation and Revolve. But the downside to investing in these brands, is that they are more expensive due to their quality fabrics and well-paid adult laborers. It’s a great option for those who can afford it, however not everyone can.
To save money, a great alternative is buying second hand. Not only does this increase the life of an already manufactured item of clothing, but today’s trends can often be found in thrift stores due to the come and go of styles throughout decades.
Wherever you choose to shop from now on, becoming educated and doing your research before buying from a business can make all the difference in restoring the planet.
