What are the environmental implications of fast fashion?

Fast fashion contributes to pollution, waste generation, and resource depletion, significantly impacting the environment.

Fast fashion, a term used to describe inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends, has severe environmental implications. The fashion industry, particularly the fast fashion sector, is one of the world's largest polluters, second only to the oil industry. It contributes to 10% of global carbon emissions due to its long supply chains and energy-intensive production.

The production process of fast fashion involves the use of harmful chemicals, including dyes and finishes. These chemicals often end up in waterways, causing water pollution and affecting aquatic life. For instance, the fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global wastewater. Moreover, the excessive use of water in the production process, especially in cotton farming, leads to water scarcity in certain regions. It is estimated that producing a single pair of jeans requires around 7,500 litres of water, equivalent to the amount of water one individual drinks in seven years.

Fast fashion also contributes to waste generation. The majority of fast fashion items are disposed of within a year of their production. In the UK alone, it is estimated that £140 million worth of clothing goes to landfill each year. This waste often takes hundreds of years to decompose, releasing harmful greenhouse gases like methane into the atmosphere.

The fast fashion industry also depletes non-renewable resources, such as petroleum, to produce synthetic fibres like polyester. Polyester is found in about 60% of garments. Its production emits 2-3 times more carbon than cotton and it does not break down in the ocean.

Furthermore, fast fashion encourages overconsumption due to its business model, which relies on consumers buying more and more clothes. This overconsumption leads to an increase in the extraction of raw materials and the use of energy for production, transportation, and disposal, exacerbating the environmental impact.

In conclusion, the environmental implications of fast fashion are vast and multifaceted, encompassing pollution, waste generation, resource depletion, and overconsumption. It is therefore crucial to promote sustainable practices in the fashion industry to mitigate these impacts.