Is Fashion Killing the Planet?

NA Eye | Michelle Hwang and Grace Baierl

“Fast fashion” has become increasingly common in our society. It often comes up in our daily conversations and we unconsciously encourage it every time we buy a new pair of jeans, but do we know what it really is? “Fast fashion” is a term used by fashion retailers to describe the inexpensive designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores. Its defining feature is that it does not have a certain look; it simply feeds of existing trends. This results in fashion retailers introducing hundreds of new products on a weekly basis. It has grown into an addiction for consumers and is slowly consuming our minds. But at what cost?

To begin with, most factory workers in the garment industry are paid extremely low wages. Although this problem also persists in other industries, it is so severe in the garment industry that almost 98% of garment workers are paid less than a living wage. Moreover, these workers are made to work for long hours in extreme conditions. The author of Fashionopolis, Dana Thomas, visited some garment factories in Bangladesh and was shocked by the severity of the working conditions that she saw. Workers were trapped in hot and humid warehouses, hand-making every piece at lightning speed to keep up with the tremendous number of orders that kept coming through. Furthermore, factory workers are constantly exposed to toxic chemicals, with no standards for safety.

The issue was only brought to light in 2013 after an incident in Bangladesh; The Rana Plaza building, which housed five garment factories, collapsed on itself due to its poor infrastructure and maintenance. This led to more than 1,100 deaths, with the majority of the victims being factory workers. Even more outrageous, is that the companies to which these factories belonged did little to compensate for this loss. However, this event helped change the public outlook on fast fashion as it made people more aware of the shortcomings of the fashion industry, and more inclined to shop at fair trade clothing companies. It is unfortunate that these issues were addressed seriously only after the incident occurred. The low wages enable major fashion retailers to keep their costs low and are part of the reason that they can operate the way they do.

Another major problem with fast fashion is that, due to the short life cycle of fast fashion items, the majority of firms adopt strategies that focus on continuously introducing more products. This strategy, which at first seems inefficient and unprofitable for the firm, is only plausible due to the low costs involved in producing fast-fashion items and the continuous demand for these products. However, rapidly increasing output also results in many companies producing excess, and a large part of that output will go straight to dumpsters. This results in high wastage from the producer side of the fashion market.

Apart from high wastage, there are several other environmental implications that can not be disregarded. The vibrant colours and ever-changing designs that make fast fashion so appealing to consumers require the use of toxic, cheap, chemical substances that rank as the second-largest polluter of clean water. Polyester, which is one of the most popular materials used in the manufacturing of garments is also one of the most damaging; Since it is derived from fossil fuels, it contributes considerably to global warming and also sheds non-biodegradable microfibres that pose a threat to aquatic life. Cotton, another extremely common material used to produce clothes, requires enormous amounts of water to prevent crop failure. This tends to be problematic in developing countries that suffer from recurring droughts. Yet, these are the countries where the majority of fast fashion retailers have their manufacturing units. The “True Cost”, a documentary directed by Andrew Morgan, delves into the extent to which large scale cotton production can damage not only the environment but also human health.

Despite the harsh consequences of the fast fashion industry, why is it so successful? Why do we, consumers, keep going back to this cycle?

The answer lies in the addiction we, as consumers, have developed towards shopping because of the temporary satisfaction that it gives us. This – combined with the low prices provided by the producers – leaves us rushing back to the store, longing for more. As we continue demanding garments that fit the new trends, producers supply more and the negative environmental impact of this industry only increases. Over the last 30 years, the fashion industry has grown from earning $500 billion to $2.4 trillion every year. And yes, although we can now buy jeans for a mere $20 or less, the real price is paid by our planet and the people who are producing the products.

Part of the reason for this is the ignorance of consumers. We only know information that we have access to and most of the time we do not have access to how every company operates. Amid commitments to sustainability and empty promises to improve working conditions for garment workers by companies, the consumer is left unaware of the reality of the situation. We justify shopping by telling ourselves that the companies are trying to be better, but do we ever check to see if they are following through?

In more recent years, a slow fashion movement has come about. It is a different approach to fashion that aims to change the nature of consumption. Overall, it argues for the production of better quality garments made with materials that are fair to people, animals, and our planet. With this movement in mind, numerous brands are popping up that revolve around a sustainable focus. Granted that eco-friendly fashion tends to be a lot more expensive and out of reach for some consumers, it is not the only alternative to fast fashion. Moreover, some brands are making themselves more affordable in the hopes that all consumers can have access to eco-fashion.

Fast fashion is not free. In fact, we are paying a higher price when we consider the deterioration of our environment and at the expense of humanity. But it is up to the consumer to decide - should they act in self-interest and give in to the cheap, trendy clothes or should they act for the good of society and invest in timeless pieces that cost more?