Fast fashion isn’t designed to last long — but its effects will.
Did you know that the clothing industry accounts for about 10% of the world’s carbon emissions and about 20% of its wastewater? And that, of the total fiber used for clothing, 87% of it is incinerated or disposed of in a landfill? Why is the fashion industry such a powerful polluter? It’s due to a combination of factors, including creating the material, manufacturing the items, and shipping them. And with the rise of “fast fashion,” its negative impact continues to grow.
Fast fashion gets a bad rap, and with good reason: This blanket term describes the cheaply made, low-cost, and typically unethically produced clothing that’s on offer at so many chain clothing stores these days. These garments are generated at tremendous speed in order to satisfy consumers’ hunger for the latest trends, and created to hit stores soon after styles are displayed on the runways (or rise in popularity on TikTok). In order to manufacture it at a rock-bottom cost, factory workers are typically paid a pittance and subject to countless workplace abuses and dangers. According to Dana Thomas, author of The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes, between 2006 and 2012, more than 500 Bangladeshi garment workers died in factory fires.
While international workplace reform is very tough to implement speedily, some companies are at least trying to lessen the impact of fast fashion on our planet. Crunchbase found that within the last several years, dozens of fashion-focused startups have been created with the aim of generating more eco-friendly textiles. (Think everything from digitally dyed thread to biodegradable polymers.) And the market is listening: These startups have collectively brought in approximately $600 million in investment capital. Some especially fascinating startups are even exploring the possibility of creating mushroom “leather.”
It’s unreasonable to expect people to quit shopping for clothes entirely, but as a consumer, what can you do about how your clothing choices are affecting our environment? We pulled some advice from Laurie David and Heather Reisman’s book, Imagine It!: A Handbook for a Happier Planet, that’ll hopefully help you shop a little smarter.
Know what happens to your castoff clothing
The average item of clothing is worn only 14 times, and the amount of clothing Americans discard each year has approximately doubled in the last 20 years. And while the majority of our old clothes could be reused or recycled, 85% of it ends up in landfills, where it breaks down. Because fast-fashion pieces are often made from synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, acrylic and elastane, they contain highly processed petrochemicals. (Currently more than 60 percent of fabric fibers are synthetics.) So when some of them eventually decompose, they generate methane gas, emitting toxic chemicals and dyes. If you do own fast-fashion pieces, before you toss them out, consider donating them, trading them with friends, or even selling them, to at least prolong their life.
Think before you buy
Next time you go to buy a sweater that you already have in six colors, ask yourself: Do I really need this? David and Reisman say a good rule of thumb is to mentally try the #30WearsChallenge, meaning that before you buy something, ask yourself if you’ll truly wear it 30 times. (Think of it as preemptively Marie Kondo-ing your closet.) If you do decide to pull the trigger on that new dress, check to make sure the clothing company where you’re shopping has made a commitment to sustainability. From Girlfriend Collective to to Eileen Fisher to Allbirds, there are plenty of brands that prioritize the environment. (Many of which can be found in Katie’s Shop, incidentally.)
Don’t just ditch your denim
Since jeans are made of cotton, they can be recycled. That means they can be remade into new garments, or even transformed into something that serves an entirely new purpose, like home insulation. Many retailers are now participating in something called the Blue Jeans Go Green program, which recycles old jeans. You can drop them off at participating retailers, or mail them in. (Madewell will give you $20 off of a new pair of jeans if you recycle your old ones with them, no matter which brand they are.) It’s proof that doing right by the planet never goes out of style.
