Fast fashion industries produce 1.2 billion tons of CO2 per year according to nature.com. Creating a pair of jeans alone produces as many greenhouse gases as driving a car more than 80 miles. And one t-shirt requires 2,700 liters of water to make. Chloe Vidler reports.
Social media has led us all to believe we can never repeat outfits and that we need a new item of clothing for every event. This is why fast fashion is thriving because people are buying an item of clothing to simply wear it once.
Fast fashion is defined as the mass production of inexpensive clothing in response to the latest trends. However, cheap and fashionable clothing must come at a price.
One of the main issues with fast fashion is that trends come and go. Companies such as Primark and Boohoo quickly produce clothing which is ‘on trend’ at the moment, and yet trends seem to go out of fashion just as quickly as they came in.
60% of clothing produced in one year is tossed away into landfills. Fast fashion companies are not creating clothes that have been made to last. It’s just a quick fix of what is seen on the catwalk.
These clothing companies are popular due to their accessibility. The low prices and trendy pieces are widely available and advertised to all. To buy from more ethical and sustainable brands is a privilege due to the higher prices.
There are ways you can avoid fast fashion without breaking the bank. Charity shops, and similar online stores such as Depop and Ebay, are a great alternative for cheap, second-hand clothes that would end up in a landfill otherwise. Buy clothes that last and don’t fall for trends that will be out of style by the end of the week!
