Preface
This week’s topic comes from a place of self-reflection and is something that I think most of us are a little desensitized to. As a young person in a generation that values appearance, style, and material belongings, I am familiar with the pressures that youth experience. The need to fit in, keep up with trends, and present myself in the best way possible through social media are feelings I know all too well. However, along with social media, the fast fashion industry is growing rapidly. Subsequently, awareness of the harms of cheap, poorly made, and mass-produced fast fashion clothing has also increased. Unfortunately, although we seem to be well aware of the harms of fast fashion, the industry is thriving. What’s more disheartening is that overconsumption is also on the rise. So, this post is written in an effort to remind myself and others about the harms of fast fashion and overconsumption amid spring cleaning and incoming additions to our spring/summer wardrobes.
Definitions: Fast Fashion and Overconsumption
Fast fashion is often described as the output of unethical factories overseas that underpay their workers and expose employees to awful working conditions. Also known as sweatshops. Although this is an extremely important humanitarian issue connected to fast fashion, today I want to focus on the environmental side of fast fashion which is typically less well-known. Fast fashion in this context pertains to cheap clothing made from inexpensive synthetic materials that are derived from fossil fuels (such as polyester and nylon). These garments are often mass-produced, composed of poor-quality textiles, have a short lifespan, and are rarely reused and/or repaired to extend use. Further, limited recycling mechanisms exist for these kinds of garments.
Another aspect of this issue is when fast fashion is combined with overconsumption. These two variables often build on each other and perpetuate social norms of mass consumerism. Realistically, many garments are now made to fall apart just in time for the next short-lived fashion trend to emerge. Overconsumption is relatively self-explanatory and is defined as the excessive consumption of something, such as clothing. Consumption has grown so much so, that the number of clothes the average consumer purchases has increased by 60 percent between 2000 and 2014. While fast fashion and overconsumption work in tandem, an industry that is extremely environmentally and socially problematic has been created.
The Rise of Overconsumption
Although fast fashion and overconsumption are not necessarily new concepts, they have grown exponentially in today’s society. Social media plays a big role in this issue. We often see social media users (sometimes called influencers) posting “shopping hauls” on their platforms or promoting their new clothing collection for the upcoming season. The reality is that these kinds of videos speed up the trend cycle, which encourages the continuous consumption of cheap and disposable garments. In the past, trend cycles had a lifespan of up to 20 years, now, they have been reduced to about 3 months. So, people are influenced to purchase new clothes and dispose of old trends more than ever before.
Synthetic materials have also changed the fashion industry into one which prioritizes increased profits above all else. Large companies can mass-produce these “trendy” clothes which are made to sell for cheap and be discarded instantaneously. Unfortunately, the consumption of clothing and footwear is expected to increase by 63% by 2030. Further, there is currently no industry-wide solution for the disposal or recycling of discarded textiles. Thus, overconsumption is rapidly increasing and widely encouraged at the expense of the environment and human health.
Environmental Impact
Many people immediately think of the humanitarian impact of fast fashion. Issues like child labour and sweatshops are the well-known dark side of the global fashion industry which, unfortunately, have not been much of a deterrent thus far. So, I would like to discuss the environmental repercussions fuelled by overconsumption in the fashion industry to add another consideration to the harms of fast fashion.
Polyester is a common synthetic material (like nylon) used in fast fashion garments. Synthetic materials like this are made from fossil fuels which make them cheap to produce but costly in environmental damages. It’s estimated that in 2015 polyester production alone was responsible for over 700 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. In addition, an environmental study conducted in the EU found that textile consumption of these unsustainable materials is the fourth highest cause of negative impact on climate change. This statistic really shocked me.
If you aren’t concerned that the fashion industry has the fourth-highest impact on climate change, it gets worse. Polyester production has increased from 20 million tonnes in 2000 to 60 million tonnes in 2018 and, at the current rate of growth, it is expected to exceed 90 million tonnes by 2030. So, not only does the fast fashion industry rely on child labour and overworked/underpaid people to produce these over-consumed garments, but it is also a huge contributor to climate change in the process.
How Can We Improve?
The main reason I wanted to link fast fashion and overconsumption is because I understand that it isn’t realistic to suggest we can put an end to fast fashion purchases altogether. Although I strongly believe we should avoid it as much as possible, it is not necessarily a perfect world where complete avoidance is realistic. The cost of living is high and buying clothes from cheaper distributors is a more feasible option for some (or even most). Further, I also understand our current social climate where people want to look and feel their best in their clothing, myself included. In fact, after much internal debate and failure to find spring clothing options at Value Village, I just purchased some items from H&M last weekend. However, my point is that although in this day and age fast fashion is not always avoidable, overconsumption is something that we can change.
A great way to avoid overconsumption is by shopping at second-hand stores such as Value Village or small boutiques that source their garments locally/sustainably. However, in my experience, the selection can be limited and can be more expensive from smaller stores. So, another option is to actively work to extend garment life. By taking care of clothing purchased new or used, we can then at least get more use from our clothes and buy the same items less frequently. Studies show that doubling the lifespan of a garment, even just from 30 to 60 uses, reduces a garment’s greenhouse gas emissions footprint by almost half.
Another way to cut back on overconsumption is to refrain from buying into trends. This is something I have been guilty of numerous times in the past which ultimately led me to purchase far more than I need. This brings me to my last suggestion of actively changing our “more, more, more” mindsets. Before purchasing new garments, consider the longevity of the item. Consider how long you will realistically use it and whether or not you view it as easily disposable. Overconsumption culture is something we are constantly immersed in and is hard to escape. However, for the sake of the environment and well-being of those employed by the fashion industry, I am really hoping there will be a necessary change.
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Mending and caring for our clothes can truly be a revolutionary act in the face of an industry which has indoctrinated continuous and needless consumption.
Quote from Fashion Revolution
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