Those $20 pants or $10 shirts may seem like a bargain, but their true cost is paid in polluted rivers toxic dyes mountains of textile waste and exploitation of child workers. The rise of fast fashion has revolutionized retail, yet it has simultaneously created a global humanitarian crisis and environmental crisis. Companies like Shein, Zara and H&M are some of the most popular fast fashion brands in the world, targeting a young adult audience with trendy clothes at cheap prices.
Fast fashion is estimated to produce about 10% of global carbon emissions, a statistic reported by both Business Insider and Earth.org. This comes at a time when carbon dioxide levels continue to hit record highs, increasing by more than 530 million tons between 2023 and 2024.
“A significant amount of greenhouse gases are emitted in the production of clothes, but primarily just waste and space— It’s the factories themselves and sweatshops that are producing greenhouse gases,” Amelia Kozlowski, junior and the Sustainable Fashion Club president, said.
Along with the carbon dioxide emissions, fast fashion is also the second largest consumer of water, just making one pair of jeans takes 2,000 gallons of water, according to earth.org. There are ways to reduce water consumption, like thrift shopping for clothes rather than buying new ones, or upcycling your clothes. The more we reuse and buy used clothes, the fewer clothes are being made, therefore less water consumption.
“People are starting to thrift, and sometimes online thrifting like Depop,” junior Vera Bell, a member of the Sustainable Fashion Club, explained.
Low-cost production usually means low-quality clothing. These items wear out quickly and are thrown away sooner, adding to landfill waste instead of being reused, while also contributing to waste and pollution. In the U.S, the average person throws away about 81 pounds of clothing a year. There are ways to reduce this waste, from buying sustainable clothing brands like Patagonia, Lucy and Yak, Pact and donating.
“Donating is one of the best options out there — I don’t know where all of it goes, but hopefully it goes to someone who needs it,” Bell said.
A 2018 U.S. Department of Labor report found evidence of forced child labor in the fashion industry in Bangladesh, Turkey, Argentina, Vietnam, Brazil, India, China and other countries, according to earth.org. This forced and child labor helps make the clothes at such a low cost.
As people continue to buy cheap clothes, it helps support the system of labor. Kowlowski commented that “some fast fashion brands use technology to make the clothes, while most use forced and child labor”.
The business model of fast fashion is often seen as a mix of social and environmental destruction, fueling the cycle of child exploitation. The uptick in disposal of clothes polluting the rivers and massive outputs of carbon dioxide quickly turn tready items into nonbiodegradable waste. People taking action include those who influence government laws and demand transparency from companies, as well as those who choose items meant to last. We can collectively shift the focus from the disposable trend to ethical and sustainable value.
