Recently, I wore a new top which I got from Primark for £5. It sounds like an absolute bargain, right? After only 2 washes, the fabric began to pill and lose its shape. So, I looked in my wardrobe and compared it to a top I had gotten a lot more wear out of. I noticed that the one from Primark was made from polyester – a synthetic fibre however my more premium top was made from cotton – à natural fibre. This discrepancy led me to research fast fashion, its environmental impacts and why I believe garments made of natural fibres are better in the long term.
What is fast fashion?
So, what exactly is fast fashion? Fast fashion is the mass production of low-cost clothing of replicas of runway designs.
Despite this being financially rewarding for us, the fast fashion cycle is unsustainable, unethical and is costing the planet when we buy cheaper, poor quality clothing. Fast fashion retailers including Shein, Primark and H&M are incessantly harming the planet.
Problems – Water pollution
Whilst manufacturing garments on such a large scale, they are polluting vital water sources by, increasing carbon emissions and consuming large amounts of water and energy. According to Earth.org, “The fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water among industries.” Globally, 79 trillion litres of water is consumed annually which is equivalent of 32 million Olympic sized swimming pools, emptied for our immediate pleasure.
According to an analysis by Business Insider, “textile dyeing is the world’s second-largest polluter of water”. This is because the leftover dye is toxic. It is concentrated with lead, mercury and chromium and is routinely disposed of into local water sources severely impacting aquatic ecosystems and local human settlements. Synthetics undergo processes where large amounts of water are required for the dyeing stages and is responsible for 20% of global industrial water pollution.
Materials
Many mass-produced items of clothing are made of synthetic fibres which are petroleum derived. Despite it being resistant to shrinking, quick drying and cheap, this is unsustainable. The polyester degrades into microplastics over decades. . When washed, 35% of microplastics which contaminate the ocean are released from synthetic materials only.
Think about what you wore last weekend. Was it a garment produced in the fast fashion industry? Was it made of synthetic fibres?
Solution
So, you may think that using natural fibres such as cotton will be more environmentally friendly right? Although cotton is fully biodegradable and à renewable plant-based resource, it still requires large amounts of water. To produce a singular cotton t-shirt, 5400 bottles of water are required.
Despite this, I believe the use of natural fibres is better for the planet in the long term. The garments will not pill or lose shape as easily, and last longer, mitigating the need to buy more garments. Garments made from natural fibres decompose easily, back into the earth and will not be left in a landfill for decades or washed upon shores.
So, what can we do to protect our planet earth?
Firstly, we can reduce our clothing consumption. Excessive buying often results in unnecessary discarding of clothes. We should consider buying secondhand items of clothing to reduce carbon emissions from fast fashion consumption. According to an article by Oxfam, secondhand buying reduces carbon emissions by a staggering 90%. Also, buying a secondhand t -shirt and a pair of jeans can save 20,000 bottles of water. . Supporting smaller businesses that use organic or recycled materials such as Komodo, unfolded, Lucy & Yak is also ethically responsible.
Secondly, we can buy clothing made from natural resources, that are good quality, and will last longer. We need to transition from the current fast fashion models to a more ethical and sustainable model. We need to adopt better practices such as repairing recycling and upcycling. We need to reject the illusion of cheap trends.
It may seem impossible but if we all collectively try to make a few changes, we can make a recognisable difference.
If we continue with fast fashion retail habits, the cycle will not be broken and the planet will continue to be harmed. If a £5 top is made from synthetic fibres how is this going to affect the environment?
Maryam S