Why Fast Fashion Isn’t Slowing Down.

By Meg J Gardner Published: April 10th 2023

We’ve heard of it, seen it and spoken about it – but do we really know what it is? Since ‘sustainability’ became a focal point over a decade ago, consumers have been trying to pin-point what it means to be truly sustainable and what it is that makes the current state of the fashion so nonfunctional.

The Current State Of Fashion:

As consumers of fashion there are some key words we need to focus on when it comes to slow fashion to truly understand its purpose: Sustainable, Ethical, Responsible. As consumers, 'Slow Fashion’ refers to our approach to clothing.

‘Studies show that on average, Americans purchase a new piece of clothing every 5 days. That’s roughly 73 new pieces of clothing per person per year!’

We currently exist in an industry that is over consumed and has long lasting & devastating effects. Studies show that on average, Americans purchase a new piece of clothing every 5 days. That’s roughly 73 new pieces of clothing per person per year! Which, with a population of well over 300 million, results in over 21.9 trillion pieces of clothing purchased each year. On the surface this might not seem like a huge deal. The industry provides jobs and improves the economy, so what’s wrong with that? If we take a deeper look into the producer's side of the story and how our clothes are made, we can start to clearly see how unsustainable the above issue becomes. 

There are approximately 23.5 billion pieces of clothing produced by China each year – enough to facilitate all American consumer purchases. Chinese garment factory workers typically earn the equivalent of between $5.36 to $11.90 a day,  and with days usually consisting of over 9 hours, they can be paid pennies for each garment they produce. These workers are often living on the poverty line, if not in extreme poverty, frequently working in very poor working conditions with very little working rights or voice. Doesn’t sound particularly ethical, does it? 

The End Result:

So far we’ve looked at the beginning of a garment life-cycle, let’s look at the end result. There is roughly, over 92 million tonnes of clothing waste produced each year – to put that into perspective, that’s the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of clothes ending up in landfill every second. While we might take the view that we’re only throwing out a couple pieces of clothing a month, when you scale that up to a whole population taking the same action, it suddenly becomes a much bigger issue than just ‘a couple pieces of clothing’.  

One of the biggest issues with landfill is the environmental impacts. From the 1,250 landfill sites within the US to the production of methane gas and carbon dioxide among other greenhouse gases. These are huge contributing factors to climate change. Alongside the indirect factors such as chemical waste and traffic, there is of course the obvious damages to habitats and animals, with over an estimated 1.8 million acres of habitat lost to landfills. This estimate is the direct space taken up by the sites and doesn’t even take into consideration the damage to water habitats and ecosystems from leaking toxins and contaminants. 

‘If it is so bad for the planet, then why do companies still use fast fashion business models? The answer is simple… because we buy it.’

We then look at the rate of increase in consumption to understand the direction the industry is heading. The industry is set to triple global production by 2050 to more than 160 million tonnes of clothing. The vast majority of these garments are made from polyester and nylon that come from fossil fuels which we already know is in short supply and has a great cost to use. But it is not just synthetic fabrics that are damaging the environment. Cotton production requires a significant amount of carbon dioxide and water to turn the fiber into garments. The current manufacturing methods simply cannot keep up with the  production of the fashion industry.

If it is so bad for the planet, then why do companies still use fast fashion business models? The answer is simple… because we buy it.

Businesses strive to be profitable and more often than not, they don’t care how they get there. So it becomes the consumers’ problem to solve – if we stopped  consuming fast fashion, the fast fashion market would crash. Brands would have to start being more ethical, responsible, and sustainable. Rather than focusing their advertising on the latest celebrity trend, they would be forced to focus on demonstrating how they care for their employees and workers. Showing that they pay fair ethical wages, source their fabrics responsibly and consider the impacts of mass producing. Consumer demand would force them to indicate how they are being sustainable and reducing their carbon footprint and working towards a circular business model. 

What Can We As Consumers Do?

We can take immediate action as consumers ourselves. There are already brands out there who are highly transparent about their manufacturing methods. They are open about the wages of those who make the garments and where the fabrics are sourced from. By starving big fashion giants of our purchases and shopping with  smaller, more ethical and responsible suppliers, you can reduce your own carbon  footprint and improve your wardrobe’s sustainability. 

Even donating your old clothes to charity shops or dropping off at donation sites can drastically improve the landfill situation and help those in need of clothes for warmth or even for those looking for a good bargain or vintage piece! Or you can make an effort to take care of your existing wardrobe and throw out less pieces, giving your existing purchases a longer life span.

While we keep consuming, fast fashion brands will keep producing. So start demanding more from your clothes and less from the planet and keep in mind next time you buy – Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable. 

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