When discussing the clothes that we wear and how those clothes affect our world, we have to start with the fact that fast fashion is bad for our planet and detrimental to the people who make the clothes. But the thing that makes me joyful and hope-filled, is slow fashion. The idea that the choices we make when we put on clothes has a positive impact on our planet and to the people who make our clothes. So, let’s learn more about the devastating cost of fast fashion and then move into the fun part–getting dressed every day with joy.
The Impacts of Fast Fashion
According to Wikipedia, “fast fashion is the business model of replicating recent fashion trends and high-fashion designs, mass-producing them at a low cost, and bringing them to retail quickly while demand is at its highest.” Because these trends change so quickly, clothing styles are out of date soon after they hit the stores. This, along with the low cost of production, leads to consumers discarding clothes after only wearing them a few times then buying the next season’s styles.
Here are some facts about how the demand for fast fashion is affecting our planet and our people:
- The number of garments purchased per person between 2000 and 2014 increased by about 60 percent.
- Many clothing items are worn only seven to ten times before being discarded.
- Only 1% of all discarded clothing is recycled.
- The fashion industry is responsible for more CO2 emissions than international flights and maritime shipping combined.
- 69% of all clothing is made partially or entirely of synthetic fibers.
- Washing synthetic clothing accounts for 35% of all microplastics in the ocean making them the largest source of microplastic pollution. And those microplastics make their way into our food.
- Less than 2% of garment workers make a living wage.
- Clothing manufacturers have moved from America to countries with a lack of oversight for the textile industry. This move has cost American jobs, and made garment workers in other countries work 16 hour days, 7 days a week, some utilizing child labor.
There are many other factors to learn about fast fashion. I encourage you to do some research on fast fashion and the brands you buy from. Here are some resources to get started:
- The environmental costs of fast fashion
- Fashion for the Earth
- The Dirty Truth of Fast Fashion | How does fashion impact the environment? (video)
- Fast Fashion Is Hot Garbage (video, has some cursing)
- Chile’s Atacama Desert has become a fast fashion dumping ground
The Joys of Slow Fashion
Slow Fashion’s goal is to have a smaller environmental impact while supporting ethical producers, consuming less, shopping second hand and mending what you already have. It is a shift in the way we think about our clothing, similar to the way that the Slow Food movement had us rethink our eating habits. Here are some ways to reimagine your closet:
- Repair, mend and take care of the clothing you already have. A rip can be sewn up, shoes that need new soles can be repaired, socks with holes in the toes can be patched. Check out some innovative local resources for repair:
- Learn to sew, knit or crochet. Take up a new hobby that will help you custom make your own wardrobe. Schoolhouse Fabric is an excellent Floyd fabric store to help get you started. There is a wealth of on-line resources to teach and inspire (these are just a few. A quick search will open up a world of crafty information):
- Shop Secondhand. We are fortunate to have Angels In the Attic, our local thrift store in downtown Floyd. There are other second hand shops in our area too. You can search for them in our Directory.
- Wear natural fibers like hemp, linen, organic cotton and wool. These natural fibers contain no microplastics and will decompose when their usefulness as clothing is done. We have an Organic Cotton T-Shirt company in Floyd, Green Label Organic. Read clothing labels to make sure that the fabric is not a blend of natural fiber and plastic, as these cannot be recycled and won’t decompose. Also read the label so that you know how to properly launder these fabrics. Clothes last longer when properly cared for.
- When you do buy new clothes, shop mindfully. Research the companies you are buying from. Buy classic styles that won’t go out of fashion so that you can wear them for years to come. Buy clothes that will change as your body changes (I’m looking at you, elastic waistband!).
- Buy high-quality clothing. Instead of buying 53 new items of clothing each year, which is what the average American buys, use your money to purchase a couple of well made, natural fiber items each year that will last a long time.
We have the power to change our modern fast fashion culture. Our power comes with how we spend our time and money. By shopping with intention and putting time into what we already have, we can feel good in our clothes.