The Adverse Effect of Fashion on Our Planet
Fashion is an ever-evolving industry that influences our lives in numerous ways. However, it is the SECOND biggest industry that has major harm to the environment.
Fast ‘fashion’, characterised by its rapid production and consumption cycles, has helped it become a dominant force in the fashion industry. However, the ‘fast’ fashion leads to an irreducible consequences for our environment.
To start with statistics, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of human-caused global carbon emissions:
1.2 billion tonnes of CO2
120 billion garments produced
85% of textiles to landfills which is about 21 billion tonnes a year, with the speed of one garbage truck per second (Chen, X. 2021)
30% wasted before even going on retail!
These statistics show the fast fashion industry contributes significantly to environmental degradation.
It’s not just carbon emissions, the fashion industry is also responsible for 20% of wastewater with the use of water of 79 trillion litres per year:
ONE T-SHIRT = 2,700L one person can drink for 3 years
1KG OF COTTON = 20,000L one person can drink for 22 years
SUSTAINABILITY IS A KEY – SO WHAT DO WE DO?
Recognizing the urgent need for change in the fashion industry, their main spotlight nowadays is on ‘sustainability’.
The fashion industry initially used the linear economy which was more complex, opaque and interconnected. All stages of the linear system model produce carbon emissions and they mainly depend on synthetic fibres for 68% which are cheap, and easy to produce. The rest is shared between natural fibres such as cotton with 26%.
As you can see, the government and the related fashion organisations MUST redesign the chain into a more transparent and reliable process.
The circular economy has been developed by the Ellen Macarthur Foundations, according to their website it refers to ‘a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated’. The circular business models are designed to reduce costs, increase revenues, and manage risks, as well as provide possibilities for the finance sector to contribute to a transition to sustainability. (Ellem Mcarthur Foundations, 2022)
This can be done by individually focusing on raw materials, products, use, and after-use activities. Encouraging recycling and upcycling could be one of the examples of circular economy. By adopting these sustainable approaches, fashion brands can minimize their ecological footprint and contribute to a better, greener future.
AS A CONSUMER, HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN THIS?
Also as a tip for consumers, we also play a vital role in promoting sustainable fashion by making conscious choices, for example buying from ethical and sustainable brands, supporting second-hand markets, and extending the lifespan of our garments through proper care, we can contribute to reducing the environment impact of the fashion industry.
Bibliography
Chen, X., Memon, H. A., Wang, Y., Marriam, I., & Tebyetekerwa, M. (2021). Circular Economy and sustainability of the clothing and textile Industry. Materials Circular Economy, 3, 1-9.
Farhana, K., Kadirgama, K., Mahamude, A. S. F., & Mica, M. T. (2022). Energy consumption, environmental impact, and implementation of renewable energy resources in global textile industries: an overview towards circularity and sustainability. Materials Circular Economy, 4(1), 15.
Gwilt, Alison. A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2020. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/detail.action?docID=6234061.