By Freya 26/09/2024
The True Cost of Fast Fashion: Why It's Time to Break the Buy-and-Bin Cycle
Buying fast fashion is that guilty habit you know you shouldn’t do. Quick, cheap, and hard to resist. Brands like Zara, H&M, and Shein churn out on-trend clothes at high speeds and suspiciously cheap prices, tempting us to buy new, cheap and seasonal clothes all the time. But behind the pull of an easy bargain, fast fashion has a much darker, more damaging side. I hope to explain the negatives of fast fashion and how we can stop the buy and bin cycle.
Environmental Nightmare
It’s no secret that fast fashion is one of the biggest polluters on the planet. Here are some statistics that illustrate the damage:
● The fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions – more than flights and shipping combined.[1]
● 85% of all textile products end up in landfills every year – that’s around 92 million tonnes of waste, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
● It takes 2,700 litres of water to make just one simple cotton t-shirt, enough for one person’s drinking needs for 2.5 years.1
Producing fast fashion takes a lot of resources. From the water-hogging of the cotton industry to the synthetic fibers produced from fossil fuels, the environmental footprint is beyond massive. And when you bin that cheap £4 top after one use, it's most likely going to sit in a landfill for centuries, since synthetic fabrics like polyester (commonly used in cheap textiles) can take up to 200 years to decompose.
Exploitation of Workers
Fast fashion is built on the back of cheap labour. Many of the clothes we buy are made in the Global South where labour laws are unfair, wages are low, and working conditions are often unsafe. The Rana Plaza disaster (2013) in Bangladesh, where 1,100 textile work were killed when a factory collapsed, shone a much-needed light on the exploitative and unsafe conditions fast fashion brands so often rely on. Workers can be paid as little as £1 per hour for grueling shifts that last up to 14 hours a day.
Despite global awareness, not much has changed. Brands keep costs low by cutting corners, and workers are the ones paying the price. Every £5 shirt likely comes with a hidden human cost.
Think that £10 dress is a steal? Think again. Fast fashion is infamous for its poor-quality clothes, designed to fall apart after a few washes. And why? So you keep coming back for more. This “throwaway culture” fuels the constant and merciless cycle of overconsumption. It's why the average UK consumer buys 60% more clothes now than they did 15 years ago but keeps them for only half as long.
Fast fashion quite literally isn't built to last. The cheap fabrics and quick production lead to poor durability. When it comes down to it, you probably spend more replacing items than if you’d invested in higher-quality pieces to begin with.
Toxic Dyes and Chemicals
If you own a top which is brightly coloured there's a chance it probably came from a process involving some pretty nasty and downright dangerous chemicals. Fast fashion brands use a wide range of toxic dyes and bleaches to create and colour their clothes. According to Greenpeace, up to 70% of the rivers in China are polluted by the textile industry, and many of these chemicals find their way into our oceans.
These chemicals not only harm the environment, but also put factory workers at risk, as they are exposed to these chemicals on a daily basis.
Advertising and overconsumption
The whole business model of fast fashion is to make us feel like we always need more; more clothes, more trends, more of everything. This has created a toxic and dangerous culture of overconsumption. Social media influencers and celebrities are constantly showing us the latest trends, making it hard to resist the urge to keep up. But this constant buying and discarding is unsustainable, and it's wreaking unbridled havoc on our planet.
So, How Can We Avoid Fast Fashion?
Now that we've highlighted the not-so-glamorous side of fast fashion, let’s talk about how we can break free from it.
Shop Second-Hand
Charity shops, boot sales and online platforms like Depop and Vinted (a personal favourite of mine) are absolute treasure troves of unique, pre-loved items, from furniture to fashion. Buying secondhand is sustainable and more often than not affordable. It’s also a lot of fun and can help you find clothes from stand out pieces to staples.
Support True Ethical Brands
Despite it being all too easy to hop on Shein and buy cheap and quick, try to look for brands that put sustainability and ethical practices first. Many companies now use organic fabrics, pay their workers fairer wages, and try to reduce their environmental impact. While these brands are often more expensive, ultimately, it's an investment in supporting a business that values both people and the planet.
Repair and Upcycle
Instead of tossing out clothes at the first sign of damage, try mending them. You’d be surprised how easy it is to patch up a hole or replace a button. The internet now has a large number of sustainable creators who show people just how to fix and refine clothes. It's easier than ever to try and fix, not throw. Upcycling has become quite popular in the last few years with influencers like Izzy Manuel (Instagram: @izzy_manuel) showing us how they make the old, new.
Whilst we know fast fashion may be convenient and affordable, the environmental, social, and ethical costs are far too high to ignore. By making more mindful and practical choices, we can reduce our impact and send a message to the fashion industry that we value sustainability over cheap, disposable trends. Try to slow down and think about what you're buying and make better choices – because our planet and the people who live in it deserve better.
[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20201208STO93327/the-impact-of-textile-production-and-waste-on-the-environment-infographics