Sustainability

in the
clothing
industry
 Aradhana Avinash

Introduction

The clothing industries need for raw materials and labor intensive production processes make it a
community that is frowned upon for its disservice to the environment. The need for a sustainable
lifestyle has skyrocketed in the 21st century showing the public the decision one must make
between the life we can live sustainably and what we are living. Exploring sustainability lies not
only in the resources needed to create a product but also investigating and learning about the
circumstances under which the product was created and how it is disposed.

Causes

The main cause behind the increase of people who are now living a sustainable lifestyle lies in the
effect fast fashion has on the planet. Companies like Zara, Hennes & Mauritz (H & M), Forever
21, Mango etc. are behind the impact and cost of fast fashion on the environment. The main cause
of fast fashion is essentially when the manufacturing and production process is accelerated in order
to a) get new trends into stores to fulfill customer desire for speed within retail chains and b) to
increase margins and profits by producing newer clothes faster. However to truly understand where
Fast Fashion began one must look at a timeline of fashion.

Before the 1800’s fashion was slow-paced and one had to source their own materials, and then
make the clothes. The industrial revolution introduced new technologies: like the sewing machine,
handlooms etc. Clothes became easier, faster and cheaper to make. During the 60’s and 70’s young
people sought after new trends as a form of expression and individuality however during the late
90’s and early 2000’s low cost ‘fast’ fashion reached its peak. Online shopping took off and
retailers like the ones above began to replicate the designs and overlays from fashion on catwalks
and runways quickly and cheaply.

Consequences

The consequences Fast fashion has on the planet are huge. The reputation that ‘fast’ brands have
now to speed up their manufacturing time and reduce their costs means that less attention is paid
to the shortcuts taken that impact the planet. The negative impact includes the use of cheap, toxic
dyes-which according to reputed organizations like Greenpeace contribute to the clothing industry
being the second largest polluter of clean water globally after the agricultural industry.

Cheap textiles like cotton require alarming amounts of pesticide and water in developing countries.
This results in drought and can affect biodiversity and soil fertility. Fabrics like polyester are
derived from fossil fuels and shed microfibers that add to the increasing levels of plastic in our
oceans. According to The True Cost other fabrics like leather chemically impact the environment
300 kilograms of chemicals are being added for every 900 kilograms of animal hide.

The other impact of fast fashion is the human cost it carries. Garment workers are severely
impacted with the dangerous environments, lack of basic human rights and low wages . If we drop
further down to where textiles are originally produced farmers may be working with toxic
chemicals that may affect their health. Most clothes are produced in countries like Bangladesh,
Vietnam, India etc. where clothing warehouses don’t necessarily comply with the United Nations
charter of labor laws. Animals are also impacted by fast fashion as the toxic chemicals and dyes
that are released can be digested and eaten by ocean life. When leather is produced animal welfare
can be put at risk.

The consequences of fast fashion can affect customers itself with the constant need and ultimate
dissatisfaction that is drilled into our mindset with the ‘throw-away’ culture that we practice. This
is because of the speed at which new trends and styles are produced and the fact that we know that
we will always buy something to replace that item.

Personal Perspective

Fast Fashion is easily recognizable by a handful of factors that affect consumers and the
environment. The thousands of styles all inspired by the latest trends. A short turnover time
between when a garment is seen on the runway, celebrity media or when it lands up on clothing
racks and shelves. Manufacturing where labor is the cheapest, usually offshore or overseas where
workers work on low wages and without adequate rights and safety measures. Companies like
Zara stock a limited quantity of a garment so that when new stock arrives customers are compelled
to buy it before they miss the chance. And lastly cheap low quality materials where clothes get
thrown just after a few wears.

Water is another big factor that has an impact on the planet. Most companies that focus on jeans
like Levi’s and Calvin Klein have announced the damage denim has on the environment. Every
pair of jeans needs 7600 liters which is the amount the average human has over a span of 900 days.
The percentage of water used in textile processing that goes into dying the fabrics, which, in many
cases, leads to run off, thereby polluting nearby water sources. The effect that the clothing industry
has on both water reduction and water polluting is devastating.

Conclusion

With the clothing industries never-ending cycle of churning out the latest trends and styles, more
people need to be aware of the endless cycle of throwing away and buying recklessly. Customers
need to be more aware of consciously buying, disposing responsibly and picking high quality items
from brands that weave sustainability into their manufacturing processes. Brands that support fast
fashion must source materials and resources more responsibly while producing as little waste as
possible. Production formats need to be revisited to come up with better solutions for the
 production of jeans & cotton fabric and reducing the amount of wastage on the cutting floor. In
the long term maybe looking at increasing the longevity of a garment rather than the quantity of
new styles produced, for the only constant in fashion is change.

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