The environmental costs of fast fashion | The Independent 4/29/20, 1)55 PM

SUBSCRIBE NOW LOGIN

Women walk past tannery wastewater that is being

NEWS POLITICS VOICES SPORT CULTURE INDY/LIFE INDYBEST VIDEO DAILY EDITION
pumped from a factory straight into the street, in
Cairo’s Ain el-Sirra district
( Reuters )

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS OF FAST

3
FASHION
Water pollution, toxic chemical use and textile waste: fast fashion comes at a huge cost to the environment

Patsy Perry | Monday 8 January 2018 00:00 |

It’s tough to love our clothes and keep wearing them for longer when we
are faced with a tempting array of newness on offer in the shops. But
before you head out into the January sales for those irresistible deals,
spare a thought for the impact of fast fashion on the environment.

Fast fashion focuses on speed and low costs in order to deliver frequent
new collections inspired by catwalk looks or celebrity styles. But it is
particularly bad for the environment, as pressure to reduce cost and the
time it takes to get a product from design to shop floor means that
environmental corners are more likely to be cut. Criticisms of fast fashion
include its negative environmental impact, water pollution, the use of
toxic chemicals and increasing levels of textile waste.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html Page 1 of 8
The environmental costs of fast fashion | The Independent 4/29/20, 1)55 PM

Vibrant colours, prints and fabric finishes are appealing features of

fashion garments, but many of these are achieved with toxic chemicals.
Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of clean water globally, after
agriculture. Greenpeace’s recent Detox campaign has been instrumental
in pressuring fashion brands to take action to remove toxic chemicals
from their supply chains, after it tested a number of brands’ products and
confirmed the presence of hazardous chemicals. Many of these are
banned or strictly regulated in various countries because they are toxic,
bio-accumulative (meaning the substance builds up in an organism faster
than the organism can excrete or metabolise it), disruptive to hormones
and carcinogenic.

TOP ARTICLES 2/5

Thief filmed stealing a food

package from 83-year-old
man's doorstep

Trump says he should win

despite death toll surpassing
the Vietnam

Influencer accused of
antisemitism for Anne Frank
comment

A scientist has a disturbing

00:15 / 00:15 theory for why we haven't met
Pentagon releases three UFO videos taken by US aliens yet

Navy pilots READ MORE

The Pentagon just released
UFO videos after 16 years of
secrecy
Polyester is the most popular fabric used for fashion. But when polyester
garments are washed in domestic washing machines, they shed Most popular
microfibres that add to the increasing levels of plastic in our oceans. New antibody test 'with 99 per
cent accuracy' approved for
These microfibres are minute and can easily pass through sewage and use
wastewater treatment plants into our waterways, but because they do not
biodegrade, they represent a serious threat to aquatic life. Small creatures Boris Johnson and Carrie
Symonds announce birth of
such as plankton eat the microfibres, which then make their way up the baby
food chain to fish and shellfish eaten by humans.
Mile-wide asteroid flies past
Earth in 'close approach', Nasa
says

Bollywood icon and Life of Pi

actor Irrfan Khan dies aged 53

Largest-ever Arctic ozone

hole closes

Promoted stories Sponsored Links

The CDC Recommends Protective

Cloth Masks
Brave New Look

The Best Way to Stop a Barking Dog

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html Page 2 of 8
The environmental costs of fast fashion | The Independent 4/29/20, 1)55 PM

(It's Genius)
BarkBegone
3 The New 2020 Audi A4 Is Here!
Simply Astonishing!
Auto Today | Search Ads
A barrel full of chemical waste lies where a textile factory was demolished
Skip the Doctor and Upgrade to the
The devastating impact of toxic chemical use in agriculture, for growing World's Smartest CPAP
Easy Breathe CPAP Company: ResMed’s AirSense 10 Auto CPAP
cotton, was shown in a documentary called !e True Cost, including the
death of a US cotton farmer from a brain tumour, and serious birth Getting this Treasure is impossible!
Prove us wrong
defects in Indian cotton farmers’ children. Cotton growing requires high Hero Wars
levels of water and pesticides to prevent crop failure, which can be
Lewisville, North Carolina Drivers
problematic in developing countries that may lack sufficient investment Are Stunned By This New Rule
and be at risk of drought. EverQuote Auto Insurance Quotes

by Taboola
Most cotton grown worldwide is genetically modified to be resistant to
the bollworm pest, thereby improving yield and reducing pesticide use.
But this can also lead to problems further down the line, such as the
emergence of “superweeds” which are resistant to standard pesticides.
They often need to be treated with more toxic pesticides that are harmful
to livestock and humans.

Fashion Awards 2017 Show all 9

Sponsored Features
Hair transplants in Turkey:
what you need to know

How electrification can help

combat climate change

David Haye on fighting back

from injury

Educating the workforce of

the future

There is growing interest in organic cotton, with H&M and Inditex, the How snowboarder Billy
Morgan overcame injury to
parent company of Zara, featuring among the world’s top five users of secure Olympic victory
organic cotton by volume in 2016. But overall use of organic cotton
represents less than 1 per cent of the world’s total annual cotton crop. Popular videos

Hunger for newness

Textile waste is an unintended consequence of fast fashion, as more

people buy more clothes and don’t keep them as long as they used to. The
international expansion of fast fashion retailers exacerbates the problem
on a global scale. Wardrobes in developed nations are saturated, so in Thief filmed stealing a food
package from 83-year-old man's
order to sell more products, retailers must tempt shoppers with constant doorstep
newness and convince them the items they already have are no longer
fashionable. New Assassin's Creed game
revealed over divisive

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html Page 3 of 8
The environmental costs of fast fashion | The Independent 4/29/20, 1)55 PM

Read more livestream

Increasing disposable income
The EU is old-fashioned –
levels over recent generations
the Uber decision proves it
means there is less need to “make Meghan Markle speaks with
Smart Works client before her
do and mend”, as it’s often cheaper job interview
Fashion and beauty
stocking fillers for the and more convenient to buy new
festive season than have an item repaired. Busy
Fashion brand BlackMilk lifestyles make many people more
launch Harry Potter time-poor than previous
activewear line
generations, and with the loss of
sewing and mending skills over
time, there is less impetus to repair our garments. The rise of
supermarket fashion that can be purchased alongside the weekly shop
and the regular occurrence of seasonal sales make clothing seem
“disposable” in a way it didn’t used to be. VIEW NOW VIEW NOW

There is interest in moving towards a more circular model of textile

production which reuses materials wherever possible, yet current
recycling rates for textiles are very low. Despite a long-established
national network of charity shops and increasing numbers of in-store
recycling points in UK high-street stores, three-quarters of Britons throw
away unwanted clothing, rather than donating or recycling it. VIEW NOW VIEW NOW

VIEW NOW $8.99 VIEW NOW

What shoppers can do

So, can consumers reduce the environmental cost of fast fashion when
out shopping? Choosing an eco-friendly fabric is complex as there are
pros and cons to all fibre types. Garments which are labelled as being
made from natural fibres are not necessarily better than synthetic, as fibre
choice is only one part of a complex picture. Fibres still have to be spun,
knitted or woven, dyed, finished, sewn and transported – all of which
have different environmental impacts.

For example, choosing organic fabrics is better than choosing non-

organic fabrics in terms of the chemicals used to grow the fibres, but
organic cotton still requires high amounts of water and the impact of
dyeing it is higher than the impact of dyeing polyester.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html Page 4 of 8
The environmental costs of fast fashion | The Independent 4/29/20, 1)55 PM

Models with gas masks display banners as part of a campaign by Greenpeace for top fashion brands to
remove toxic chemicals from their supply chains in Indonesia and address water pollution.

Recycled content is often best of all, as it reduces the pressure on virgin

resources and tackles the growing problem of waste management. For
example, Patagonia was the first outdoor clothing brand to make polyester
fleece out of plastic bottles. In 2017, it decided to rationalise its T-shirt
ranges and from spring 2018, will offer only two fabric options of either
100 per cent organic cotton or a blend of recycled cotton and recycled
polyester, recognising that even organic cotton has a negative
environmental impact.

Apester Newsroom

How well do you know the '-stan' nations?

Which of the following is NOT a
"-stan" country?

Kyrgyzstan

Pakistan
Apester Newsroom
Credit: simon sun / Unsplash

Yrzykystan

Uzbekistan

290
online

The Love Your Clothes initiative from the charity Wrap gives information
for consumers on each stage of the purchase process, from buying
smarter, to caring for and repairing items, to upcycling or

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html Page 5 of 8
The environmental costs of fast fashion | The Independent 4/29/20, 1)55 PM

customisation and finally responsible disposal. Ultimately, the best thing

we can do is to keep our clothing in use for longer – and buy less new
stuff.

Patsy Perry is a senior lecturer in fashion marketing at the University of

Manchester. !is article first appeared on !e Conversation
(theconversation.com)

No one tells us what to write, so we’ll never tell you what to think.
Subscribe to the independent voice you can trust. Start your 1 month free
trial.
MORE ABOUT SHOPPING | FASHION | CHEAP LABOUR | CLOTHES

Show comments

Promoted stories

The CDC Recommends Protective Cloth Masks

BRAVE NEW LOOK | Sponsored

The Best Way to Stop a Barking Dog (It's Genius)

BARKBEGONE | Sponsored

The New 2020 Audi A4 Is Here! Simply Astonishing!

AUTO TODAY | SEARCH ADS | Sponsored

Skip the Doctor and Upgrade to the World's Smartest CPAP

EASY BREATHE CPAP COMPANY: RESMED’S AIRSENSE 10 AUTO CPAP | Sponsored

Getting this Treasure is impossible! Prove us wrong

HERO WARS | Sponsored

Lewisville, North Carolina Drivers Are Stunned By This New

Rule
EVERQUOTE AUTO INSURANCE QUOTES | Sponsored

GARDENING

The online garden centres and nurseries to support during lockdown

HOME & GARDEN

How to learn a new musical instrument online during lockdown

These SUVs Are So Cool It's Hard to Believe They Cost Under
$30K! Research Best Crossover SUV 2020
SUV | Sponsored

How to suspend your Sky Sports subscription online and still get

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html Page 6 of 8
The environmental costs of fast fashion | The Independent 4/29/20, 1)55 PM

all 11 channels
PROMOTED for free | Sponsored
BY THE INDEPENDENT

5 Reasons to Earn Your Master’s Online

UNC GREENSBORO ONLINE | Sponsored

John Travolta's Daughter Is Probably The Prettiest Woman Ever

Existed
HEALTHY GEORGE | Sponsored

INDY/LIFE NEWSLETTER Enter your email address Continue

BE INSPIRED WITH THE LATEST
LIFESTYLE TRENDS Register with your social account
or click here to log in

Comments Learn more

Share your thoughts and debate the big issues

0 Independent Premium comments 3 open comments

Join the discussion

There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts

AMERICAS

‘Hero’ doctor takes her own life after fighting Covid-19 on frontline

ASIA

The most likely explanations for Kim Jong-un’s disappearance

Can't leave the house? Get wine shipped right to you

FIRSTLEAF | Sponsored

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html Page 7 of 8
The environmental costs of fast fashion | The Independent 4/29/20, 1)55 PM

NEWS

Tom Cruise ‘went ballistic’ over shared hotel room,

claims Rob Lowe

Find Local Experts in Lewisville To Fix Your Home Inside and

Out
HOMEADVISOR | Sponsored

NEWS

Jill Gascoine death: The Gentle Touch actor dies aged

83

OUR PRODUCTS OTHER PUBLICATIONS EXTRAS LEGAL

Subscriptions Evening Standard All topics Code of conduct and complaints

Donations Novaya Gazeta Voucher codes Contributors

Install our apps Advertising guide Cookie policy

GET IN TOUCH
Archive Syndication Donations Terms & Conditions
Contact us
Privacy notice
Jobs
User policies

Want a completely ad-free experience? Learn more

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html Page 8 of 8