Fast Fashion and Its Effects on the Environment

Red Group

6 April, 2020
 The traditional fashion marketplace has been transformed by the new model, "fast fashion". Fast fashion is

a term that describes low-quality, stylish clothing that is produced quickly to fit in with the newest trend. This

clothing is made to be thrown out and replaced with the next flashy item, popularizing waste culture and creating

massive environmental issues (Brewer). Before World War One, most garments were conserved to last as long as

possible in a family. Families would mend worn-out clothing or recycle it as other usable material. This mindset was

encouraged during the war to reduce unnecessary products and put all assets towards the war. During this time, the

trash production decreased by about ten percent (Claudio). The spirit of World War One did not last long. By the

mid-twenties, consumerism became popular as industrialization in the US grew. Consumer culture derived from

industrialization, and this culture has worked its way into the national economy. The economy began to rely on

consistent production of trendy clothing and the disposal of clothing, just because it is outdated (Claudio). “The

production and consumption of many household goods, including clothing, grew by 10–15% even in the middle of

the war and continues to expand to this day”(Claudio). The fashion paradox is “the relationship between the fashion

industry’s imperative to continually evolve to satisfy consumers’ insatiable desire to acquire the most exclusive,

latest trends, and the consequent loss of exclusivity as consumers acquire the most popular garments” (Brewer). This

contradictory idea inevitably leads to waste because once something becomes in style, it is immediately outdated

due to its popularity (Brewer). The textile industry “is the world’s second most polluting industry after the oil

industry” (“Clothing & Energy”). Only 19.5% of the 55% of brands that publish their annual carbon footprint are

publishing their carbon emissions within the supply chain. Over half of the fashion industry's total emissions occur

in the supply chain (“The Environmental”). Regulations must be put on the industry to publish all aspects of their

carbon footprint, otherwise, consumers will remain unaware of the effects of their overconsumption. A new federal

department or branch of the EPA must be created to regulate the fashion industry due to its large emission rate,

unsustainable products, and usage of water.

The clothing production process produces emissions in all stages. Both the production and supply chain

aspects of fashion contribute substantial carbon emissions, with the worldwide fashion industry's emissions

accounting for 10 percent of all carbon emissions. In 2015, the greenhouse gas emissions from the production of

textiles and fibers was approximately 1.2 billion tons, surpassing the combined carbon emissions from international

flights and maritime shipping. The supply chains of the fashion industry are worldwide (Brewer). The fashion

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industry’s emissions “would rank almost as highly as the entire European continent” (Chinasamy). Energy in the

fashion industry generally comes from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels create a significant amount of greenhouse gas

emissions. The textile and apparel industry consists of many factories, which together consume a large amount of

energy. Over 60% of textiles come from China and India, countries that rely on coal-powered plants (“Clothing &

Energy”). Polyester is produced from oil, a nonrenewable resource. If the clothing demand continues to grow at the

current rate, the total carbon footprint of clothing in 2050 will be 3,978 megatons, close to double the carbon

emissions of India in 2018. That would mean that the fashion industry would take 26% of the worldwide carbon

budget needed to keep the Earth within two degrees of warming (Chinasamy). “One polyester shirt has a 5.5kg

carbon footprint,” over twice the carbon footprint of a cotton shirt (Chinasamy). Natural fibers, as opposed to

synthetic fibers, are much less energy exhausting, but nitrogen fertilizers, used for the production of cotton, cause

high carbon and ammonia emissions (Chinasamy). By 2050, the fashion industry must reduce its emissions by 80%

in order to keep the worldwide goal of keeping the planet under two degrees of warming (“The Environmental”).

Fast fashion items are low-quality disposable garments that are made of unsustainable resources. Garments

made in the fast fashion model are “effectively – another type of single-use product” (Chinasamy). “By 2030 global

apparel consumption is projected to rise by 63%, from 62 million tons today to 102 million tons” (Environmental

Audit Committee). Social media is another driving factor for overconsumption, especially among young people.

Some brands partner up with influencers to advertise their newest clothing, so people are constantly getting

bombarded by new fashion (Environmental Audit Committee). According to a study, “17% of the young people

questioned said they wouldn’t wear an outfit again if it had been on Instagram” (Environmental Audit Committee).

The number of times a clothing item has been worn decreased by approximately 36% between 2000 to 2015. The

average UK citizen has not worn 30% of 115 items of clothing in the past year (Chinasamy). Worldwide,

approximately “$500 billion of value is lost every year through underwearing and a failure to recycle clothes”

(Chinasamy). Synthetic clothing is increasingly more common, and “[in] 2016, 65 million tonnes of plastic was

produced for textile fibres” (Henry et al.). Globally, “about 60% of synthetic fabrics are made of fossil fuels and

85% of that material will end up in landfills, where it won't decay and decompose” (“The Environmental”).

Synthetic fibers, such as nylon, rayon, and polyester, make up a large amount of textiles in the fashion industry.

Because they are plastic-based, they can take 200 years, or more, to fully decompose. Scientists estimate that 85

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percent of human-made pollution on ocean shores are these microfibers. Polyester, the most common synthetic fiber,

is estimated to take from 800 to 1000 years to decompose (Brewer). Additionally, a synthetic garment can release up

to 1,900 separate microfibers into the ocean every time it is washed. Small aquatic life can ingest these

microplastics, and the plastic makes its way into our food chain (“Fashion’s Environmental). Almost “half of

respondents’ most washed items contained more than 30% synthetic fibres” (Environmental Audit Committee). The

average respondent was “doing 2.5 loads of washing per week per household ... equating to 68 million loads of

laundry per week in the UK” (Environmental Audit Committee). Synthetic garments contribute “[as] much as 20%

to 35% of all primary source microplastics in the marine environment” (Environmental Audit Committee). Although

many microplastics are captured in the wastewater treatment plants, the fibers may still return to the environment

when wastewater muck is put on land as fertilizer (Environmental Audit Committee). Microplastics are not

considered hazardous substances in need of removal when it comes to sewage sludge. 50% of this sludge is used for

agricultural purposes, so 125 to 850 tons of microplastic per million inhabitants are discharged annually into

European agricultural soils (Henry et al.). Natural fibers are biodegradable, but they pose a different threat to the

environment. They require much more land, water, and pesticides to make. The main solution for more sustainable

natural fibers is organic fibers. This would eliminate the need for chemicals and related water, used for diluting.

Additionally, better water management would bring down the water use (Environmental Audit Committee). Most

retailers use virgin fibers as opposed to recycled fibers because they are much cheaper. This is because most textile

fibers are damaged and shortened during the recycling process, so most textiles can only be recycled once

(Chinasamy). A similar phenomenon occurs with polyester fabric because “low oil prices make new virgin plastics

cheaper than recycled PET” (Environmental Audit Committee). Many endangered forests are being cut down for the

production of rayon and other cellulosic fibers. The fashion industry's land usage is estimated to increase by 35% by

2030. This means that 115 hectares “would be diverted from conservation, carbon capture and our global food

supply” (Chinasamy).

The fashion industry utilizes water in a wasteful manner. Large amounts of water are used for small

products, and toxic wastewaters are dumped directly into rivers. Annually, the global fashion industry exhausts

about 79 billion cubic meters of freshwater (Environmental Audit Committee). Some of this water is depleted

because “[surface] and ground waters are often diverted to irrigate cotton fields, leading to freshwater loss through

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evaporation, and inefficient water management” (“Cotton”). Cotton is an extremely water-needing plant, and up to

“20,000 liters of water are required to produce one kilogram of cotton” (Brewer). This need for water places

pressure on the water supplies of Central Asia, China, and India, places that already have limited water. The Aral

Sea has already become desert in some areas, partially due to this demand (Chinasamy). If the water used to grow

cotton in India was redistributed for the daily human water needs in India, 85% of these needs would be fulfilled

(“Fashion’s Environmental”) Fiber growing and production uses the most water, but water is also consumed when

dyeing, finishing, and washing clothing. Up to one-fifth of water consumption is used for diluting chemicals

(Environmental Audit Committee). Every ton of dyed fabric can take up to 200 tons of water to dye and finish

(“Fashion’s Environmental”). Additionally, every year, 200,000 tons of dye are lost because of effluents. In

developing countries, where most of America's clothing is made, 90% of wastewater is released into rivers without

treatment (“Fashion’s Environmental”). Some calculations suggest “that the industry contributes 17–20% of global

industrial water pollution” (Brewer). Pesticides and fertilizers that are used for cotton growth can impact the health

of cotton pickers, but also hurt wildlife and plants in the area. Rain and irrigation systems can cause runoff, which

can also hurt aquatic life. Nitrogen-rich fertilizers increase soil acidity and can cause the soil to become barren

(Chinasamy).

Some praise the fast fashion model because it has equalized the benefits of fashion. Prices for clothing are

extremely cheap, so all groups of people have access to popular clothing (Environmental Audit Committee).

Additionally, the British Retail Consortium proposed that “fast fashion resulted in less waste at the store and

warehouse as it is characterised by smaller quantities of each fashion line sourced and quickly sold” (Environmental

Audit Committee). They implied that fashion retailers are using observations from production and consumption data

to construct their products and reduce waste in the supply chain.

Although fast fashion foreshadows a bleak future, there are a number of ways brands can become more

sustainable. Eco-friendly sourcing is becoming increasingly popular as a way to create more sustainable products.

Organic cotton, bamboo and other natural fibers are becoming much more common. While this is a start, "organic

cotton represents only 0.03% of worldwide cotton production". Other brands like Patagonia make their polyester

products out of recycled plastic bottles. Methods like these are extremely sustainable because plastic never truly

breaks down (Claudio). Renewable energy seems like another hopeful solution. It would reduce emissions and

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freshwater consumption (“Clothing & Energy”). To truly combat this environmental problem, consumers must be

actively working against fast fashion. Buying better quality items, extending clothing life, purchasing fewer items,

using detergents that work well at lower temperatures, shopping second hand, and recycling clothing are all ways to

contribute to sustainable fashion (Claudio). Some companies based in Europe have already started requiring brands

to place the clothing's carbon footprint and chemical ingredients on clothing labels (Claudio). Actions like these in

the US government or programs are necessary to successfully create a more sustainable industry and increase

consumer awareness.

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 Annotated Bibliography

Bendix, Aria. "7 Toxic Chemicals Hiding in Your Waterproof, Stain-resistant, and Wrinkle-free Clothes." ​Business

Insider​, 11 July 2019, www.businessinsider.com. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020. This source is helpful in

identifying the chemicals found in everyday clothing. This allows for more research on the environmental

effects of those chemicals.

Brewer, Mark K. "Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World: Promoting Sustainability and Responsibility." ​Laws​, vol.

8, no. 4, 2019. ​Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute​, DOI:10.3390/laws8040024. Accessed 4 Apr.

2020. This source reviews the rise of fast fashion and the lack of regulation to preserve sustainability. It

gives an in depth argument of the issues that fast fashion brings about, and provides research on how

regulation would improve the industry.

Cerullo, Megan. "Fashion Industry's Carbon Impact Larger than Airline Industry's." ​CBS News,​ 19 Apr. 2019,

www.google.com. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020. This source was very informative on the scale of the fashion

industry's emissions. The source also provides ways for people to shop sustainably and combat this issue.

Chinasamy, Jasmine. "'A Monstrous Disposable Industry': Fast Facts about Fast Fashion." ​Unearthed,​ 9 Dec. 2019,

unearthed.greenpeace.org. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020. This source gives detailed explanations of issues that fast

fashion causes. It uses statistics about the textile industry's relationship with the environment.

Claudio, Luz. "Waste Couture: Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry." ​Environmental Health Perspectives,​

vol. 115, no. 9, Sept. 2007, pp. A449-A454. ​PubMed Central,​ doi:10.1289/ehp.115-a449. Accessed 2 Apr.

2020. This source provides a variety of information. It reviews what fast fashion is and the process of it,

and it also provides information on how this fast fashion affects the environment.

"Clothing & Energy." ​The Conscious Club​, 8 June 2019, www.theconsciouschallenge.org. Accessed 18 Feb. 2020.

This source was useful for evidence because it had many statistics regarding the effect of fashion on the

environment.

"Cotton." ​World Wildlife Fund,​ 2019, www.worldwildlife.org. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020. This source is helpful in

understanding the resources put into growing cotton and how unsustainable the methods of agriculture are.

Environmental Audit Committee. ​Fixing Fashion: Clothing Consumption and Sustainability.​ 19 Feb. 2019. ​UK

Parliament​, publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/full-report.html. Accessed

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 1 Apr. 2020. This report explains all of the different problems that the fashion industry imposes on the

environment. It especially goes over the wasteful use of water in the industry and their water pollution.

"The Environmental Cost of Fashion." Written by Robin Young, adapted by Allison Hagan, produced by Karyn

Miller-Medzon and Todd Mundt. ​Here & Now​, WBUR-FM, 3 Dec. 2019. ​WBUR,​ www.wbur.org.

Accessed 4 Apr. 2020. Transcript. This source describes the emissions in the fashion industry, among other

environmental issues, and discusses the long term effects that their carbon footprint will have on global

warming.

"Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling." ​Environmental Protection Agency,​ www.epa.gov.

Accessed 2 Apr. 2020. This source is a study from the Environmental Protection Agency that interprets

textile waste. It is useful in determining the amounts of textile waste over time.

"Fashion's Environmental Impact." ​Sustain Your Style​, www.sustainyourstyle.org. Accessed 2 Apr. 2020. This

source provided different issues that the fashion industry imposed on the environment. These issues were

then easily categorized into lenses, forming the backbone of the paper.

Henry, Beverly, et al. "Microfibres from Apparel and Home Textiles: Prospects for including Microplastics in

Environmental Sustainability Assessment." ​Science of the Total Environment,​ vol. 652, 20 Feb. 2019, pp.

483-94. ​ScienceDirect,​ DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.166. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020. This source went over

the environmental effects of mirofibres in clothing. It was helpful in assessing these pollutants and how

wildlife and marine life is affected.

Josephson, Amelia. "The Economics of Fast Fashion." ​SmartAsset,​ 11 June 2018, smartasset.com. Accessed 4 Apr.

2020. This article is about the role of the fashion industry in the economy. It is explains why fast fashion is

so important in our country and how it benefits the economy.

Mihm, Barbara. "Fast Fashion in a Flat World: Global Sourcing Strategies." ​International Business & Economics

Research Journal,​ vol. 9, no. 6, 1 June 2010, pp. 55-64. ​ResearchGate​, DOI:10.19030/iber.v9i6.585.

Accessed 4 Apr. 2020. This source is a study from ten years ago that evaluates global sourcing in the

fashion industry. It is helpful because it is unlike my other sources, and it shows the scale of the

environmental issues in the eyes of the fashion industry.

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Segran, Elizabeth. "It's Time to Regulate Fashion the Way We Regulate the Oil Industry." ​Fast Company​, 22 Jan.

2020, www.fastcompany.com. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020. This source was very helpful because it gave ideas

of how the fashion industry could become more sustainable if they were regulated more.

United States Government Accountability Office. ​Formaldehyde in Textiles: While Levels in Clothing Generally

Appear to Be Low, Allergic Contact Dermatitis Is a Health Issue for Some People.​ Research report no.

GAO-10-875, Government Publishing Office, 13 Aug. 2010. ​United States Government Accountability

Office​, www.gao.gov. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020. This source provides information on the formaldehyde levels

in clothing. It is useful in explaining the scale of the harm that chemicals in clothing cause for people and

the environment.

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 List of Works Cited

Brewer, Mark K. "Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World: Promoting Sustainability and Responsibility." ​Laws​, vol.

8, no. 4, 2019. ​Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute​, DOI:10.3390/laws8040024. Accessed 4 Apr.

2020.

Chinasamy, Jasmine. "'A Monstrous Disposable Industry': Fast Facts about Fast Fashion." ​Unearthed,​ 9 Dec. 2019,

unearthed.greenpeace.org. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020.

Claudio, Luz. "Waste Couture: Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry." ​Environmental Health Perspectives,​

vol. 115, no. 9, Sept. 2007, pp. A449-A454. ​PubMed Central,​ doi:10.1289/ehp.115-a449. Accessed 2 Apr.

2020.

"Clothing & Energy." ​The Conscious Club​, 8 June 2019, www.theconsciouschallenge.org. Accessed 18 Feb. 2020.

"Cotton." ​World Wildlife Fund,​ 2019, www.worldwildlife.org. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020.

Environmental Audit Committee. ​Fixing Fashion: Clothing Consumption and Sustainability.​ 19 Feb. 2019. ​UK

Parliament,​ publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/full-report.html. Accessed

1 Apr. 2020.

"The Environmental Cost of Fashion." Written by Robin Young, adapted by Allison Hagan, produced by Karyn

Miller-Medzon and Todd Mundt. ​Here & Now​, WBUR-FM, 3 Dec. 2019. ​WBUR,​ www.wbur.org.

Accessed 4 Apr. 2020. Transcript.

"Fashion's Environmental Impact." ​Sustain Your Style​, www.sustainyourstyle.org. Accessed 2 Apr. 2020.

Henry, Beverly, et al. "Microfibres from Apparel and Home Textiles: Prospects for including Microplastics in

Environmental Sustainability Assessment." ​Science of the Total Environment,​ vol. 652, 20 Feb. 2019, pp.

483-94. ​ScienceDirect,​ DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.166. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020.

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