Environmental impacts of the fast fashion industry
The term “fast fashion” was created in the early 1990s to describe how certain clothing brands had a very short turnaround between the product being designed and being sold in stores. Over the past 30 years, the term has continued to grow with more brands producing lower quality clothes at cheaper prices.
Fast fashion brands such as GAP and Forever 21 can seem appealing to students due to their cheap prices and trendy looks. Of course, buying occasionally from these brands does not make you a “bad person,” but there are major issues with how we consume these products. The fast fashion industry has pushed the message of “disposable clothes.” Once you are done with a product, you can throw it out in favour of the newest trends. Every year, 92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced and the majority of these clothes end up in landfills. One fast fashion giant making waves right now is Shein, which as of 2022 is the largest fashion realtor in the world. Shein is a Chinese-based clothing brand that only functions through an online storefront. Only six percent of its product remains in stock for more than 90 days, which makes it a prime example of the “use-and-dispose” model of fashion.
Not only are clothes from fast fashion brands being thrown out at a faster rate, but washing these low-quality, cheap fabrics releases microplastics into the water, eventually infiltrating oceans and rivers. These microplastics are then consumed by marine creatures such as fish and plankton, which can cause reduced growth and development as well as other toxicological effects. This April, scientists found microplastics in human lungs for the first time. Laboratory experiments have shown that microplastics can damage human cells, but studies have not yet proven that there is an effect of microplastics on human health.
I spoke with Sarah Abernethy, who was a model with the Victoria College Environmental Fashion Show (VCEF) in 2021 and 2022. This club holds an annual fashion show using exclusively recycled and repurposed clothing. She says that it’s important for students to be aware of the dangers of fast fashion because “so many of us are guilty of over-consuming.” She believes that sustainable fashion is a necessary alternative to fast fashion. In terms of what students can do to help the problem, she recommends they thrift their clothes and adds: “Get creative! Sometimes a little can go a long way.”
