What is Fast Fashion?
Why are we concerned with Fast Fashion?
Environmental destruction
Unfair labor practices
Poor quality outputs
Fast Fashion Facts
Each year 80 billion items of new clothing are purchased globally!!
In 2018, the US generated 17,030 tons of textiles but only 14.7% were recycled, according to the US EPA.
In the past 20 years, more clothing has been made from polyester, a synthetic material derived from oil. When washed, polyester clothes shed tiny plastic fibers that pollute waterways.
Wastewater from garment factories often contains dyes containing toxins and heavy metals. Greenpeace has been working to reduce this.
The Fashion Industry accounts for up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emission.
Fast Fashion Videos
The True Cost - 1.5 hour documentary on Fast Fashion (NOTE: there are graphics scenes from the 2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse and ads during this YouTube video)
Made in America - 10 minute documentary of apparel factories in Los Angeles, CA
Alternatives to Fast Fashion:
Buy used clothes
Buy durable clothing that you plan to wear year after year (e.g., capsule wardrobe)
Donate quality clothing for reuse directly to friends or family, or organizations in need
Organize a neighborhood or community clothing swap
Textile Recycling, is that a solution?
It can be part of the solution. If you truly want to recycle old, worn out clothes that you’ve had for a very long time and that aren’t worthy of being reused, then consider textile recycling. If you use textile recycling as a way to clean out your closet so you can fill it up with new clothes, then no, it’s not the answer.
Used Clothing Stores in Gainesville:
Outreach Thrift Store (2430 NW 6th St, Gainesville, FL 32609)
Used Clothing Online Stores
Buying New? Check out this Fashion Accountability Report by ReMake
References:
Bick, R., Halsey, E. & Ekenga, C.C. The global environmental injustice of fast fashion. Environ Health 17, 92 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-018-0433-7
Good on You. What is Fast Fashion