Zlata Fashion

From clothes that do not fit anymore, items that have gone out of fashion, or even clothes that have never been worn, consumers discard enormous quantities of fashion items each year. In America alone, the average person throws away around 81 pounds (37kg) of clothing yearly. This leads to a staggering 85% of textile produced in the country ending up in landfills or being burned.

To produce a typical pair of janes alone, it takes around 2,000 gallons (7.6 cubic metres) of water. When you put together all the jeans and clothing produced each year, the sector is consuming monstrous amounts of water. However, that is not the only issue concerning environmentalists. Much of the water used is left contaminated by toxic chemicals. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 20% of global wastewater comes from textile dyeing alone.

On top of CO2 emissions being one of the major sources of pollution deriving from the fast fashion industry, garments are also a huge source of microplastics. A large portion of clothing made today uses durable and cheap materials such as nylon or polyester. It is estimated that approximately 60% of fast fashion items are produced with plastic-based (which is made from fossil fuels) fabrics. Throughout their life cycles, these fabrics are significantly contributing to the worldwide plastic pollution crisis. With each wash and dry, especially the latter, sheds microfilaments that move through our sewage systems and end up in waterways. Researchers estimate that half a million tons of these contaminants reach the ocean each year.

Given its business model, fast fashion is inherently among the most environmentally damaging industries in the world and it is contributing to global pollution and climate change in an astronomical way. If fast fashion were a country, its carbon emissions would rank almost as high as the entire European continent. The emissions derive not only from the manufacturing process itself but also from the shipment of clothing around the world, as well as their disposal.

A 2016 study found that brands consciously target young consumers, often students with low incomes, with females of this age group found to shop in fast fashion retailers more than any other demographic groups. Not surprisingly, cheap prices and trendy styles are the key attractions for such audiences. In fact, the authors of the study argue that young consumers are usually more willing to sacrifice premium quality for a lower price and more variety.

That translates to nearly 14 items for every human being on the planet. Based on these jaw-dropping high figures, it should come to no surprise that global clothing production represents the third largest manufacturing industry in the world, preceded only by the automotive and technology industries.