Remember cow print? How it got slapped onto everything– jeans, jackets, bucket hats? What about bows, ruffles, and cherries? Before packing landfills and incinerators, these microtrends stuffed teens’ closets and big corporations’ pockets. Companies such as Zara, H&M, and Target have all turned in favor of fast fashion, slowly fueling global warming. But how exactly does fast fashion affect the environment, and what can the world do to prevent it?
During the rise of cheap fashion sellers like SHEIN and Forever 21, teenagers flocked to stores and apps to purchase clothes with the newest trends. Soon enough, these clothes would become a thing of the past as social media made way for a new two-week trend. Now that they were unpopular, teens lost interest in the outfits, forgetting them in the back of their closet or even throwing them away. Studies have found that the number of times a piece of clothing is worn has decreased by 36% in the last 15 years, with garments only worn an average of seven to ten times.
Clothing that is discarded or returned typically ends up at a landfill or an incinerator. In the U.S. alone, around 2.6 million tons of returned garments ended up in landfills in 2020. Once textiles end up in incinerators, they are burned, accounting for 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Clothes that use animal-based fabrics, such as wool and silk, are also responsible for endangering species and habitats.
“There aren’t enough people concerned about the process of creating such a large amount of textile waste and all of the emissions put out into the atmosphere… along with the numerous other environmental impacts that fast fashion has,” said PPCHS junior Xavier Reid-Morgan.
Reid-Morgan helped spearhead SGA’s Environmental Week, which aimed to encourage PPCHS students to help improve the environment. At the end of the week, they recycled old shirts into tote bags.
“There are so many articles of clothing I have sitting around in my closet that I’ve forgotten about… so instead of buying new clothes from a huge website, why not repurpose [them]?” he continued. “Cut it up, sew it, stitch it, there’s so much we can do with what we already have.”
Though some textiles are made with the animal-based fibers mentioned above, most companies will go the cheaper route, using polyester and nylon. Both of these are synthetic fabrics, which are man-made and contain numerous chemicals, such as flame retardants and formaldehyde.
While not all chemicals are inherently harmful, chemicals such as these can have short- and long-term effects on the human body and the environment. Polyester and nylon create microplastics, which are non-biodegradable and often pollute water when clothes are washed. Microplastics, when ingested by marine animals, can cause reproductive and developmental issues, among other consequences.
Instead of shopping at stores that have a new fashion line or trend setup every time you enter, opt for more eco-friendly alternatives. While thrifting has also seen a rise in donations from SHEIN and other fast fashion companies, it is still a way to consider affordability while supporting the environment. Used clothing apps such as Depop or Vinted can also be a more sustainable option (Be sure to verify a seller’s credibility before purchasing!). If you have a sewing machine or even just an interest in crafts, upcycling and “flipping” old clothes is another beneficial route.
“I think thrifting is so much better [than fast fashion]!” said PPCHS sophomore Reagan Koch. “The whole opportunity to buy secondhand clothing is such a better concept than creating more waste on this Earth.” Koch noted how thrifting can also be a fun outing for friends who want to move towards more sustainable approaches to shopping.
After considering the ramifications of fast fashion, think twice before swiping your card at H&M, or typing your mailing address on SHEIN. Instead, remember the future of the global environment. Remember that you can help preserve the ecosystem, one pair of jeans at a time.
