The Fashion Industry is Not Sustainable
You've probably heard the term "sustainable fashion" before, but what does it actually mean? Everything has an impact on the environment, and the clothing industry is no exception. As a person who has always been interested in fashion, it was eye opening for me to learn the ways fashion is harming the earth.
One of my first introductions into the harmful effects of the fashion industry was the documentary "The True Cost". The film takes you through the way our clothes our made and how we are paying for it through environmental impacts and human rights abuses.
A big problem is the rise of "fast fashion" and the way trends move so fast these days. Every season new styles pop up, and stores have to keep pushing out more product to keep up with the demand. I place some of the blame on instagram and social media for making people feel like they can never wear the same outfit twice and for encouraging new trends seemingly every day.
As these clothing companies keep manufacturing more and more clothes, more and more of our resources are being used and more chemicals and dyes are being pushed out into the environment. Not only that, but many of these companies rely on laborers who are working for extremely low wages or being exploited in other ways.
Waste is a huge factor in how fashion impacts the environment. When trends are moving as fast as they are, people buy low quality clothes and get rid of them as soon as the next trend pops up. These clothes often end up in piles in landfills. Donating clothes is a better option, but even many donation centers are filled to the brim with clothes than unfortunately no one will end up wearing.
There are things we can do to help reduce the impact our clothing choices have on the world, though. Try not to treat your clothes like they are disposable. Don't give in to trends and buy things you know you won't wear within a year. Focus on buying higher quality products that will last longer. Look into where the companies you buy clothes from are doing their manufacturing. Another great option is to shop secondhand. Instead of buying something new, add something to your closet that is already out there.
This is only a small introduction to the problem the fashion industry faces when it comes to environmentalism, but as consumers we can do our part to find out more about where our clothes come from, and where they go when we're done with them.
