Chasing Trends or Saving the Planet: Fast Fashion v.s Sustainable Fashion
We all love the thrill of snagging trendy, affordable clothes that make us feel stylish, but what if the fast-fashion pieces we adore are fuelling a cycle of waste and pollution? As our wardrobes grow, it becomes increasingly important to think of the hidden costs of these trends.
The attraction to fast fashion lies in its promise of trendy yet affordable clothing items, but behind its shiny surface lies a trail of environmental harm. According to the David Suzuki Foundation, Shein, which is a major fast fashion company, releases over 6.3 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide each year, which is equal to 180 coal-powered plants. Furthermore, according to Janet Domentiz and Celeste Meiffren-Swango, two researchers and writers at PIRG, an organization dedicated to advocating for customers, "In the United States, we generate enough textile waste to fill the Mall of America - the largest shopping mall in the country - every six days."
When a shopper goes on one of these companies' websites - Shein, H&M, Zara, and others - they are immediately drawn to the latest trends that promise to make them fashionable. However, what is often missing from these glossy descriptions are the health and environmental effects. These companies tend to prioritize speed and profit over the long-term consequences of their actions. Yet the rise of sustainable fashion alternatives is forcing consumers to become more aware of the impacts of their clothing choices.
Sustainable fashion is about creating and consuming clothes in a way that minimizes environmental impacts by focusing on eco-friendly materials. Yet a common misconception is that sustainable fashion tends to be more expensive than fast fashion companies since sustainable companies use higher quality material and smaller production quantities, which is the main reason most people turn their heads away. At first glance, when faced with the choice of the same shirt for $80 from Pact, a sustainable brand, or $10 from H&M, a fast fashion retailer, the $10 option from H&M might seem like the obvious choice. However, in the long run, clothes from a sustainable company tend to have a longer life-span than clothes from a fast-fashion company. Now that you know that the $10 shirt from H&M will have a lifespan of 2 years while the $80 shirt from Pact will have a lifespan of 15 years, the $80 one seems to be the more appealing choice. Although this is just one shirt, when a customer buys an abundant amount of clothes from fast fashion companies and has to repurchase clothes in a short amount of time, the costs add up.
According to Patrick Thomas, a past CEO of Hermès, a company making its way to becoming environmentally friendly, "Sustainability is about going back to common sense. We have to stop over-consuming, we have to be smart in the way we utilize the natural resources of the planet, and we need to change our consumption attitude and behavior." As the debate between fast fashion and sustainable fashion continues, it is clear that the true cost of our clothing choices goes far beyond the price tag. Changing our mindset and purchasing habits is not just a trend; it's a necessary step toward a more sustainable future for both the fashion industry and the world.
Contacts
https://ecolineclothing.com/blogs/news/fast-fashion-vs-sustainable-fashion-the-environmental-impact
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-fast-fashion
https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/the-environmental-cost-of-fast-fashion/
https://pirg.org/articles/whats-the-problem-with-fast-fashion/
https://www.mycoworks.com/blog/true-cost-of-sustainable-fashion-fast-fashion-carbon-footprint