Did you know that the fashion industry is the second-largest polluter in the world? Fast fashion is one of the responsible for making fashion become number two, just after the oil industry. Fashion is moving so fast that the world can’t handle it, however, there are some options and resolutions to mitigate these problems. Up next are some solutions to this massive destroyer of plant Earth.
Image Credit: https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/synthetic-fibres-contribute-to-plastic-pollution-1459750-2019-02-19
Most fashion consumers that are supporting this sustainable movement consider that only recycling clothes, is the ultimate solution; still, it is not enough. In most countries that garments are made, they used toxic wastewaters and also use a tone of water, which then is unusable afterward. The water pollutants that the factories use are toxic ingredients such as mercury, arsenic, and dyes; every year 200,000 tons of dyes are realized in untreated rivers around the globe. These substances are poisoning the river´s water affecting the aquatic life and the health of millions of people that use this water. What can we do about it? Buy clothing that comes from countries with stricter environmental regulation for factories and buy clothes made up of natural fiber that doesn’t need chemicals to be produced.
As clothes have become a whim and no more a necessity, fast fashion has become stronger. People now buy huge amounts of clothes a year, probably that will be used only once in their lifetime. An average family throws away 30 kg of clothing every year; with luck, 15% is recycled or donated, and the rest goes to landfills or is burned. Because of how fast the industry is moving, these textile factories produce synthetic fibers, such as polyester. These fibers are plastic-made, so they are non-eco-friendly and can take 200 years to decompose. Some solutions are: choose natural fibers clothes and buy fewer clothes that are better quality or recycle.
Image Credit: https://www.nrdc.org/issues/encourage-textile-manufacturers-reduce-pollution
During the production, manufacturing, and transporting of the garments is producing a lot of greenhouse gases. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions; meaning that 23 kg of greenhouse gases are created by 1 kg of fabric produced. Synthetic fibers are made-up of fossil fuel like carbon, making production to need more energy than other factories. The solution is to buy clothes that are made in countries that use renewable energy.
Recycling helps to heal our planet, however, it is not enough. As fast fashion is now part of our daily living, we as humans must change. The first step lies in building awareness and agreeable to change. Sustainability and slow fashion must be part of the fashion industry´s name. If you want to buy clothes, research some sustainable fashion brands and you will become part of the change.