Fast Fashion
Fast lane to a ruined world….
Well, we made it to February.
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow predicting 6 more weeks of winter.
January 1st seemed so long ago… How are those New Year’s resolutions going?
One of my resolutions this year is NO SHOPPING. I’ve recently fallen back in love with sewing.
When people ask or gasp rather at the question of “No Shopping.” I politely say I have enough clothes, but in all reality, it is my way of helping combat “Fast Fashion.”
What is Fast Fashion?
Fast Fashion refers to the rapid production of cheaply made, inexpensive clothing reflecting current trends.
Retailers quickly bring new styles from all the various runways to stores so that we, the “normal” consumers, can wear these trendy clothes for a fraction of what they should cost.
But at what cost?
First, doesn’t this sound like a dream?
Wearing what all the supermodels and influencers have without breaking the bank.
Yes, it does sound amazing!
I was a huge into fast fashion, especially before any vacation or event. It made me feel good to wear things I adored without having to budget for them.
Until I found out the true price for all of this.
While Fast Fashion makes trendy clothing for a wide audience, my concerns are growing rapidly about the care of mankind and our environment.
The cycle of producing cheap, “disposable” clothing leads to increased waste, pollution, climate change, and, most of all, incredibly poor labor practices.
Several nations supply low-cost labor that fast fashion demands. The industry employs approximately 75 million factory workers worldwide, yet less than 2% earn a living wage. Garment workers endure unsafe conditions, wage theft, exhausting hours, minimal pay, and gender-based harassment.
Let’s revisit the Rana Plaza Collapse
This horrifying tragedy happened on April 24, 2013.
The eight-story commercial building collapsed due to a structural failure. Killing over 1100 people and injuring 2500+ more. It is considered to be one of the deadliest structural failures in human history. It was also the deadliest garment factory disaster. Amnesty International is quoted here saying, “the most shocking recent example of business-related human rights abuse.”
The building, which housed five garment factories, was constructed only seven years before the collapse on the site of a former pond!
It was built without proper permitting, and the fifth and eighth floors were added without supporting walls. The heavy garments and equipment were more than the structure could support. This was knowledge and reported time and time again before that deadly day… but nothing was done.
The hunger for cheap clothing is the cause of structures like this and others that are just waiting to happen.
Poor working conditions, long hours, and little to no pay for those who work in these environments raise red flags.
I also wave a white flag on my present and future purchases from websites like SHEIN, TEMA, H&M, ZARA, FOREVER 21, TOPSHOP, CIDER, HOT TOPIC, and PAC SUN, to name just a short list of the popular websites that promote Fast Fashion without any sustainability practices.
Please don’t get me wrong; I am not free of “sin” from purchasing from any or all of these in the past.
I had a slight idea of what my buying habits were doing, but after my trip to Roatan in 2020, I saw all the plastic and waste dumped into the beautiful crystal blue waters that glide over their fragile dying reef. I asked the question, "How is this happening?!" I quickly learned that large ocean areas fall under no single nation's jurisdiction, making it hard to enforce laws against dumping trash. In other words, dumping and littering is a “shrug your shoulders and throw trash off boats.” Tons of trash are going over huge tanker-size ships. Plastic, textiles, and other "junk" are killing our wildlife without any legal recourse
Let’s also explore The Atacama Desert in northern Chile.
This is the site of a massive clothing dump known as the “fashion industry’s biggest dumpster.” This mammoth dump yard is mainly made up of new clothing discarded by wealthier nations, including Europe, Asia, and North America. Merchants dump unsold ( brand new!) clothing. Pounds and pounds of clothing enter Chile through the tax-free zone in Iquinque. This “clothing” dump is over 1.3 miles or 580 football fields. It is so vast and massive that this dumpyard can be seen from space!
What’s even more concerning is that the clothes are primarily made from synthetic materials, meaning they are not biodegradable. Even the ones that are, it could take up to 200 years for them to break down. As they break down, they release pollutants into the air and underground water channels.
Another concern is that the production of fossil fuel fabrics releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. This is all very bad for our dear planet.
Fossil fuel fabrics are synthetic fibers made from chemically processing oil and gas into polymers. These fabrics include polyester, nylon, acrylic, spandex, and elastane. They are cheaper to manufacture than natural fabrics.
Another big concern is simply wearing these “fast fashion fabrics”.
They can potentially affect our skin and other organs through the release of microplastics when washed. We also inhale and/or ingest, potentially causing inflammation in the lungs and digestive tract. They can also also disrupt hormone balance due to the chemicals used in their production; with our skin being the largest organ in our body, it should be a bigger concern and investigation.
I am not preaching not to buy new clothes, especially when they
are cute!
Since the age of 5, I have been a fashion diva.
The clothes I put on my body put a spring in my step and confidence to face the day. But with knowledge and education I have changed my ways on quantity vs. quality.
I look at the grand picture.
What can we/I do differently and still enjoy without spending a fortune?
First, I must point out that Americans have been buying FIVE times the amount of clothes since the 1980s!
Do we really need all these clothes?
Statistics show that there are enough clothes manufactured right now to clothe every individual on this planet for the next SIX generations.
(A fact that raised an eyebrow on me: SHEIN puts out 10,000 new styles a day!)
Here are a few things I have committed to help:
1. I love upcycling my clothes. I love looking through my closet, finding things I haven't worn in a while, pairing them with different things, or altering them into something new!
2. Swap clothes with friends and neighbors. How many times have we complimented someone, and they say, “This old thing? " Someone's junk is another man's treasure!
3. Shop vintage or co-signment stores. Some of my favorites have come from second-hand shops, especially on all my travels around the world!
4. Shop local! Another favorite of mine. Buying from local artists in the area. I love wearing one-of-a-kind pieces and helping a small business
5. The 30-wear rule: The 30-wear rule is a fashion principle advocating purchasing only garments intended to be worn at least 30 times and avoiding discarding items worn fewer than 30 times.
6.If you know how to sew, Check with local fabric stores for leftover fabric scraps that can be used for smaller projects. If you don’t know how to sew but want to learn, contact me!
Yes, the price tag on Fast-Fashion clothing might be enticing.
I mean, $5 summer dresses?
$5 T-shirts?
But, Is it worth the price of our world, people living in other countries, and, of course, our health?
THANK YOU FOR READING AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS GROWING PROBLEM AND NEW FOUND PASSION I HAVE (fighting against Fast Fashion)…
If I make just one person aware of what is happening, perhaps this will cause a ripple effect, and we can see our way to a better life and world.
"THE GREATEST THREAT TO OUR PLANET IS THE BELIEF SOMEONE ELSE WILL SAVE IT"
As always, be kind to each other, especially to yourself...
And much much love. xoxoxoxo
