The Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion

FAST FASHION

The Anthropocene: Earth in the Era of Humans

The impact that human activity has on the environment has been well-documented. This is more so the case when it comes to deforestation, the burning of fossil fuels, as well as pollution and overpopulation. What has however received less attention is the detrimental impact of fast fashion on the environment. This is the issue that the discussion below will focus on.

From the onset, it would be prudent to note that fast fashion, as Smith (2020) observes, could be conceptualized as the mass production of garments and clothes that are rather cheap (i.e. offered for sale at low price points) and meant to capitalize on the latest trends and fashion. For this reason, the demand for the said clothing happens to be rather high. However, although they are produced at low-cost, the impact that the entire production process has on the environment happens to be rather high. Retailers in the fast fashion realm are inclusive of, but they are not limited to; H&M, Forever 21, and Zara (Maiti, 2020).

To begin with, it should be noted that according to Le (2020), fast fashion is associated with the pollution of our water bodies. This, according to the author, is more so the case given that toxic chemicals are often required in the dyeing process to produce all those trendy and colorful clothes displayed in apparel stores. This is an assertion further advanced by Maiti (2020) who indicates that dyeing and finishing happens to be one of the top 3 drivers of pollution attributable to the clothing sector. Le (2020) is also categorical that this process alone is responsible for around 20% of waste water across the world. The problem is especially aggravated by weak regulation in some countries, specifically developing countries, where most manufacturers have set up operations in search of cheap labor and access to raw materials.

Next, there is also the issue of excessive utilization of water. According to Le (2020), of all the water that factories use in their industrial processes, 10% is specifically consumed by the fashion industry. Water wastage does not augur well with the environment. This is more so the case given that from a biocentric point of view, water is crucial for the survival of a wide range of other species. Thus, overuse of water in the advancement of the fast fashion agenda means there is less freshwater for these other species. Maiti (2020) also indicates that according to a recent report by Quantis International, the production of fiber has been shown to have a massive effect on freshwater diversion.

Lastly, there is also a major concern relating to plastic microfibers. These are the fibers originating from synthetic fabric clothing. According to Le (2020), a huge percentage of plastic microfibers in our oceans today could be traced back to synthetic fabric clothing. The fast fashion industry worsens the situation on this front owing to the abundant supply of synthetic fiber clothing to satisfy massive market demand for the same. It is important to note that in addition to taking a long time to decay/degrade, plastic releases toxic substances to the environment when they finally break down (Le, 2020). This, as the author further indicates, could end up harming entire marine ecosystems.