Don’t walk... Run from fast fashion brands

BY ARADHIA BHAGAT

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Sustainable fashion is a term that’s increasingly used (and overused, often with little to back it up) these days, as we all become ever more aware of the serious environmental impact of our clothes —with the industry responsible for a shocking four to 10 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions every year It’s an umbrella term for clothes that are created and consumed in a way that is ethical and environmentally friendly.

Whilst the concept of sustainable fashion sounds ideal,, it is unfortunately not all gremlins and rainbows due to fast fashion monopolies overtaking the beloved fashion industry.

Monopolies such as Zara and H&M, unfortunately, aren't as cool as their clothes.

The environment, economy and fashion industry are paying the price of fast fashion companies mass producing duplicate versions of runway collections which take months to curate in weeks.

Exhibit A:

Zara-a popular fast fashion company- created a dupe of the luxury street wear brand ‘Balenciaga’ iconic sock-shoe.

Not only does this limit the concept of creative expression which the fashion industry is composed of, but it also produces several negative externalities of production and consumption starting from:

• The Environment: Whilst, on surface level, the fast fashion industry has evidently contributed to global economic growth and the GDP (Gross Domestic Product), it is also responsible for slowing down economic development. All of the aspects of fast fashion—trend replication, rapid production, low quality, competitive pricing—combine to have a detrimental impact on the environment and the individuals who work in the garment industry. Apparel and footwear production presently accounts for 8.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, the clothing and textile industry emits 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases each year. In fact, every second, one waste truck of clothing and textiles is landfilled or incinerated, with only 1% of those goods being recycled into new garments. As fast fashion continues to overshadow the entire fashion industry, competition increases and pressures to minimise costs and production time rise, corners are often cut, resulting in detrimental environmental consequences. The usage of toxic chemicals, water pollution and increasing levels of textile waste are major concerns. Toxic chemicals, hazardous dyes, and synthetic materials used in the production of fast fashion clothing leach into water systems inundating the water supply and food chain.

A Vicious Cycle that needs to be broken

On Society:

• Zara produces 840 million garments every year for its numerous stores around the world, frequently at salaries below the poverty line. Wastewater discharge from companies has turned once-thriving rivers in China, India, and Bangladesh into biologically dead zones brimming with cancer-causing toxins.

• According to the Brazilian Ministry of Labor, 300,000 individuals work in slave-like conditions across the country. Along with farming and construction, the textile industry is one of the top three industries with the highest frequency of slave-like labour. Zara is promoting and encouraging the establishment of sweatshops.

• In 2011, it was discovered that AHA, the contractor in charge of 90 percent of Zara's Brazilian production, had subcontracted work to a factory in Sao Paulo that employed migrant workers from Bolivia and Peru in sweatshop conditions to create clothing for the Spanish firm. Workers were discovered to be working 16 to 19 hours a day, with little time off, and owing money to their traffickers. Fourteen of the workers were Bolivians and one was from Peru. One was 14 years old.

Impact on Economy:

• Despite the economic impact, clothing demand continues to rise quickly, particularly in emerging areas like Asia and Africa. In 2050, clothing sales are predicted to surpass 160 million tonnes, more than three times what they are today.

• Fast fashion adds to pollution, poor craftsmanship, and inhumane working conditions in underdeveloped nations, where much of the apparel is produced. But, because of the apparel being produced in other countries, it is also said to be creating a downturn in local manufacturing for developed nations, leading to unemployment.

• Fast fashion has also been criticised for encouraging a "throw-away" culture because the clothes are created inexpensively in a style that will go out of trend rapidly.This leads to more than USD 500 billion being lost each year due to a lack of reuse and recycling, as reported by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Even though sustainable fashion brands such as Vega, and Patagonia exist, they're not a viable solution due to the high price point and regional exclusivity, with consumers in countries such as India being unaware of the impact their clothing purchases have on this world. However, solutions such as thrifting and vintage shopping do exist, but also have pros and cons of their own.

Let us know if you’d like a deep dive into sustainable fashion as a whole, and how viable it is in the real world in the comments below!