It is commonly said that fashion reflects and leads culture, carrying the responsibility of uniting creativity with respect for natural resources limitations. However, the fashion world is struggling miserably to reconcile with the environment after decades of damage. Sustainability in this sector has become a myth, and the industry’s forced pretense regarding its relationship with nature generates significant controversies.
The Truth About Fast Fashion
The market changes drastically, and along with it, trends shift as well. In an attempt to keep up with the constant changes and fads promoted by influencers on social media, fashion lovers and consumers in general opt for more affordable and quicker options to stay updated with new releases. This dynamic production style is known as “fast fashion”.
The term became known through a 1989 New York Times article that described the opening of the first Zara retail store in the United States. According to the Times, the brand aimed to develop the design and concept of pieces in just 15 days before they reached consumers.
This new production model is attributed to “quick designs, fast manufacturing, fast marketing, and fast retail – leaving no time to consider greater needs”, says Beth Osnes, professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado and an expert on the role of fast fashion in climate change.
The popular designs of this style are called “dupes”, clothes inspired by luxurious pieces created by celebrities or showcased on the runways of renowned designers from international fashion capitals like New York and Paris.
Global management consulting firm McKinsey&Company reported that, thanks to technology and revised business systems, shorter production timelines have allowed brands to “introduce new lines more frequently”. Currently, Zara offers 24 new clothing collections annually. This accelerated proliferation of “newness” serves as a constant attraction to keep customers on websites and in stores.
While brands like Zara and H&M are present both online and in physical retail, fast fashion has served as a bridge for exclusive online retailers like Shein, Temu from China, Boohoo, ASOS, PrettyLittleThing and Fashion Nova to lead sales in digital commerce, which, according to a survey by Octadesk in partnership with Opinion Box, is the preferred shopping method for Brazilians.
Polyester: Much Is Bought and Little Is Known
To maintain excessive and cheap manufacturing due to high demand, a study by the Changing Markets Foundation revealed that most fast fashion items are still produced using non-biodegradable petroleum-based synthetics, like polyester. In other words, fossil fuels are not only powering the machinery that creates these garments but are also the main material from which these clothes are made.
Among online sales websites, Shein is the fastest-growing e-commerce company in the world. According to SimilarWeb, its site ranks first in global traffic in the fashion and apparel category. This has only been possible through the use of polyester, a cheaper, adaptable, and more widely available fiber than natural materials.
In addition to the extraction of its raw material causing various environmental issues, the manufacturing of this resource uses large amounts of energy and water in the cooling process, along with harmful chemicals, like lubricants, which can become sources of contamination if not handled properly. Currently, it accounts for more than half of global fiber production.
In an article published in ACS Publications, researchers found that, in just one wash, a garment made of polyester can release up to 1,900 microfibers. The final destination of this waste is bodies of water and oceans, where the washing water ends up. Greenpeace experts further point out that this synthetic polymer can take approximately 200 years to decompose.
What They Don’t Want You to Know
Public fashion companies often present their environmental, social, and governance performance reports in dense forms to make them seem like brilliant and innovative proposals. However, deciphering what they are truly doing is a challenge. According to the data available in the Fashion Transparency Guide, prepared by Fashion Revolution, about 77% of consumers struggle to research or understand the sustainability credentials promoted by brands, which are often masked by inspiring and positive narratives about what companies intend to do, but rarely about the concrete results of their actions.
Due to the lack of standardized language or regulated structures, most Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Reports do not accurately quantify the complete profile, for instance, of carbon emissions from major brands.
This lack of transparency also results in significant variation in estimates. Statistics from a March 2023 report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicated that about 10% of carbon emitted annually globally is attributed to the fashion industry. Meanwhile, the Global Fashion Agenda estimates the emissions to be 4%. Other numerically unknown damages could be even greater. If nothing changes, the UNEP report projects emissions to grow by more than 60% by 2030.
Based on the analyses and results of the Fashion Transparency Index Brazil 2021, a Transparency Guide was developed to reach a broader and more accessible audience, highlighting indicators related to climate change and biodiversity.
Is Sustainable and Affordable Fashion Possible?
The market is full of less unsustainable alternatives. New ESG strategies, recycling, resale, reuse, and repair are some of the promises sold by companies as “environmental lifelines” to minimize the damage done for over 25 years, but none of these attempts have proven sufficient.
The negative environmental impact produced by the fashion industry remains unknown in exact numbers, yet the urgency for brands to accelerate their commitments to social and environmental issues is a public concern and should encourage us to pursue new trends beyond what pleases us.
For people with low financial means, promotional prices may be more attractive than the model of clothing or how it was produced. This is precisely what separates these sustainable garments from the clientele. According to the Future Consumer Index study, eight in ten Brazilians attribute high costs as the main factor preventing them from purchasing consciously made clothing.
After over 20 years of experimenting with a voluntary approach to fashion sustainability, especially in a time of greater transparency, Non-governmental organization persistence, and increasing environmental concerns, asking customers to combine their purchasing actions with a more sustainable mindset has not worked.
In an effort to reconcile the economy with a conscious production model, circular fashion emerges as a new alternative, where reuse is the main component. The concept of circular economy involves aligning production with ecosystems from the very first stage of the manufacturing process. In other words, durability, the reintegration back into the soil, or the transformation into a new product are considered during the development of an item, so that there is no need to deal with potential resulting pollutants. Thus, everything produced continues in a cycle of use and is maximized for its value.
To avoid conventional recycling, which diminishes the original quality of a fabric, upcycling has emerged as an option. It can be understood as recycling with higher added value, as it transforms any piece that would be discarded into a new product. This encourages users not to buy beyond what is necessary and to make these garments last much longer. This concept is also linked to other sustainability movements, like slow fashion and eco-fashion.
Visual artist Ana Clara Watanabe is an example of a fashion designer who has adopted upcycling and uses reused fabrics in some of her creations.
Additionally, more platforms and blogs are emerging committed to sharing information about sustainable fashion. The platform Good on You is one example, bringing together posts, news, articles, and videos on the topic.
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The article above was edited by Isadora Mangueira.
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