Working for a sustainable brand has definitely been an eye-opening experience. I’ve learned so much about the horrible impact one of the biggest industries in the world has on our planet. This industry surprisingly enough being, fashion. The creation of fast fashion has accelerated pollution problems and has really put into perspective how wasteful we are as humans when it comes to clothing. Constantly researching new ways to be a more eco-friendly and sustainable brand has really inspired me to make a change in the way I live and I think it’s only fair to share these tricks and tips with you so that together as a community we can make a positive impact on the world and save the one place that has been taking care of us.
For those who may not know what fast fashion is, here’s a brief lesson. Fast fashion has to do with the creation of inexpensive clothing inspired by runway shows and is produced at an extremely fast rate by mass marketers in order to provide for consumer “needs”. In fact, many brands we love are fast fashion brands, but have you ever sat and wondered how they’re negatively impacting our environment? Although inexpensive prices from stores like Forever21, H&M and Zara may be eye-catching and appealing to almost everyone, much of the products consumed from these retailers end up in landfills. Their non-degradable fabrics don’t allow for a decomposition process which results in clothing sitting in landfills for up to 200 years (Close the Loop). Americans throw away about 70 pounds of clothing per year per person and only 15% of consumers actually recycle their clothing. Not only is this bad for our environment, but it’s also an awful working experience for the people making the clothing. The workers often work extremely long hours with very minimum pay, suffer from unsafe working conditions and can even be victims of sexual, physical and mental abuse.
Fast fashion brands aim to provide consumers with trendy garments at much more affordable pricing but don’t have a care in the world of what happens to that clothing when it’s no longer in use. Ways we can help our environment (which seems to be suffering more and more each day) include not only shopping from more sustainable retailers but also recycling/ upcycling our clothing. Instead of throwing away your clothes consider the following:
- Recycling/ Upcycling- Transform out-of-trend items into the latest trends (ie. jeans you haven’t worn in years into shorts)
- Clothing Swaps- trade items to get max utilization out of them; something that may not be valuable or as important to you can be a missing piece in someone else’s closet
- Donations- many local shelters or thrift shops take donations, so instead of throwing your clothing out, donate it to someone who can really use it
- Shop with more sustainable brands- Although pricing may be a little more on the expensive side, quality is 100% better than cheap fast-fashion clothing which means it’ll last a while before ever needing to dispose of it
- Rent the Runway– gives consumers the opportunity to “Buy less. Wear More” by renting pieces for a certain period of time and then having them shipped back when they’re no longer in use; an excellent way of giving clothes another life cycle
- Buy less- Overall just ask yourself if what you’re purchasing is worth it/ necessary and how much use you’ll get out of it
I understand the excitement that comes along with the fashion industry each season as fashion has been a passion of mine since I was 7 years old, but I truly believe that it’s time for a change even if it’s a small one. The more “goods” these fast fashion brands produce, the worse we will be in the long run. Hopefully, reading this sparked a small thought of change the next time you decide to purge your closet or go shopping. And if I truly inspired you, look into @remakeourworld, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading awareness about the importance of sustainability and join their movement in #wearingyourvalues.