This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WVU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

I am incredibly guilty of overconsumption. I see things, I want them immediately. I need to be better, and so do we all. Fast fashion is affecting our environment, especially our oceans. In order to make a change, we need to understand what’s really going on. I’m here to tell you.

What is it?

What is fast fashion? Fast Fashion refers to mass-produced clothes that are made and sold quickly and cheaply. This enables people to buy more clothes more often. Fashion industries used to release clothes four times a year, new clothes for every new season. Now, some companies are producing new lines once a month or even once a week.

We are almost doubling the amount of clothing today than we did in 2000.

Microplastics

Microplastics are pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters in size. About 2 million tons are released into the oceans every year. Clothing (especially polyester) sheds tiny plastic fibers. This happens during manufacturing and when you wash your clothes at home. These plastic pieces end up in rivers and oceans because they can’t be filtered out of wastewater microplastics build up a lot of ocean pollution over time.

How does this affect marine life?

Marine animals mistake microplastics for food. Consumption of these tiny plastic pieces can block their digestive system or expose them to harmful chemicals. A trophic transfer is the process of passing energy and nutrients from one organism to another, typically through consumption microplastics can affect larger animals; they move up in the food chain.

Overproduction & Waste

Materials, like synthetic materials, that companies are using to make clothes don’t break down, which leads them to make their way into landfills. Large proportions of clothes get sent straight to landfills, rather than being recycled. It turns into a slow-release system for pollution; landfills slowly leak pollution into oceans

Who are the biggest fast fashion companies?

Shein, Forever 21, Fashion Nova, H&M and Zara are the biggest fast fashion companies. If you have shopped at any of these stores, don’t feel bad, I have too. Going forward, we all just have to be a little more mindful of where we shop!

What can be done?

Brands can use more sustainable materials, filter the wastewater before dumping it, policymakers should enforce stricter laws, and people can educate themselves on environmental impacts, sharing information on the effects of fast fashion.

Local communities or places like our campus can organize clothing swaps, thrifting events and awareness campaigns. We could partner with sustainability groups to engage college students on campus to be more responsible in consumption. Raising awareness would be great to educate people on how fast fashion affects the environment. This can start a meaningful change.

What can you do?

Choose better materials when you shop

Avoid synthetic materials
Natural fibers are better: cotton, linen, wool

Wash your clothes smarter

Wash less often
Use cold water

Donate or resell

Donate items that people can still wear to thrift stores or local organizations
Give old clothes to friends
Repurpose old clothes

Avoid impulse buying

Spread awareness

I understand that it’s difficult to always be perfect when it comes to shopping for clothes. Fast fashion is cheaper and more accessible. Start small! Small changes matter. Buy a little less, choose better materials when you can and understand what you already have and what you need. No pressure to be perfect, just acknowledge when something you’re doing isn’t the best for the environment!

THE REAL ISSUES WITH FAST FASHION