Supporting the slow fashion movement and committing to taking responsibility for the hand we all have in feeding an industry that is responsible for a staggering amount of natural resource waste and greenhouse gas emissions and largely contributes to the growing harmful environmental landfill dilemmas that plague our planet every minute of every day, is vital. We all have an essential role to play here: choosing to buy second-hand and vintage and making yourself more aware of the good it does, the better we will all be for it.
THE DIRTY TRUTH ABOUT THE FAST FASHION DILEMMA
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As of 2019, the current report shows that 62 million metric tons of apparel were consumed globally.
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57% of all discarded clothing ends up in landfill; the landfills start to pile up, then the trash is moved to an area to be incinerated.
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It takes 10,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of cotton or approximately 3,000 liters of water for one cotton shirt. Furthermore, textile dyeing requires toxic chemicals that subsequently end up in our oceans. Approximately 20% of the wastewater worldwide is attributed to this process, which accumulates over time. As many factories moved overseas, as stated previously, they may be in countries without strict environmental regulations, resulting in untreated water entering the oceans.
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The UN estimates that a single pair of jeans requires a kilogram of cotton. And because cotton tends to be grown in dry environments, producing this kilo requires about 7,500–10,000 litres of water. That’s about ten years’ worth of drinking water for one person.
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If the industry maintains its course, an increase of 50% in greenhouse gas emissions is expected within a decade.
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Fashion accounts for around 10% of greenhouse gas emissions from human activity
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Buy what you need.
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Buy second-hand or vintage; sell your old clothes at a number of reputable online resources or second-hand markets.
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When discarding, pass clothing on to someone who will wear it or to a thrift shop.
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Upcycle your unwanted clothes into something new.
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Learn how to shop for quality and invest in higher-quality clothing.
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Choose natural fibres and single fibre garments.
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Wear clothing for longer.
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Be more aware of how best to wash and care for your item.
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Take care of clothing: wash items less often, and repair them so they last.
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If buying new, buy from sustainable brands with transparent supply chains.
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Look for sustainable certification from the Fairtrade Foundation, Global Organic Textiles Standard, Soil Association, and Fair Wear Foundation.
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Check the Fashion Transparency Index to see how a company ranks in transparency.
https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/7/20/the-impact-of-fast-fashion-on-the-environment
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200310-sustainable-fashion-how-to-buy-clothes-good-for-the-climate
https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2021/06/10/why-fashion-needs-to-be-more-sustainable/
https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/