Could our clamour for cheap clothing be hurting the environment?
Buying clothes at Christmas for your wardrobe or as gifts for loved ones is an essential part of expressing self-love and our love and appreciation for others. Yet, before clicking the link on that phone or tablet it is good to reflect. Ask yourself if the item is a good purchase? Is it value for money and what impact it is having on the environment and working conditions of others? To quote fashion designer Vivian Westwood, “buy less, choose well, make it last.”
The growth of Fast Fashion
The fashion calendar was once two seasons: Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter. Yet, as Casandra Elrod of Missouri University noted, retailers began to update their products more frequently to keep up with trends. The growth in production and consumption was sustained by more efficient supply chains, quick manufacturing methods, and a significant reliance on low-cost labour. This made it possible to add an additional three to five mid-seasons to the calendar. It fed into a form of shopping in which we buy something not because we need it but because it looks good. It was sustained through fashion magazines and other outlets. This overconsumption manifested as a constant need for new things and self-gratification and was facilitated through the rapid production of inexpensive, low-quality clothing. A win-win situation for the producer as the cheaper the garments are to produce, the more profit can be made. This is better known as fast fashion, which is typically though not exclusively, marketed towards women and sustained through this season’s “must haves.”
It has been compounded by micro seasons or ever-changing clothing apparel. In many respects fast fashion has given way to ultra-fast fashion which has a quicker turnover. Ultra-fast fashion is generally offered by a host of online retailers alongside online influencers who operate on social media apps such as TikTok.
The Human and Environmental Costs
This model of poor quality, high-volume merchandise, sold cheaply, has been traditionally sustained through the exploitation of workers, again mostly women. Ironically, they are the true fashion victims. This is why mass production is often outsourced to countries with low labour costs, and countries in which workers are forced to do mandatory overtime, receive inadequate pay, and work under poor conditions. They include a lack of ventilation, dangerous chemicals, and unclean drinking water. Ultimately, high demand comes with high human costs.
Fast fashion impacts the environment in a number of ways including carbon emissions, and the depletion of non-renewable sources. The fashion industry is not only the second largest polluter of water globally but it also has a massive drain on water supplies. In 2017 it was recorded that the industry consumed 79 billion cubic metres of water. By 2020 that number rose to 79 trillion litres of water per day. Cotton which is used predominantly in clothing, for example, uses 10,000-20,000 litres of water per 1 kilogram. A more concerning substance perhaps is polyester, a cheap non-biodegradable substance, that is not only extremely energy intensive (requires masses of crude oil), but its byproducts contain hazardous emissions including micro plastics which contribute to marine pollution.
Landfill
Cheap, trendy clothes are often thrown away which contributes to landfill waste. While, the clothes that are recycled in centres the world over do not always end up where we think they might. Some are resold in Third World countries at flea markets. However, fast fashion clothing is of such an inferior quality that it cannot always be resold or reused, so it ends up in places like the Fast Fashion Graveyard in Chile and is often burned, which is pollution again.
What is being done and what can be done?
Governments often pay lip service to environmental clothing issues but need to be more actively involved in the fashion industry’s damaging effects. This issue is becoming more prevalent for the Irish government and Dublin MEP Barry Andrews has called on them to introduce a levy on ultra-fast fashion products sold in Ireland. This industry, however, has not generally committed itself to climate goals or other sustainable practices. On the brighter side big garment producers like German sportswear multinational Puma have embraced sustainability and have set climate goals, and Ralph Lauren has announced that it will use 100% sustainably-sourced key materials by 2025. The most sustainable of the big international companies is perhaps Patagonia.
Yet, feeding the fast fashion monster is not just a governmental issue. It comes down to us, the consumers. Did you know that Irish people consume double the number of textiles than the EU average. In this regard we are leading the way in overconsumption. Of course, we need to buy clothes. But this can be balanced with a need to minimise microplastic impact, and reduce hazardous chemicals in manufacturing, as well as landfill issues.
So, what can we do as individuals? Firstly, instead of buying cheap poorly made clothes that only last a couple of washes, we can purchase a quality item that can be used year in year out. We can also buy from a retailer that is conscious about how clothing is made. We could equally swap clothing with friends and family or buy from a charity shop. We can also be conscious of mixed fibres which are not so easily recycled and look out, for example, for 100 percent cotton products.
Sustainable Clothing Outlets in Ireland
If you are looking to find sustainable retailers, one that is ahead of the game in Ireland is the Human Collective, an Irish Urban Leisure clothing company which offers jumpers, hoodies, t-shirts, shorts, joggers and children’s clothing all made using the softest certified organic cotton (GOTS) and recycled polyester. They can be found at St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2 or at the website: wearehumancollective.com
Fresh Cuts Clothing is an advocate for manufacturing that respects people, the environment and animals. It is an independent family business that designs in house fashion and is printed in Dublin. It offers a collection of men, women and kids organic cotton apparel. They also stock carefully selected sustainable and ethical brands from all over Europe. They can be found at Castle Market in Dublin 2 or at the website freshcutsclothing.com
Grown Clothing: Grown is a small Irish business based in Dublin that makes beautiful comfy clothes such as hoodies, sweatshirts and t-shirts for men, women, and children. They are all about connecting with nature, stating that: “The efforts we make in sustainability stretch far beyond our products. We nourish a culture of innovation and activism in everything we do and work with our community to make a positive environmental impact.” They can be found at the website: grown.ie
Pure Clothing nourish a culture of innovation and activism in everything they do and they work with the community to make a positive environmental impact. They can be found at the website: https://www.pureclothing.ie/pages/aboutus
Ohh! By Gum Clothing source from brands and suppliers who share their vision. This is why all the items in their range are ethically produced and include organic, vegan, sustainable and recycled options. They can be found at the website: https://ohhbygum.ie/pages/philosophy.
Why not have an ethical Christmas this year and make it a happy one too for exploited workers and the environment?
