I’ve been thinking about how to write this post for weeks. It’s hard to tell you what pollution and impact this industry has when I receive thousands of ads. black friday Even I am attracted to this new trend. But I want to ask you to give me a chance.Read the consequences calmly Fast Fashionthe tricks brands use to trick us, and At the end because I also gave alternatives.
i focus on Fast Fashion Because even though any company today has joined black fridaywhat I buy most is fashion. Fast fashion is destroying the planet.
- textile industry, Produces 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. More than half of these emissions come from three stages: dyeing and finishing, yarn preparation and fiber production. That said, fast fashion is far from electric or mobile, but it contributes significantly to climate change.
- Fast fashion air travel produces approximately 16 million tons of carbon dioxide. For example, Index It manages approximately 32 cargo flights per week, transporting approximately 100 tons of clothing. This means more than 1,600 flights per year. But even if they decided to transport all their products on bicycles, they would still be damaging the planet, continue reading…
- It may contain substances that are harmful to your health. Yes, although European regulations prohibit this, some brands ignore them, like Shein. Last year, Greenpeace found toxic substances in clothing that could disrupt endocrine disruption or cause allergies. Some examples include cadmium, mercury, and phthalates. In the race for rapid production, not only is the environment harmed, but so is our health.
- Clothes are “born to be thrown away”. About 15 years ago, there were two seasons: spring/summer, autumn/winter, and that was it. There are currently over 50 micro-seasons, meaning there are new clothes every week and it only takes a few weeks from design to sale. Many clothes are made quickly but of poor quality. These companies always win, despite inflation, but they never lose.
- Garbage mountain: Many of these clothes are thrown away without being used. Yes, you heard it right, the brand itself will get rid of it or throw it away and return it, brand new. These clothes end up in landfills and incinerators, polluting the air and groundwater. Images of countries such as the Atacama Desert or Ghana are well known. This is yet another example of how the first world is filling the “third world” with garbage.
- Textile recycling has reached its peak; Just like the case with single-use plastics. Although there are now regulations that require companies to take responsibility for their products at the end of their useful life (known as extended producer responsibility), the industry is still based on recycling and there is no longer any room for this.actually Only 1% of all discarded clothing is recycled. Use new materials to create new clothing. That said, those clothes you take to the store or to the dumpster near your home are likely to end their lives there.
- Microplastics pollute the ocean. The most commonly used fibers are synthetic, 64% of which are derived from fossil fuels such as petroleum. In addition to having a high carbon footprint, these fibers also release microplastics when washed. Polyester is a microplastic found in almost all clothing.
- Inequality and poverty. The country is rich and the people are poor. In Bangladesh, the textile industry (European brands, etc.) generates 20% of GDP and more than 80% of export earnings, employing 4.5 million people, mostly women. However, Nine out of ten workers cannot provide enough food for themselves and their families, forcing them to frequently skip meals, eat improperly, or go into debt.
- Use lots of water. It takes 2,700 liters of water to produce one cotton T-shirt. This is equivalent to the amount of water a person drinks in two and a half years. Producing one pair of jeans requires 7,500 liters of water, equivalent to the amount of water a person drinks in 7 years.
- Contaminate water. Toxic products are used when dyeing or printing, and these products end up in rivers. The fashion industry produces 20% of the world’s wastewater every year. Contaminated water cannot be reused and ends up in rivers and oceans.
What should I do then?
Greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, or tons of waste… but if I just want to be fashionable, what should I do?
- Use what you already have in your closet, is the most sustainable, having used water and energy to produce it. Extend its service life. If you don’t know how to put it together, ask someone to give you advice: you can definitely create 30 different looks with what you already have.
- repair. A thousand times, mend the clothes you love. You are providing jobs and extending the life of your product.
- rent. If the princess can do it, why can’t you? It’s best to rent before looking for something new.
- Buy or exchange used. Second-hand buying doesn’t have to be associated with online platforms, you can also do it with friends. What’s more, there are already many business models in which different people receive a box each month containing clothes that others have worn, not only for adults but also for children.
- If you really need to buy, Do you pay attention to it? slow fashion? If you walk down the street, you may rarely see this textile industry, but it is very present in the world. online. It’s clothing made sustainably by people with last name and first name, to durable standards and free of toxins.
true you need to That coat or that pair of shoes, if it’s true you need to Black Friday discounts (many times fake or deceptive discounts), go ahead, I’m not telling you not to do it. I’m just asking that you pause for a moment before you “click” that “button.”Buy it now‘ That sound pulses across your screen.Pause, think for a few seconds, and review what led you to fill your shopping cart… You already know that you won’t be happier and they won’t love you any more – really – because of a new dress for a moment; Don’t let them deceive you with their multi-million dollar marketing machine Big Data; Think about it, go for a walk in the nearest park or forest: it’s free all year round.