Fast fashion is slowly killing our planet
by Bridget Adams
May 5, 2021
These three students from Yarmouth High school are sporting some not so sustainable brands. These brands include Nike, Walmart, Pacsun, and Hollister. However Hannah Birkett is rocking a thrifted sweatshirt. Go Hannah!
What is the first thing that comes to mind when asked about the causes of global warming and pollution? One immediately may think about the negative impact of fossil fuels, deforestation, or air pollution, right? Now what if I were to tell you that the clothing you are wearing right now is contributing to the warming of our planet?
You may have heard of the term “fast fashion,” but you might not think much of it. It’s important, especially for young people like us who are increasingly making our own financial decisions, to understand how much the clothing you purchase impacts the health of our planet. Fast fashion is defined as inexpensive clothing that is mass produced at a low cost. Brands are able to cheaply manufacture trendy clothing that attracts the eye of consumers. Although the quality of the clothing isn’t upscale, buyers will continue to purchase these cheaply made products because of the low price. I myself am guilty of purchasing clothes just because they are cheap. This is dangerous because it leads to people buying more and more unnecessary products, which will continue to pile up and be unuseful.
Overconsumption of clothing is becoming more severe as trends go in and out of style. The Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), a Pennsylvania non-profit that supports environmental stability, claims that clothing purchased by Americans has nearly tripled since the 1970s. Now, what happens to these products once they go out of fashion? According to Allison McCarthy, a lifestyle writer for a nonprofit organization called re/make, 80% of textiles end up in landfills.
A lot of fast fashion companies use materials such as polyester, nylon, and rayon; this is because they are cost efficient for companies to mass produce. Polyester products produce a significant amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the air, and contributes to global warming. The World Resources Institute, a global research organization that focuses specifically on food, forests, water, energy, cities, climates, and the ocean, recently did a study on how much carbon the fashion industry produces. According to their research, the fast fashion industry releases 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year. Hopefully this statistic makes consumers reconsider their shopping habits. The well-being of our planet is more important than this month's fashion trends that will eventually die off.
A campaign by the Plastic Soup Foundation found that the materials found in most fast fashion clothing are nearly impossible to biodegrade, leading to a build up of harmful microfibers in landfills. Microfibers are tiny strings of plastics that shed from synthetic clothing. When synthetic clothing is washed in a washing machine, millions of tiny plastic microfibers are released. Microplastics are one of the major causes of ocean pollution because of the excessive amounts of fibers. This can cause major health issues for the ocean animals, and for human beings. If a fish eats these microplastics, they will most likely end up up in its digestive system, which causes a huge risk to human beings as seafood consumers. It's a never ending cycle.
I asked a series of questions to seven students from Yarmouth High School. The questions I asked give insight into where the average teen likes to shop. The first is, “Where do you shop for clothes the most frequently?” Three out of the seven people I interviewed responded saying that Target is where they acquire most of their wardrobe. Target is considered a fast fashion company. However, they are taking steps to make their clothes more sustainable. Other responses include the Maine Mall, ASOS, Hollister, Banana Republic, and Pacsun.
The second question I asked is, “Do you have a lot of clothes in your closet that you don’t wear?” Unsurprisingly every single person responded yes, suggesting that over consumption is common amongst teens. The overall conclusion I am able to make based on these questions proves that most teens tend to shop fast fashion. This is most likely due to the cheap prices, and trendy new styles that attract young consumers.
So what can we do about it? Obviously there is no way we can completely put a halt to micro plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, but we can reduce it. Shopping sustainably is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste. Another great option is buying clothes second hand, or from a thrift store. The most obvious reason the environment will benefit from second hand shopping is the less amount of waste that is produced. Other ways you can help is by repairing clothes instead of buying new ones, and donating clothes after your yearly closet clean out.
What is more important? Your trendy outfits or protecting our planet from further, permanent damage? Make the right choice, YHS!
May 5, 2021
These three students from Yarmouth High school are sporting some not so sustainable brands. These brands include Nike, Walmart, Pacsun, and Hollister. However Hannah Birkett is rocking a thrifted sweatshirt. Go Hannah!
What is the first thing that comes to mind when asked about the causes of global warming and pollution? One immediately may think about the negative impact of fossil fuels, deforestation, or air pollution, right? Now what if I were to tell you that the clothing you are wearing right now is contributing to the warming of our planet?
You may have heard of the term “fast fashion,” but you might not think much of it. It’s important, especially for young people like us who are increasingly making our own financial decisions, to understand how much the clothing you purchase impacts the health of our planet. Fast fashion is defined as inexpensive clothing that is mass produced at a low cost. Brands are able to cheaply manufacture trendy clothing that attracts the eye of consumers. Although the quality of the clothing isn’t upscale, buyers will continue to purchase these cheaply made products because of the low price. I myself am guilty of purchasing clothes just because they are cheap. This is dangerous because it leads to people buying more and more unnecessary products, which will continue to pile up and be unuseful.
Overconsumption of clothing is becoming more severe as trends go in and out of style. The Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), a Pennsylvania non-profit that supports environmental stability, claims that clothing purchased by Americans has nearly tripled since the 1970s. Now, what happens to these products once they go out of fashion? According to Allison McCarthy, a lifestyle writer for a nonprofit organization called re/make, 80% of textiles end up in landfills.
A lot of fast fashion companies use materials such as polyester, nylon, and rayon; this is because they are cost efficient for companies to mass produce. Polyester products produce a significant amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the air, and contributes to global warming. The World Resources Institute, a global research organization that focuses specifically on food, forests, water, energy, cities, climates, and the ocean, recently did a study on how much carbon the fashion industry produces. According to their research, the fast fashion industry releases 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year. Hopefully this statistic makes consumers reconsider their shopping habits. The well-being of our planet is more important than this month's fashion trends that will eventually die off.
A campaign by the Plastic Soup Foundation found that the materials found in most fast fashion clothing are nearly impossible to biodegrade, leading to a build up of harmful microfibers in landfills. Microfibers are tiny strings of plastics that shed from synthetic clothing. When synthetic clothing is washed in a washing machine, millions of tiny plastic microfibers are released. Microplastics are one of the major causes of ocean pollution because of the excessive amounts of fibers. This can cause major health issues for the ocean animals, and for human beings. If a fish eats these microplastics, they will most likely end up up in its digestive system, which causes a huge risk to human beings as seafood consumers. It's a never ending cycle.
I asked a series of questions to seven students from Yarmouth High School. The questions I asked give insight into where the average teen likes to shop. The first is, “Where do you shop for clothes the most frequently?” Three out of the seven people I interviewed responded saying that Target is where they acquire most of their wardrobe. Target is considered a fast fashion company. However, they are taking steps to make their clothes more sustainable. Other responses include the Maine Mall, ASOS, Hollister, Banana Republic, and Pacsun.
The second question I asked is, “Do you have a lot of clothes in your closet that you don’t wear?” Unsurprisingly every single person responded yes, suggesting that over consumption is common amongst teens. The overall conclusion I am able to make based on these questions proves that most teens tend to shop fast fashion. This is most likely due to the cheap prices, and trendy new styles that attract young consumers.
So what can we do about it? Obviously there is no way we can completely put a halt to micro plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, but we can reduce it. Shopping sustainably is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste. Another great option is buying clothes second hand, or from a thrift store. The most obvious reason the environment will benefit from second hand shopping is the less amount of waste that is produced. Other ways you can help is by repairing clothes instead of buying new ones, and donating clothes after your yearly closet clean out.
What is more important? Your trendy outfits or protecting our planet from further, permanent damage? Make the right choice, YHS!