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Fashion has become a powerful instrument that influences people’s lifestyles and can be seen on TV, social media, and even in the news.
It is sought after as a dynamic art form capable of capturing the values, attitudes, and beliefs of a society. Different fashion tastes represent different societies, cultures, entities, and histories. As a means of self-expression, fashion has evolved in recent years, allowing individuals to showcase their thought processes and lifestyle choices. Additionally, a person’s wardrobe may reveal something about their personality.
Fashion has taken center stage over the years, and evolved into the rapid turnover of trendy, fast-moving designer clothes at a cheaper price. Nevertheless, the term Fast fashion is at odds nowadays with the rise of the concept of Sustainable
Fashion. Is it worth the hype?
Fast fashion is the mass production of budget-friendly clothing. Basically, it swiftly mirrors what
is in vogue with runway and celebrity styles. However, the trends of fast fashion fade fast as the
low-quality materials and craftsmanship limit their lifespan, leaving consumers craving more.
Additionally, fast fashion appears more consumer-friendly as it can be purchased at a low cost.
But is it eco-friendly and ethical?
According to data, the Fashion Industry stands as the second largest polluter of the
environment. Approximately the industry produces from 80 to 150 billion clothing items per year.
The primary issue with fast fashion is its waste. Since fast fashion constantly follows new
trends, it produces low-quality clothing that does last long. As a result, people only wear these clothes a few times before tossing them out. According to studies within only 30 washes, a newly purchased garment becomes unwearable.
“Fast Fashion Is responsible for an estimated 2-8% of the world greenhouse gas emissions” – UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion
Ethically, the wages of the factory workers in the fast fashion industry is at a rock-bottom rate.
Due to the low selling price of clothing, workers frequently receive only a small fraction of that
amount, resulting in many of them living below the poverty line. In various instances globally,
prominent fast-fashion companies have faced allegations of subjecting their employees to
inhumane working conditions.
What is sustainable Fashion
Fashion that entails clothing production to prioritize environmental protection, social
responsibility and economic viability. This approach encompasses every aspect of the
garment including design, sourcing of materials, manufacturing, transportation,
storage, marketing, sale, as well as its use, reuse, repair, recycling, and upcycling. The biggest
challenge for sustainable fashion’s popularity is its competition on price with fast fashion,
despite the quality being higher. There are several prominent approaches to sustainable fashion
including circular fashion, slow fashion, eco or green fashion, organic fashion, and minimalist
wardrobe.
Why is it hype?
The key significance of sustainable fashion is its optimistic environmental impact. Basically
Sustainable fashion reduces waste by creating higher-quality clothing, resulting in less pollution
from both water and carbon emissions during production. On the other hand, sustainable
fashion focuses on utilizing natural and organic materials such as wool, and cotton. Not only
that, sustainable fashion also emphasizes decreasing the use of energy consumption and using
renewable energy in the production process.
Not only environmental aspects but also sustainable fashion focuses on being ethical as well.
Unlike fast fashion, sustainable fashion fosters healthier work environments by implementing
additional measures to guarantee safety and offer livable wages for their workers. It promotes a
humane working environment in the community, reduces poverty by paying livable wages, and
mitigating child labor as well.
Is it worth going for sustainable fashion?
It is true that seemingly fast fashion is cheaper compared to sustainable fashion. But, replacing
a $15 dress for every 5 months costs more than paying $100 for a dress that lasts five years. In
the meantime it would have a substantial impact on environmental conservation as well.
