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The Negative Impact of Fast Fashion on The Environment and The Society

• Categories: Fast Fashion

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Published: Apr 11, 2019

Words: 2509 | Pages: 6 | 13 min read

Table of contents

Fast fashion: argumentative essay, effects of fast fashion, what can be done, works cited, environmental issues, social issues.

• Bhardwaj, V., & Fairhurst, A. (2010). Fast fashion: response to changes in the fashion industry. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 20(1), 165-173.
• Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2019). Business research methods. Oxford University Press.
• Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Textiles: Material-specific data. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data
• Fashion Revolution. (2022). Fast fashion facts. https://www.fashionrevolution.org/about/fast-fashion-facts/
• Gwilt, A., & Rissanen, T. (2011). Shaping sustainable fashion: changing the way we make and use clothes. Earthscan.
• Hendrickson, M. K. (2021). Fast fashion and the shifting ethical landscape of the global clothing industry. In M. K. Hendrickson & S. S. D’Souza (Eds.), Sustainable fashion: governance and new management approaches (pp. 1-17). Palgrave Macmillan.
• Hill, R. P., & Wang, C. (2014). An analysis of environmentally sustainable practices in the apparel industry. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 7(3), 137-148.
• McNeill, L., & Moore, R. (2015). Sustainable fashion consumption and the fast fashion conundrum: fashionable consumers and attitudes to sustainability in clothing choice. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39(3), 212-222.
• Press, A. (Director). (2015). The true cost [Motion picture]. United States: Life is My Movie Entertainment.
• Taplin, I. M. (2014). The fast fashion conundrum. Journal of Design, Business & Society, 1(1), 97-110.

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Global Honors Theses

The Dangers of Fast Fashion: A Health and Environmental Analysis

Summer Roslyn Turnberg , University of Washington - Tacoma Campus Follow

Date of Award

Spring 6-4-2021

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of science (BS)

Global Honors

First Advisor

Dr. Jutta Heller

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the alternatives for fast fashion, the global interdependence between areas of production and areas of consumption for fast fashion, and the long-term health and environmental risks associated with fast fashion production and consumption. This paper aims to discover what health effects are proven to be associated with fast fashion production, the causes of health effects, and the steps which manufacturers, shoppers, fashion companies, and those producing the clothing can take to better the fast fashion interdependency and operations. This study will first delve into the global interdependencies of fast fashion and the structures that are in place, mainly from an economic standpoint. It will then describe the methods used for fast fashion and discuss the various processes necessary for clothing production and sales to high clothing demand areas. It will then describe the methods used for fast fashion and discuss the various necessary clothing production and sales processes to high clothing demand areas. Health harms and the threats globalization pose will be compared. Relevant health data for illnesses and diseases related to fast fashion production will be presented, followed by environmental studies and their impact on human health. Lastly, an alternative and prototype proposal will be explored to increase awareness among consumers with psychological consideration for its effectiveness

Recommended Citation

Turnberg, Summer Roslyn, "The Dangers of Fast Fashion: A Health and Environmental Analysis" (2021). Global Honors Theses . 79. https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/gh_theses/79

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What is fast fashion?

Fashion is fun. If you’ve ever seen a makeover montage in an ’80s movie, you’re well familiar. Trying on, buying, and keeping clothes to reflect our various moods fulfills complex human needs for comfort and individual expression—as well as for consumption.

Get to know and directly engage with senior McKinsey experts on fast fashion

Anita Balchandani is a senior partner in McKinsey’s London office, Achim Berg is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office, Gemma D’Auria is a senior partner in the Milan office, Clarisse Magnin-Mallez is a senior partner in the Paris office, and Patrick Simon is a senior partner in the Berlin office.

Fashion is also serious business. In 2023, the global industry was estimated to be worth $1.7 trillion . And more than 300 million people all over the world work on clothes, somewhere along the value chain. From 2000 to 2014, clothing production doubled  and the number of garments purchased per capita increased by about 60 percent. This is due, in part, to the rise of fast fashion.

Fast fashion retailers move, well, faster than their traditional counterparts. This means that they compress production cycles and turn out up-to-the-minute designs, enabling shoppers to not only expand their wardrobes but also refresh them quickly—and cheaply. And shoppers, it turns out, love a new look: according to the recent The State of Fashion 2024 report, published by Business of Fashion and McKinsey, 40 percent of US consumers and 26 percent of UK consumers have shopped at fast fashion giants Shein or Temu in the past 12 months. If you include other fast fashion retailers, the number would likely be much larger.

For all the growth it generates, the fast fashion industry is also responsible for considerable waste. Fast fashion consumers are quick to throw clothes away: some estimates suggest that consumers treat the lowest-priced garments as nearly disposable, discarding them after only seven wears . For every five garments produced, the equivalent of three end up in a landfill  or are incinerated each year. And total greenhouse gas emissions from textiles production clock in at 1.2 billion tons a year—that’s more emissions than those emitted by all international flights and maritime ships combined. Reports also indicate  that some clothing factory workers are underpaid and exposed to unsafe workplace conditions.

The true costs of fast fashion are coming into focus, especially for millennials and Gen Z . Young people are becoming more mindful  of sustainability with respect to how they consume. They’re also keenly aware that the fashion industry is a major contributor to global warming. And they’re walking the talk too: half of Gen Z shoppers in China , according to a recent survey about sustainable consumption, said they aimed to buy less fast fashion.

How can the fast fashion industry give itself a sustainability makeover? Read on to find out.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Retail  and Sustainability  Practices.

What is ultrafast fashion?

If fast fashion retailers speed up traditional product cycles, ultrafast fashion moves even faster. Back in the 1990s, the Spanish retailer Zara was one of the first fast fashion retailers to break the mold, offering hundreds of new items per week. As of 2023, the Chinese ultrafast fashion retailer Shein  consistently churns out up to 10,000 new designs a day. And Shein’s products are, on average, significantly less expensive  relative to the company’s more established fast fashion counterparts: Shein’s average SKU price is $14, compared with $26 at fast fashion retailer H&M and $34 at Zara.

Introducing McKinsey Explainers : Direct answers to complex questions

Shein grew dramatically during the pandemic. Due in part to a surge in online sales and digital adoption rates, the company more than doubled its market share in the United States during that time; it’s now the second-most-popular  shopping website among America’s Gen Z (after Amazon). In a 2022 funding round, Shein’s value was set at $100 billion (in 2023, it reportedly dropped to $66 billion, likely in anticipation of increased regulation).

How are fast fashion companies evolving the business model?

Ultralow prices are critical to the success of the fast fashion business model, as are condensed turnaround times. Upstart fast fashion retailers such as Shein and Temu are updating the model in the following ways :

• Agile, scalable manufacturer-to-consumer supply chains . Some next-generation fast fashion companies have developed large networks of suppliers who often manufacture exclusively for these companies.
• Data-driven product design and testing . Shein, for instance, uses demand-driven trend modeling to design and select its products. This includes a range of data inputs from current trends to viral products to customer perception.
• Loyal and growing customer bases . These are fed by affiliate marketing influencer  programs and organic social community building, which lower customer acquisition costs.
• High app adoption rates and engagement tactics . Companies have gamified their app experiences, allowing customers to earn loyalty points by setting up accounts, leaving reviews, watching live streams, and more.

How are fast fashion organizations addressing sustainability concerns in their C-suites?

One way fashion companies, fast and otherwise, are preparing for the sustainability challenges ahead is by restructuring their C-suites. According to McKinsey’s State of Fashion 2024 report, the C-suite teams at almost all of Europe’s 25 biggest fashion companies include at least one executive with environmental, social, and governance experience. These executives oversee a series of sustainability strategies, from shrinking their companies’ carbon footprints to reducing waste to improving labor relations.

The brands that execute sustainability strategies most successfully incorporate sustainability components into existing roles rather than create entirely new ones. For example, the UK-based fast fashion retailer Primark put Michelle McEttrick, the company’s first chief customer officer, in charge of leading sustainability strategy. And success as a sustainability executive can open doors to the top job, as in the case of Helena Helmersson, who was appointed CEO of H&M in 2020 after serving as the company’s head of sustainability.

How can the textile industry make business models more sustainable?

Many fast fashion players are considering how to make their business models more circular, in response to climate pressures and a quickly evolving regulatory landscape. In a circular model of value creation, resources are deployed over and over . Conversely, a traditional linear model begins with extraction and concludes with end-of-life disposal, with the expectation that consumers will discard goods and buy more.

Here are a few ways in which fashion companies can work toward complying with changing regulations.

• Improved traceability . Achieving full supply chain visibility across all tiers of manufacturing will be a critical enabler for regulatory compliance. Advances in blockchain and other technologies may help companies to enable more transparent and efficient monitoring. Brands such as Brooks Sports and Renfro Brands have deployed TrusTrace’s digital traceability platform to achieve traceability at scale.
• Sourcing and production . Upstream supply chain activities account for the majority of carbon emissions in the apparel industry, so in the future there may be a sharper focus on decarbonizing the production of materials and garments. Brands may increasingly shift to new suppliers or join strategic alliances. The luxury retail brand Hermès, for example, has partnered with start-up MycoWorks to secure access to its engineered mycelium (a network of fungal threads that can be used to produce a product similar to leather ).
• Design . A new emphasis on longevity and durability may demand fresh attention to design details such as stitching and seams. Materials that cannot be separated in recycling may be avoided in the future, meaning designers might have to think more creatively about their design choices.
• End-of-life waste . New business models are coming to the fore to minimize production and waste. Resale continues to grow through brand partnerships with secondhand marketplaces, such as the RealReal and Vestiaire Collective . There is also an opportunity to accelerate closed-loop recycling, a process whereby a product can be used and then turned into a new product many times over. Stockholm-based Renewcell is ramping up the world’s first at-scale fiber-to-fiber recycling factory and is already working with global brands including H&M and Levi’s.

As global business reckons with increasing climate pressures and a changing regulatory environment, the fashion companies that cut new patterns for sustainability are the ones most likely to excel in the future.

Articles referenced:

• “ The State of Fashion 2024: Finding pockets of growth as uncertainty reigns ,” November 29, 2023, Anita Balchandani , David Barrelet, Achim Berg, Gemma D’Auria , Felix Rölkens , and Ewa Starzynska
• “ Great merchandising never goes out of fashion ,” March 15, 2023, David Barrelet, Matthew Chapman, Erik Eklöw, Julia Huang, Felix Rölkens , and Hannah Yankelevich
• “ The State of Fashion 2023: Holding onto growth as global clouds gather ,” November 29, 2022, Imran Amed, Sarah André, Anita Balchandani , Achim Berg, and Felix Rölkens
• “ In search of fashion’s sustainability seekers ,” June 28, 2022, Elisa Albella, Anita Balchandani , Nic Cornbleet, and Libbi Lee
• “ State of Fashion 2022: An uneven recovery and new frontiers ,” May 2, 2022, Imran Amed, Achim Berg, Anita Balchandani , Pamela Brown, Hannah Crump, Amanda Dargan, Saskia Hedrich , Jakob Ekeløf Jensen, Leila Le Merle, Felix Rölkens , Michael Straub, and Robb Young
• “ Is luxury resale the future of fashion? ,” December 14, 2020, Miriam Lobis
• “ Refashioning clothing’s environmental impact ,” July 25, 2019, Clarisse Magnin-Mallez  and Saskia Hedrich
• “ Developing products for a circular economy ,” November 14, 2016, Eric Hannon , Marianne Kuhlmann, and Benjamin Thaidigsmann
• “ Style that’s sustainable: A new fast-fashion formula ,” October 20, 2016, Nathalie Remy, Eveline Speelman, and Steven Swartz

Want to know more about fast fashion ?

Related articles.

The State of Fashion 2024: Finding pockets of growth as uncertainty reigns

Great merchandising never goes out of fashion

In search of fashion’s sustainability seekers

Fast fashion is harming our planet — these 4 tips can help you build a more sustainable wardrobe

Assistant Professor of Consumer Sciences, Université Laval

Disclosure statement

Maryse Côté-Hamel does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Université Laval provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation CA-FR.

Université Laval provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA.

View all partners

As sunny summer days return in the northern hemisphere, you may be looking to refresh your wardrobe. The allure of a whole “new you” is pervasive, and the foundation of many a successful marketing campaign.

Indeed, as the weather changes and we spend more time outdoors, you may need lighter summer clothing. However, before you run out to H&M, it is worth considering how you can sustainably add to your wardrobe while limiting its carbon footprint.

Sustainably adding to your wardrobe involves questioning your needs and taking your time shopping for each piece to understand how and where it was made — the antithesis of the fast fashion which has come to dominate global shopping trends.

These four tips can help you build a more sustainable wardrobe.

No one’s 20s and 30s look the same. You might be saving for a mortgage or just struggling to pay rent. You could be swiping dating apps, or trying to understand childcare. No matter your current challenges, our Quarter Life series has articles to share in the group chat, or just to remind you that you’re not alone.

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Fast becoming unsustainable

Fast fashion refers to the rapid production and distribution of clothing to reflect the latest trends. Since the early 1990s, technological improvements, lower costs of production and streamlined supply chains have significantly shortened fashion cycles. Clothes today can be made and sold to consumers at a low price within just a few weeks of being designed.

Two seasons — autumn/winter and spring/summer — were common in the Western fashion industry just a few decades ago. Nowadays, some retailers offer tens of small seasons a year . This constant churning of trends pushes consumers to update their wardrobes frequently by encouraging disposability .

While easier on the wallet, the consequences of the fast fashion industry are myriad. According to the United Nations Environment Programme , the global fast fashion-dominated clothing and textile sector is responsible for two to eight per cent of all global carbon emissions and nine per cent of annual microfibre pollution to oceans.

In addition, fast fashion uses about 215 trillion litres of water annually, the equivalent of 86 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. Moreover, workers are often exploited in inhuman conditions for little pay while shareholders pocket skyrocketing profits.

In response to these criticisms, a growing number of fast-fashion retailers, such as H&M and Zara , are claiming to take steps towards reducing their environmental footprint. These outlets claim, for instance, that they have replaced synthetic fibres and polyester, made from oil and petroleum, with natural and recycled ones.

However, the ubiquity of greenwashing across the fashion industry makes it hard to tell if these claims have any weight.

Sustainable shopping?

In the face of such serious concerns, how can anyone hope to shop sustainably?

The first, and in many ways most crucial, step is to simply commit to slowing down your approach to fashion itself by embracing sustainable fashion and shopping ethically to help put the brakes on overproduction and overconsumption .

1 - Buy less, buy better: While forgoing shopping or opting for hand-me-down and secondhand options is preferable to buying new from a sustainability standpoint, such avenues may not always be possible. Therefore, try and buy fewer items of a higher-quality from sustainably conscious brands . Being careful with where, and what, you purchase can help limit the negative environmental and societal impacts of our clothing purchases.

However, most fashion retailers do not control the entire supply chain and, thus, cannot guarantee the sustainability of their clothing . This means consumers must be diligent when shopping and make informed choices themselves.

Recycling and clothing rental are valid options, however, it is worth noting that textile recycling can be expensive and not without environmental impact in terms of both materials and carbon footprint.

If you do opt for a clothing rental service, then avoid using online services that rely on delivery. Likewise, if you must purchase your clothes online, then avoid fast fashion sites like Temu in favour of buying directly from manufacturers you trust.

2 - Repair, reuse and recycle : Prolonging clothing life by wearing pieces over several years and mending it when required, rather than throwing it away, can also be a great way to reduce the environmental footprint of your wardrobe . Even paying for a pair of jeans to be professionally repaired will likely be considerably cheaper than buying new — saving you money in the long-run.

Patagonia, a California-based outdoor gear retailer, encourages consumers to “repair, reuse, and recycle” items. They practice what they preach, using materials, among others, made of recycled bottles since 1993 .

Read more: Giving Canadians the 'right to repair' empowers consumers, supports competition and benefits the environment

The French government recently introduced a country-wide program to subsidize clothes and shoe repairs with the aim to reduce the amount of clothing thrown away. Check to see if your area has similar programs and petition for their creation if not.

3 - Prioritize natural fibres: Opt for natural fibres such as organic cotton, linen, silk, hemp and bamboo. Ideally, clothing should be durable, locally manufactured and made from fair-trade, sustainably sourced natural materials .

While natural fibres are ideal for everyday clothing, synthetic high-performance materials are essential in athletic wear or water-resistent outdoor apparel that can withstand the elements. Recycled materials and other “circular” manufacturing processes should be sought out for these needs where possible.

4 - Choose simple, timeless pieces : Clothing, such as jeans, should be worn for as long as possible and be made from safe, recycled or renewable materials . The design of the garment should also be minimal. For instance, distressed jeans require the use of several toxic chemicals to give them their worn-out appearance.

Forgo ever-changing trends — such as the short-lived Regencycore or Barbiecore — and add to your wardrobe slowly. Make sure that every item you buy is a good fit and aligns with your current lifestyle.

Read more: Microplastics and nanoplastics have been found throughout the human body – how worried should we be?

In today’s world of high turnover fast fashion, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or despondent at the relative lack of sustainable options. However, it is possible to add to your wardrobe sustainably by questioning your needs and taking your time shopping for each piece to understand how and where it was made.

In time, you may even come to appreciate a smaller well-curated wardrobe of timeless pieces that you can wear for years, and not just a few weeks.

• Climate change
• Biodiversity
• Human rights
• Global warming
• Consumerism
• Microplastics
• labour rights
• Fast fashion
• Eco fashion
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104 Fast Fashion Essay Topics & Fast Fashion Research Questions

Looking for fast fashion essay topics and discussion questions? Look no further! Here, you will find best fast fashion titles related to environmental and ethical problems of fast fashion industry and its sustainable alternatives.

🔝 Top 10 Fast Fashion Essay Topics

🏆 best fast fashion topic ideas & essay examples, 🔎 interesting fast fashion topics to write about, 💡 good fast fashion research topics, ❓ fast fashion research questions, 🤔 discussion questions about fast fashion.

• Fast Fashion and Body Image
• Strategies to Reduce Textile Waste
• Working Conditions in Fast Fashion
• The Carbon Footprint of Fast Fashion
• The Psychological Impact of Fast Fashion
• The Impact of Fast Fashion on Local Artisans
• Cultural Aspects of Fast Fashion’s Global Reach
• The Ethics of Fast Fashion Borrowing from Different Cultures
• The Role of Fashion Influencers in Promoting Fast Fashion
• The Societal Implications of a Disposable Fashion Culture
• The Effects of the Fast Fashion Industry on the World This led to the creation of shops that made garments to meet the needs of such a category of people in the community.
• Fast Fashion’s Negative Impact on the Environment And this is the constant increase in production capacity, the low quality of the product, and the use of the labor of the population of developing countries.
• Zara, H&M, United Colors of Benetton: Supplying Fast Fashion Benetton has adopted the technology strategy in its distribution by automating its warehouse activities to store, pack, and assemble individual orders for all its retail outlets.
• Fast Fashion Brand Advantages and Risks in Chinese Market The paper also looked at the risks that the fast fashion brand has to face in the Chinese market and ways in which these risks can be managed to help the organisations consolidate its advantages.
• Child Labor in the Fast Fashion Industry To free girls from this choice and reduce the presence of kids in factories, it is necessary to combat poverty in rural areas actively.
• Fast Fashion and Ethical Consumption A narrative literature review is selected to analyse and synthesise available information on the impact of fast fashion on society. The integration of articles is expected to reveal the gaps, tendencies, and limitations that exist […]
• Just in Time: Management Operations in the Fast Fashion Industry Sourcing is implemented using the famous lean or Just in Time (JIT) models. This means that required materials are acquired and delivered whenever they are needed.
• Fast Fashion and Sustainability This paper includes a brief analysis of the ways to address consumers’ fashion-related needs and reduce the negative environmental impact of the fast industry.
• How 40 to 50-Year-Old Irish Women Choose Fast Fashion and Why The replication of styles and the use of synthetic materials is meant to ensure that the product is made as affordable as possible while at the same time meeting the expectations of the market.
• Purchase of Fast Fashion Clothing and Ethical & Personal Values On the other hand, the emergence of the practice threatened the aesthetic value and ethical approach based on the utilization of the available facilities.
• Fast Fashion Business Model Pros & Cons Specific Purpose: The presentation is meant to inform listeners about the advantages and disadvantages of fast fashion as the business model and discuss possible strategies retailers can use to increase customer attraction.
• Astonishing Success of Zara in the Fast Fashion Industry The origin of the company is the retail group Inditex the headquarters of which is located in Spain. However, The Gap, H&M, and Benetton are called the major competitors of Zara in the study by […]
• ZARA: Chic and Fast Fashion It is evident from the case study that organizations need to observe changing trends in the market in order to cope with the competition. This can be attested by the fact that the company has […]
• Zara: Fast fashion from Savvy Systems These factors contribute in the determination of the internal strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats in the external environment.
• Fast Fashion, and the Corporate Globalization
• Global Fast Fashion: Analysis of Clothing Retailers & Its Competitor
• Fashion and Society: The Impact of Fashion on Our Society
• How Hugely Fast Fashion Is Involved in the Fashion Industry
• Paradigm Innovation Through the Strategic Collaboration Between Toray & Uniqlo: Evolution of a New Fast Fashion Business Model
• Fast Fashion and Its Influence on the Industry in the 21st Century
• The Impact of Healthier Global Consumerism Within Sustainable Fashion
• Marketing Plan for Fast Fashion Products
• Fast Fashion: The Rise of Zara and Uniqlo
• The Fast Fashion Model Spreading Across the Apparel Industry
• Workers and Social Upgrading in Fast Fashion: The Case of the Apparel Industry in Morocco and Romania
• League Supply Chain for the Fast Fashion Industry
• Fast Fashion Achieving Global Quick
• The Impacts of Fast Fashion and Technology on the Fashion Industry
• How Fast Fashion Manipulates People
• Fast Fashion Retailing: Customer and Retailer’s Perceptions
• The Relationship Between the Consumers’ Need for Uniqueness and Purchase Perception of Fast Fashion Co-brands
• Fast Fashion and Sustainable Supply Chain Management
• Why Fast Fashion Is Unethical and Should Be Replaced
• Fast Fashion Has Become a Global Industry
• The Impact of Fast Fashion on the Environment, Human Health, and Employees
• Fast Fashion and Impact of Technology
• Logistics Performance Measurement for Sustainability in the Fast Fashion Industry
• Fast Fashion and Barriers to New Entrants
• Zara: Information Technology for Fast Fashion
• Fast Fashion Versus Luxury Fashion
• Fashion Marketing: E-Tailing and Fast Fashion Brands
• A Career in Fast Fashion
• Supply Chain Management for the Fast Fashion Industry
• What Is the Challenge of Keeping up With Fast Fashion Products
• Material Culture and Environmental Woes: Devotion to Fast Fashion
• Fast Fashion: The Consequences of the Fashion Industry
• What Fast Fashion Is, and to Know Which Factors Influence Fast Fashion
• Fast Fashion Feedback and Imitation of Fashion Trends
• Consumers’ Attitudes Towards the Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion Speed
• Fast Fashion Industry: Growth of Zara and Inditex
• The Fast Fashion Industry Promotes a Culture of Obsolescence
• Negative Effects of Fast Fashion on the Environment
• Fast Fashion Supply Chain Management
• Fashion Flow Theories: Misconceptions on Fashion and Fast Fashion
• What Are the Pros and Cons of Fast Fashion?
• How Has Marketing Strategy Changed Within the Fast Fashion Industry?
• How Can We Stop Fast Fashion Waste?
• How Do You Spot Fast Fashion?
• How Is Fast Fashion Bad for the Economy?
• What Would Happen if Fast Fashion Stopped?
• What’s Wrong With Fast Fashion?
• How Fast Fashion Manipulates People?
• What Is a Fast Fashion Example?
• What Are the Social Impacts of Fast Fashion?
• Why Is Fast Fashion a Social Justice Issue?
• Is Fast Fashion Eco Friendly?
• What Will Happen if We Don’t Stop Fast Fashion?
• Who Consumes Fast Fashion the Most?
• How Much Waste Is Produced by Fast Fashion?
• How Much Pollution Does the Fashion Industry Produce?
• Why Should We Stop Buying Fast Fashion?
• What Would Happen if Everyone Stopped Buying Clothes?
• What Are the Benefits of Fast Fashion?
• How Is Fast Fashion Killing the Earth?
• What Is Fast Fashion, and to Know Which Factor Influences Fast Fashion?
• How Will Fast Fashion Affect the Future?
• How Does Fast Fashion Affect the Environment?
• How Does Fashion Cause Pollution?
• How Hugely Fast Fashion Is Involved in the Fashion Industry?
• What Can the Government Do About Fast Fashion?
• What 3 Things Define Fast Fashion?
• How Much Money Does Fast Fashion Make?
• Who Is Being Affected by Fast Fashion?
• How Is Fast Fashion Destroying the World?
• How Does Fast Fashion Differ from Traditional Fashion Manufacturing Practices?
• How Did Fast Fashion Contribute to Environmental Issues?
• What Are the Ethical Concerns Associated with Fast Fashion?
• How Does the Fast Fashion Business Model Contribute to Overconsumption?
• What Are the Implications of Fast Fashion on Consumer Behavior?
• How Do Fast Fashion Companies Keep Up with Changing Trends?
• What Are the Effects of Fast Fashion on Local Economies?
• How Can Consumers Make More Responsible Choices Regarding Fast Fashion?
• What Are the Sustainable Alternatives to Fast Fashion?
• How Do Brands Address Issues of Transparency in the Fast Fashion Industry?
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IvyPanda. (2024, February 29). 104 Fast Fashion Essay Topics & Fast Fashion Research Questions. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/fast-fashion-essay-topics/

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IvyPanda . "104 Fast Fashion Essay Topics & Fast Fashion Research Questions." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/fast-fashion-essay-topics/.

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Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact

Clothing retailers like Zara, Forever 21, and H&M make cheap and fashionable clothing to satisfy the needs of young consumers. Yet, fast fashion has a significant environmental impact. According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) , the industry is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Unfortunately, fast fashion problems are often overlooked by consumers.

What Is Fast Fashion?

The term ‘ fast fashion ’ has become more prominent in conversations surrounding fashion, sustainability, and environmental consciousness. The term refers to ‘cheaply produced and priced garments that copy the latest catwalk styles and get pumped quickly through stores in order to maximise on current trends’.

The fast fashion model is so-called because it involves the rapid design, production, distribution, and marketing of clothing, which means that retailers are able to pull large quantities of greater product variety and allow consumers to get more fashion and product differentiation at a low price.

The term was first used at the beginning of the 1990s, when when Zara landed in New York. “Fast fashion” was coined by the New York Times to describe Zara’s mission to take only 15 days for a garment to go from the design stage to being sold in stores. The biggest players in the fast fashion world include Zara, UNIQLO, Forever 21 and H&M.

The Dark Side of Fast Fashion

According to an analysis by Business Insider , fashion production comprises 10% of total global carbon emissions, as much as the European Union. It dries up water sources and pollutes rivers and streams, while 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year. Even washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibres into the ocean each year, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles.

The Quantis International 2018 report found that the three main drivers of the industry’s global pollution impacts are dyeing and finishing (36%), yarn preparation (28%) and fibre production (15%). The report also established that fibre production has the largest impact on freshwater withdrawal (water diverted or withdrawn from a surface water or groundwater source) and ecosystem quality due to cotton cultivation, while the dyeing and finishing, yarn preparation and fibre production stages have the highest impacts on resource depletion, due to the energy-intensive processes based on fossil fuel energy.

According to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change , emissions from textile manufacturing alone are projected to skyrocket by 60% by 2030.

The time it takes for a product to go through the supply chain, from design to purchase, is called a ‘ lead time ’. In 2012, Zara was able to design, produce and deliver a new garment in two weeks; Forever 21 in six weeks and H&M in eight weeks. This results in the fashion industry producing obscene amounts of waste.

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The environmental impact of fast fashion comprises the depletion of non-renewable sources, emission of greenhouse gases and the use of massive amounts of water and energy. The fashion industry is the second largest consumer industry of water, requiring about 700 gallons to produce one cotton shirt and 2 000 gallons of water to produce a pair of jeans. Business Insider also cautions that textile dyeing is the world’s second-largest polluter of water, since the water leftover from the dyeing process is often dumped into ditches, streams or rivers.

2. Microplastics

Furthermore, brands use synthetic fibres like polyester, nylon and acrylic which take hundreds of years to biodegrade. A 2017 report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated that 35% of all microplastics – tiny pieces of non-biodegradable plastic – in the ocean come from the laundering of synthetic textiles like polyester.

According to the documentary released in 2015, The True Cost , the world consumes around 80 billion new pieces of clothing every year, 400% more than the consumption twenty years ago. The average American now generates 82 pounds of textile waste each year. The production of leather requires large amounts of feed, land, water and fossil fuels to raise livestock, while the tanning process is among the most toxic in all of the fashion supply chain because the chemicals used to tan leather- including mineral salts, formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives and various oils and dyes- is not biodegradable and contaminates water sources.

The production of making plastic fibres into textiles is an energy-intensive process that requires large amounts of petroleum and releases volatile particulate matter and acids like hydrogen chloride. Additionally, cotton, which is in a large amount of fast fashion products, is also not environmentally friendly to manufacture. Pesticides deemed necessary for the growth of cotton presents health risks to farmers.

To counter this waste caused by fast fashion, more sustainable fabrics that can be used in clothing include wild silk, organic cotton, linen, hemp and lyocell.

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The Social Impacts of Fast Fashion

Fast fashion does not only have a huge environmental impact. In fact, the industry also poses societal problems, especially in developing economies. According to non-profit Remake , 80% of apparel is made by young women between the ages of 18 and 24. A 2018 US Department of Labor report found evidence of forced and child labour in the fashion industry in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Turkey, Vietnam and others. Rapid production means that sales and profits supersede human welfare.

In 2013, an eight-floor factory building that housed several garment factories collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing 1,134 workers and injuring more than 2,500 . In her project An Analysis of the Fast Fashion Industry , Annie Radner Linden suggests that ‘the garment industry has always been a low-capital and labour intensive industry’.

In her book No Logo , Naomi Klein argues that developing nations are viable for garment industries due to ‘cheap labour, vast tax breaks, and lenient laws and regulations’. According to The True Cost, one in six people work in some part of the global fashion industry, making it the most labour-dependent industry . These developing nations also rarely follow environmental regulations; China , for example, is a major producer of fast fashion but is notorious for land degradation and air and water pollution.

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Is Slow Fashion the Solution?

Slow fashion is the widespread reaction to fast fashion and its environmental impact, the argument for hitting the brakes on excessive production, overcomplicated supply chains, and mindless consumption. It advocates for manufacturing that respects people, the environment and animals.

The World Resources Institute suggests that companies need to design, test and invest in business models that reuse clothes and maximise their useful life. The UN has launched the Alliance for Sustainable Fashion to address the damages caused by fast fashion. It is seeking to ‘halt the environmentally and socially destructive practices of fashion’.

You might also like: What Is Slow Fashion and How Can You Join the Movement?

One way that shoppers are reducing their consumption of fast fashion is by buying from secondhand sellers like ThredUp Inc. and Poshmark , both based in California, USA; shoppers send their unwanted clothes to these websites and people buy those clothes at a lower price than the original. Another solution is renting clothes, like the US-based Rent the Runway and Gwynnie Bee , the UK based Girl Meets Dress , and the Dutch firm Mud Jeans that leases organic jeans which can be kept, swapped or returned.

Other retailers like Adidas are experimenting with personalised gear to cut down on returns, increase customer satisfaction and reduce inventory. Ralph Lauren has announced that it will use 100% sustainably-sourced key materials by 2025.

Governments need to be more actively involved in the fashion industry’s damaging effects. UK ministers rejected a report by members of parliament to address the environmental effects of fast fashion. On the other hand, French president, Emmanuel Macron has made a pact with 150 brands to make the fashion industry more sustainable .

The best advice on reducing the environmental impact of fast fashion comes from Patsy Perry, senior lecturer in fashion marketing at the University of Manchester, who says, “Less is always more.”

Featured image by EO Photographer Chin Leong Teo

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