Break up with fast fashion

Many of us experienced the brain-numbing boredom of lockdown after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. To pass the time, I had the wonderful idea to redo my wardrobe. Obviously, this was not an inexpensive feat, so I found myself on websites such as Shein, Missguided, Nasty Gal and Fashion Nova.

These brands always have the trendiest clothes for insanely cheap prices. $4.99 for a cute little shoulder bag? Score! I couldn’t believe my luck. But the reality isn’t so exciting.

Fast fashion has swept the nation and is one of the most unethical and unsustainable industry practices. Fast fashion means “cheaply produced and priced garments that copy the latest catwalk and celebrity styles.” The fast-fashion business model involves rapid design, production and distribution which allows consumers to get more products at lower prices.

But the fun stops there. The industry comprises nearly 10% of yearly global emissions, which is as much as the European Union emits. Textile production has a large impact on freshwater systems as water is drawn from groundwater sources and dyeing processes and yarn preparation are energy-intensive and use fossil fuel energy. Read more