This past year has seen many national lockdowns, which have caused all non-essential businesses to close their doors for the second time this year. Without a doubt, these lockdowns have had grave impacts on people’s lives, both socially and economically. Since Winter has steadily approached, temperatures have plummeted making it harder to socialise outdoors in public places in line with the government's restrictions. Although furlough has continued to support people unable to work in this lockdown by supplementing their income at 80%, for many families across England this is simply not enough to sustain their households. This has meant that the announcement of the government's roadmap back to normality (including the reopening of shops) has been an occasion to celebrate, and for the reasons stated above, rightly so.
The constant closing and reopening of shops over the past year has caused a lot of confusion amongst the British public. However, with online shopping so widely available, people have found ways to continue consuming and engaging with retail. From bulky packaging, non-biodegradable fabrics and accusations of unethical working conditions, the online and fast fashion industries have faced questions and criticisms. The rising focus on the climate crisis has contributed to the scrutiny placed upon these industries, and questions have been raised regarding the sustainability and environmental impacts of the fashion industry.
The fast fashion industry has had detrimental impacts on the environment. Statistics published by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UNEP in 2019 suggest that the fast fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions. In light of the recent Climate Marches that have occurred across England, and the rising popularity of environmental activists such as Greta Thunberg, there has been an increased focus on the critical state of the planet. This leaves us to try to answer the questions surrounding the future of our planet, fast fashion and sustainability.
The main issue facing us is the trade-off between the inclusion achieved through low prices and the harm of our throw-away culture. It makes sense that consumers would be attracted to low price sales considering the ever-rising cost of living. According to the Bank of England, prices have gone up by 2% on average per year since 1997. By having low prices, retailers are expanding their audience and consequently increasing profit. One company notorious for this is online fashion giant Pretty Little Thing, which recently received criticism for its 2020 Black Friday sale which saw garments being sold for as little as 8p. However, in order to accommodate for these astronomically low prices, cuts inevitably must be made elsewhere in the production line. One way this has been done is through the increased usage of cheap plastics within garments. Polyester, nylon, acrylic and polyamide are just some of the plastics that have become a common sight on the labels of clothes. Due to the cyclical nature of ‘fast fashion’, these plastics often end up in landfill not long after purchase: an estimated £140 million worth of clothing goes into landfill in the UK every year (source: wrap.org.uk). Obviously, this is an environmental disaster, with it taking up to 200 years for the plastics used in fabrics to degrade.
I spoke to Esher College's Environmental & Sustainability executive Veronika Boost to get some further insight on the matter. Veronika, who is also a Biology student, drew attention to the extensive environmental issues with fast fashion, noting that "it is not only the greenhouses gases produced when making the clothes but also the disposal when stocks aren't sold." Continuing, Veronika explained that the excess CO2 emissions damage "habitats and kill species of animals".
So, what can we do to help preserve our planet within the fashion industry? Veronika explained that the best way to counteract our consumer culture is by buying second-hand clothing. Recently, there has been a surge in second-hand clothing apps such as depop, which allow people to sell their used clothing easily. Alternatively, you could get creative and upcycle old clothes to get more use out of them. Veronika also encouraged people to start researching the companies that they are buying into, noting that "lots of highstreet shops are now considered fast fashion too", indicating that the problem is not contained within the world of online shopping.
Overall, it is clear that we must begin to take on board what we have been told for years by scientists and environmentalists. Veronika made it clear that the issue of fast fashion "needs to be raised more urgently among young people", comparing the problem to smoking, saying that whilst you "may never be able to shut it down, you may be able to reduce the number of people contributing to [the problem]."
The dangers of our consumer culture pose a significant risk to not only us and our current climate and environment but the state of the world for all the generations that will come after us.
