Every year, the fashion industry produces a whopping 80 billion clothing items, and the average garment is worn only 10 times before it is dumped into the already overflowing landfills. The majority of the items are neither recycled nor donated. This cycle of fast fashion is toxic for a number of reasons.
Firstly, the environmental impact is almost irrevocable. 22,000 tonnes of toxic waste generated from factories are dumped directly into rivers that not only kill the flora and fauna in the areas but also cause severe health problems to all the people living there. The overwhelmingly rapid production of clothes exhausts natural resources and releases greenhouse gases into the environment, at an alarming pace.
Fast fashion, however, is largely unethical because of its reputation of exploiting the workforce. Unfair wages, hazardous working conditions, and unbelievingly long hours for the employees is the sad reality of the industry.
However, with slow fashion on the rise, sustainable brands are taking conscious decisions and actions to work on these factors, and restore ecological justice.
Firstly, the environmental impact is almost irrevocable. 22,000 tonnes of toxic waste generated from factories are dumped directly into rivers that not only kill the flora and fauna in the areas but also cause severe health problems to all the people living there. The overwhelmingly rapid production of clothes exhausts natural resources and releases greenhouse gases into the environment, at an alarming pace.
Fast fashion, however, is largely unethical because of its reputation of exploiting the workforce. Unfair wages, hazardous working conditions, and unbelievingly long hours for the employees is the sad reality of the industry.
However, with slow fashion on the rise, sustainable brands are taking conscious decisions and actions to work on these factors, and restore ecological justice.