Fast Fashion: What it means for the climate

What does fashion have to do with climate change? 

When people talk about climate change they usually think about things like wildfires, electric cars, or renewable energy. But one thing that hardly gets mentioned is fashion. The fashion industry causes up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which is even more than all the airplanes and ships combined. This means that the clothes we wear and buy have a large impact on the planet. 

Why is fashion so bad for the environment? 

The problem mostly comes from something called “fast fashion”. This means that clothes are made quickly and cheaply so people can buy lots of items and then throw them away after wearing them a few times or once they go out of style. This causes a lot of waste and pollution. Also, many clothes are made from materials like polyester which comes from fossil fuels and creates emissions when made and thrown away. Growing cotton uses a lot of water and the dyes used to color clothes pollute rivers and lakes. All of these things together make the fashion industry one of the worst polluters out there. 

Climate policy and fashion

Even though fashion is a big problem, most climate policies don’t talk about it much. One reason is that fashion supply chains are spread all over the world. For example, cotton might be grown in India, clothes made elsewhere, and then sold in the US. Because of this, it’s hard for any one country to take responsibility. Also, many climate goals focus more on things like energy, cars, and factories, and less on what people buy and use everyday, like clothes. 

What can be done to fix this?

If climate policies took fashion seriously, they could encourage companies to use materials that are better for the environment, like organic cotton or recycled fabrics. They could also discourage making an excess amount of clothes that end up going to waste. Laws could require companies to be open about where and how their clothes are made, which would hopefully encourage consumers to make smarter choices. Policies could promote ways to reuse and recycle clothes, like buying secondhand or repairing old items. Some places like New York are starting to pass laws to make companies be more responsible with their environmental impact. 

Until these policies get stronger, consumers should make a conscious effort to shop more sustainably. Shopping more sustainability doesn’t always mean shopping less, it can include buying secondhand, supporting brands that truly believe in climate change, or even something as simple as rewearing a certain item a couple more times.