Fast Fashion: Why and How You Should Minimise Your Consumption.

The impact of fast fashion is much more damaging than what is understood by many. Who would have thought that the production of clothes in mass quantities contributed to climate change more than shipping and aviation industries put together. The World’s fashion Capitals throw away millions of tons of clothing to landfill, and they just sit there for hundreds of years.

In reference to this year's EU Report, fashion companies only produced two collections a year two decades ago, in comparison to 2011, where this increased to five, with some of your fave high street retailers producing over twenty collections per year. The report noted that the increase in the production of clothes lead them to be considered as “nearly disposable” goods, understandably so, due to the fact that more and more are constantly being produced. So, if we look at the increase of clothing production, there’s clearly a growing demand that will just keep growing as the years go by, which only leads me to conclude that this will enable more clothes being thrown out. Consequently, further damaging the planet. For those who were unaware of this, moving forward, here’s three things we can do to minimize the impact of fast fashion:

THRIFT

Understandably, old/ vintage clothing isn’t everybody’s steez. But what many people fail to realize is that fashion trends are just recycled trends from a previous time in history, and some looks just never go out of style. So you’re bound to find something in the thrift shop that looks identical to something sold in your fave high street store. Buying second hand reduces the need for somebody to produce them, and it is a known fact that mass production has consequences that affect the human rights of people in third world countries.

STOP SHOPPING AT URBAN OUTFITTERS

If you like the look of vintage clothing, please stop shopping from Urban Outfitters. Do it properly. Acquire patience, and go to a REAL vintage shop. It is drastically cheaper, the quality is unmatched, you won’t see anyone wearing the same piece as you, and ultimately, a good experience for those who genuinely enjoy shopping. Yes, UO might be less hassle. The sizes and quantity are there, but let’s be honest, their clothing is overpriced for the subpar quality they offer.

DO NOT THROW YOUR OLD CLOTHES AWAY

Last but not least, never, ever, throw old clothes away. If you don’t have the time to hand them to a charity shop (I don’t think there’s any excuse to not go to one, most area’s have them) then use selling platforms like Depop, EBay, and Etsy. Not only does the planet benefit from it, but so do you. It’s a chance for you to make some of that money back, if you’re not thinking about the environmental aspect of it.