Can fast fashion make way for sustainable style?

Photography by Pietro Sambuy

Deepali Foster considers the fashion industry’s shift to sustainability.

After a tiresome day of reading in the library, or procrastinating in bed when you should have been studying, nothing is more enjoyable than the instant gratification you feel from ‘retail therapy’. While this happiness may be satisfying, the subsequent hunger for the latest trends has slowly but surely created a ‘throw-away culture’: a world of buying more and spending less… a world of fast fashion.

Fast fashion first began to bloom in the 90s, with brands such as Zara producing items at a much faster rate than ever before. This quick turnover allowed consumers to get their hands on a continuous cycle of trend-led pieces all year round at bargain prices. Fast fashion does sound ideal! However, displacing the traditional ‘just make-do and mend’ with the modern ‘just buy another dress’ attitude has come at a price: the environment.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has stated that just one t-shirt takes 2700 litres of water to produce, the equivalent to over three years of drinking water for a single person. With over 150 billion new garments being produced each year, and global clothing production rapidly increasing, it goes without saying that the demand for clothes is having a harmful effect on our environment. The fast fashion industry is actually a greater contributor to the climate crisis than the aeronautical and shipping industries combined. It is responsible for 10% of our global carbon footprint and, according to The United Nations Environmental Programme, fast fashion could make up 25% of the world’s carbon budget by 2050.

It is equally accountable for water pollution: EKOenergy warns that textile dyeing is the second biggest polluter of clean water on our planet, after agriculture: when washed in domestic washing machines, polyester garments shed microfibers that eventually add to the increasing levels of plastic in our oceans. Additionally, the fast-paced nature of the industry naturally results in millions of unused and discarded clothes, resulting in mass waste. Designer Stella McCartney, a pioneer in introducing sustainable fashion practices to her brand, has pointed out that “only 1% of used clothing is recycled”: the rest is sent straight to landfills. Having digested all of this, it is incredibly surprising that, despite the surge in climate change protests, the fast fashion industry has not received anywhere near as much attention or backlash.

There is also a human side to the debate. Have you ever noticed that online stores lack transparency over the production of their fast fashion garments? Where are they made? Who are they made by? NYC’s Fair Fashion Centre revealed that one in six humans work in the fashion industry: most are women in developing countries, working for 14-16 hours a day in dangerous conditions, receiving less than half of the living wage. In 2016, a shocking report emerged from the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, revealing that female H&M factory employees in Cambodia and India were being fired if they were found to be pregnant. Years have gone by, yet we still hear reports of child slavery from the age of two, sexual harassment in the workplace, and no regard for workers’ wellbeing. Meanwhile, managers continue to prohibit the creation of trade unions, leaving workers unable to defend their rights to this very day.

Have any of these cases resulted in a change in society’s attitudes to fast fashion? Has the now highly-discussed climate crisis potentially begun to turn heads on the matter of sustainable shopping? Wanting to investigate these questions further, I decided to interview UCL students about their shopping habits and opinions on the matter. Chatting to peers, I discovered that many were unable to even define fast fashion. However, I noticed that after explaining the industry and all its implications, respondents such as Architecture student, Shannon, felt “compelled to shop more ethically” and to research fast fashion further. Despite the blunt acknowledgement that it is not ‘trendy’ to shop sustainably, there was widespread optimistic belief that, through greater awareness, sustainable shopping would one day become the norm.

Indeed, the high street has already witnessed some important shifts towards environmental sustainability. Stella McCartney has frequently scrutinised the “incredibly wasteful” industry, boasting several achievements in eco-fashion. As a member of the Sustainable Apparel Collection, McCartney has set an example by using eco-friendly materials, such as recycled polyester, and devising water and waste reduction strategies. Her company has set an approved science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a 2020 deadline for the elimination of hazardous chemicals within their production line. McCartney’s pioneering focus on sustainability provides hope that a monumental shift in the world of fashion is in fact within reach. In some ways that hope could already be turning into a reality: it was noticeable that during this year’s seasonal Fashion Weeks, sustainability was at the forefront of the catwalks. Maria Cornejo, founder of ‘Zero + Maria Cornejo,’ (Cornejo’s brand committed to responsibly designed clothes) sent out an important message that “small shifts make big waves.” Trends move from runways straight to wardrobes: top designers making vital sustainable changes in fashion can in turn encourage a drastic shift on the high street.

Menswear brands are also playing their part in redefining eco-friendly luxury, one suit at a time. Back in 2007, designer Tom Ford advocated how “true luxury comes from being able to enjoy beautiful things that haven’t had a destructive impact on the planet or on other people.” He pledged with confidence that clothes with a conscience would one day become “the ultimate status symbol.” Ten years later, his commitment to humanitarian standards and Italian craftsmanship were universally recognised by the fashion industry. He was awarded the Green Carpet Fashion Award for Best International Designer Supporting “Made in Italy”. The shift is also carrying into footwear: earlier this year Hugo Boss launched a range of vegan men’s shoes, made from a natural material consisting of pineapple leaf fibres called ‘Pinatex.’ The shoes are then sold to customers in a recyclable and biodegradable paper box.

Actions are also being taken in certain countries: over summer, Sweden refused to endorse or participate in Fashion Week, citing concerns surrounding sustainability as their main reason. The Swedish Fashion Council’s CEO questioned the place of fashion shows, in a century where sustainability is now “fashion’s biggest focus”. Stockholm is the first to take a stand in this way, and hopefully it won’t be the last.

So how can you make your stand? By taking small steps that can lead to a bigger difference. This includes fuelling debate about the topic amongst friends and family, or thinking twice before walking into Primark. Explore the numerous charity shops and vintage stores scattered throughout London, or online second-hand shops, such as Depop, to give unwanted clothes a home. Try clothes-swapping with friends, or tailoring unloved items in your wardrobe to give them a new lease of life. Refuse to make unnecessary purchases, reduce the amount of waste from your wardrobe, repair damaged items, and if all else fails… recycle! Together we can shift our world from fast fashion to sustainable shopping.

This article was originally published in Issue 724 of Pi Magazine.