fashion

Overview

“Becoming more mindful about clothing means looking at every fiber, at every seed and every dye and seeing how to make it better. We don’t want sustainability to be our edge, we want it to be universal.” — Eileen Fisher, Fashion Designer

Look at what you’re wearing today. Do you remember where or when you bought your cozy top, favorite pants or go-to tee? 

In addition to considering what you’re wearing, think about who you’re wearing. Whose hands made your clothes, sewed your sweater, dyed your jeans or picked the cotton for your t-shirt? 

We live in a world of fast fashion, where companies churn out high volumes of low-priced clothing at the expense of the planet and workers. To keep up with high demand for cheap clothing, fast fashion companies cut as many corners as possible to slash prices, at the cost of material quality, working conditions, and wages of the people who produce the clothing. So what is the true cost of a $5 t-shirt?

In the developing world, an estimated 40 million people sew more than 1.5 billion garments in 250,000 factories and sweatshops each year. In many cases, these workers, primarily young women of color, are not provided with fair wages or ethical working conditions. In Bangladesh, it’s typical for a teen girl to work 16-hour days, 7 days a week, a horrifying trend mirrored in many countries. Companies that utilize this labor — like Zara, Forever 21, FashionNova, Shein and more — process over 1 million garments per day. Imagine the human, energy, material and other resources required for such operations, and where the garments end up after being worn. 

Now think about the materials and chemicals used to make clothes. Cotton, one of the industry’s commonly used textiles, is among the most pesticide-intensive crops. Conventional cotton uses approximately 25% of the world’s insecticides and 10% of the world’s pesticides. It is estimated that a single pound of cotton requires at least one-third of a pound of pesticides to produce. To put this in perspective, it takes half a pound of cotton to make your average t-shirt. On top of that, cotton requires more water than most crops — with a single pair of jeans using 1,800 gallons, a massive water footprint.

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. In fact, textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of water globally. The most destructive effects of the global fashion industry result from pesticide overuse in cotton production, dumping of hazardous chemicals used in leather tanning, water pollution and emissions from textile dyeing and finishing, toxic chemicals used in dry cleaning and widespread exploitation of workers, according to Responsibility in Fashion.

The output of the apparel and footwear industries contributes to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That accounts for more than international flights and shipping combined! Emissions stem from textile production, global transit, and disposal of garments in landfills or incinerators. At its rapidly expanding rate, the fashion industry may be responsible for an alarming 25% of global emissions by 2050.

The good news is that consumers (us!) can make informed decisions about our fashion choices. When considering a new clothing item, refer to the Buyerarchy of Needs: use what you have, borrow, swap, thrift, make, then buy — in that descending order. When you choose to use what you already have or what already exists, you extend the life of clothing and don’t contribute to further negative impacts of the fashion industry. Plus, you’ll save money!

Shopping secondhand still allows you to add fresh things to your wardrobe without the need to be ‘new.’ Secondhand, consignment, vintage and thrift stores and online retailers have merchandise coming in from various sources and people everyday, often donated or at low cost, savings that translate into price tags! These are also the most sustainable options, as no new materials or energy are used to produce the garments. Plus, it is a great way to find unique, long-lasting and one-of-a-kind pieces. 

If you are looking to buy something new, many brands actively work toward positive outcomes through deep commitment and innovation. Businesses like Patagonia are committed to “building the best product, causing no unnecessary harm, and using business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” Eileen Fisher, Indigenous, Amour Vert, Nudie Jeans, Jungmaven and others prioritize human rights, worker rights and ethical supply chains as guiding principles, offering high-quality clothing that breaks away from the 1.7 trillion dollar fast fashion industry, which profits off the exploitation of Earth and people, overwhelmingly young women of color.

Websites like Good On You assess and rate the ethical standards of clothing and accessory brands based on impact upon people, the environment and animals. Transparency matters, which is another reason to prioritize buying from responsible companies and ensuring brands publish lowest wages to maintain accountability. 

It’s up to you to drive demand for ethical fashion. Shopping secondhand, upcycling, trading clothes and investing in better brands makes a powerful statement to support responsible, sustainable, fair trade fashion for the immediate and long term benefit of all human beings and the planet we share.