How To Quit Fast Fashion for Good | Earth 911 – Earth911.com

The MO of fast fashion brands is to mass-produce trendy designs at a low cost. While some brands are working on a greener selection, we know that greenwashing, waste, and human rights violations abound in the fashion industry.

Emma Mathews, founder of the sustainable British sock brand Socko and author of How to Quit Fast Fashion: 100 Expert Tips for a Sustainable Wardrobe advised us on how to take meaningful steps towards quitting fast fashion.

Clothing is more than the sum of its materials. Behind every garment are people, water, agriculture, energy, and transportation emissions, and much more.

The fashion industry produces more carbon emissions than international flights and maritime shipping combined, and is the second-largest consumer of the worlds water supply despite this, 85% of all textiles end up in the dump each year. How to Quit Fast Fashion

In Mathews view, the hazards of fast fashion are greatest for textile and garment workers and the environment. Clothes dont magically appear. Think about the number of hands that handle that garment before it gets to you, about how much you pay versus what the person is paid after retail and shipping costs for something designed to be throwaway.

Garment makers work in appalling conditions because retailers, to satisfy demand, prioritize low-cost clothing over peoples lives. One of the starkest examples is the 2013 Rana Plaza fire in Bangladesh, the fourth largest industrial disaster in history, during which 1,100 people died and another 2,500 were injured.

Reevaluating your relationship with fast fashion means reconciling with the environmental and human costs, but Mathews is adamant that preaching isnt the goal. On the contrary, its about providing tools so consumers can make the decision for themselves.

Even if we stopped production tomorrow, we have enough to clothe the next two generations, says Mathews.

So, its not that we need more clothes its that were bored with what we have.

Lessening your clothings impact on our ecosystem doesnt have to mean sacrificing style.

Its in your hands as a consumer to take care of your clothing. Instead of buying new, learn fundamental preservation principles from way back when.

Paying a fair price for clothing does mean it will be more expensive, Mathews says. Thats why consumers have to make a mindset shift between wanting a quick pick-me-up and thinking for all seasons.

What makes it onto the clothing racks represents a give and take between brands and consumers. Since our closets dont exist in a vacuum, both have a vested interest in designing for a circular economy and wearing for the long-term.

Mathews believes retailers should educate consumers about the longevity of their items, and that we need legislation to regulate the fashion industry and protect garment workers. Changing consumer preferences are already making a positive impact, but theres no quick fix.

Thats why brands, as well as consumers, must continue probing the way clothing production and consumption are interlinked. If you want to have a sustainable business and lifestyle, How can you justify against what the planet needs?

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How To Quit Fast Fashion for Good | Earth 911 - Earth911.com