Fast fashion is killing traditional Indian textile industry and making Indians buy more clothes than they need (2024)

FAQs

How has fast fashion affected India? ›

Despite India's rich natural heritage, the fast fashion industry had gained ground, giving rise to the widespread use of synthetic cotton, silk, and other artificial yarns. Not surprisingly, textile mills soon emerged as one of the top industrial polluters, accounting for one-fifth of global industrial water pollution.

These unsold garments are often burned, as it's cheaper and easier for the company than finding a way to reuse or recycle them. Apart from wasting resources, the fast fashion industry pollutes waterways with toxic dyes, and increases the number of microfibres in the ocean through the use of fossil fuel-based fabrics.

In the early years of its development the Indian textile industry had faced folowing problems: (i)It found it difficult to compete with the cheap textiles imported from Britain. (ii)In most countries, governments supported industrialisation by imposing heavy duties on imports.

Plastic fibres are polluting the oceans, the wastewater, toxic dyes, and the exploitation of underpaid workers. Fast fashion is big business, and while the environmental costs are rising, experts say there is another way: a circular economy for textiles.

In addition to environmental issues, fast fashion garments spark a lot of ethical concerns. They are often made in sweatshops where underpaid workers are employed for long hours in unsafe conditions and are exposed to harmful chemicals used in textile production.

- There is competition from foreign cloth industries. - There is a shortage of supply of raw materials which is imported from foreign countries, particularly of long-staple cotton.

During the second half of the nineteenth century, India's steady growth of modern industries hastened the decline of traditional industries. Despite being universal, the decline of village handicrafts (traditional industries) was caused by social, economic, and local factors.

Greenhouse Gasses

According to The Ethical Consumer and Greenpeace's Journal, 'Unearthed', if the demand for fast fashion continues to grow at its current rate, we could see the total carbon footprint of our clothing reach 26% by 2050!

How can fast fashion be stopped? ›

These fibres are almost impossible to recycle or compost. But wait, there's more. The Fashion Industry is the second largest polluter in the world. Not only does the fast fashion industry contribute 11 million tonnes to the landfill, it's also the second largest polluter in the world, just after the oil industry.

Thousands of weavers in India were now thrown out of employment. Bengal weavers were the worst hit. English and European companies stopped buying Indian goods and their agents no longer gave out advances to weavers to secure supplies.

Repackaging the moratorium period due as two-year term loan. Twentyfive per cent additional working capital to restart the economic cycle. Allowing textile and apparel companies for one-time restructuring of bank loans to convert working capital loans to long term loans or additional working capital loans.

Many factors, such as length of the growing season, climate (including solar radiation, temperature, light, wind, rainfall, and dew), cultivar, availability of nutrients and soil moisture, pests and cultural practices affect cotton growth (El-Zik, 1980. (1980). The cotton plant - its growth and development (pp.

In conclusion, fast fashion has both advantages and disadvantages. While it offers affordability, convenience, and variety, it also has a significant environmental impact, contributes to labor issues and unethical practices, and encourages a culture of excessive consumption.

The endless creation of new clothes comes with a heavy environmental price. Every year the sector requires 93 billion cubic meters of water, which is enough to meet the consumption needs of five million people, and is responsible for around 20% of industrial water pollution as a result of textile treatment and dyeing.

Chemical Pollution

The fast fashion industry relies heavily on chemicals, from the pesticides used to grow crops to the dyes and finishes applied to garments. These chemicals can pollute our air and water, and they can also have harmful effects on human health.

Welcome to the world of fast fashion. Fast fashion is a relatively recent phenomenon. During the 1990s, retailers began to introduce trendy, cheaply-priced, poorly-made clothes on a weekly basis, intending to match the breakneck pace at which fashion trends move.

The three major problems faced by Indian cotton Weavers in the 19th century are the increased price of raw materials, competition with the imported machines, cheaper foreign cotton products and decreased rate of exports.

Why cotton textile industry has grown rapidly over the years in India? ›

The tropical climate of India is suitable for the cultivation of cotton and due to the high demand for cotton all over the world the cotton industries in India are growing at a rapid pace and are located in the Western states of India.

Black money and corruption are also hindering the sector's growth. Currently, India is facing an investment and consumption crisis. The regulatory laws, unfavourable land and labour laws, inadequate connectivity, communication, energy infrastructure etc., are some of the other issues faced by this sector.

The unavailability of raw materials, credit facilities, skilled manpower, and energy sources have been major challenges to the growth of Indian industries.

Runoff of pesticides, fertilizers, and minerals from cotton fields contaminates rivers, lakes, wetlands, and underground aquifers. These pollutants affect biodiversity directly by immediate toxicity or indirectly through long-term accumulation.

By the turn of the nineteenth century, as British Industrialization took place, Indian weavers faced two problems- the collapse of their export market and the shrinking of their local markets which were flooded with cheap, imported British goods.

Fibres are the raw material of textile industry. Fibres can be natural or man-made. Natural fibres are obtained from wool, silk, cotton, linen and jute. Man made fibres include nylon, polyester, acrylic and rayon.

Economic Downsides of Fast Fashion

Moreover, the unsafe working conditions that these workers are subjected to, have consequences on their health, predisposing sickness and injuries to the labor, thereby negatively impacting the global economy's workforce.

Because fast fashion giants are often able to drive down the costs of their goods through the use of low–quality materials and cheap labor, many consumers have come to associate low–cost clothing with fast fashion—and high–priced goods with sustainability.

Fast fashion retailers are motivated by how much profit they can turn, and by paying so little in wages, not only is the profit margin increased, the workers are also trapped in a cycle of poverty.

Fast fashion promotes the throwaway culture, excessive consumerism, and makes clothes disposable commodities. Many consumers make purchasing decisions based on their emotions. Retailers use that behavior and tap into the subconscious of consumers.

Where does fast fashion waste go? ›

However, textile waste generation does not occur equally. People with higher incomes generate on average 76% more clothing waste than people with lower incomes. Once textiles are discarded, 66% of them are sent to landfills in the U.S. where they decompose — some quickly and others over hundreds of years.

The Waste It Creates Is Especially Harmful

Cheap materials like polyester, nylon and acrylic, which are common to fast fashion, take centuries or even thousands of years to biodegrade.

There are many reasons for the decline of Indian textiles in India and abroad. Import duties were imposed on Indian textile exports to reduce competition for British cotton industries. The EIC sold cheap machine-made goods in the Indian market. Also, the prices of cotton increased with the increase in cotton exports.

With the invention of some machines like the spinning jenny, textiles were produced in large quantities, making them cheaper. British cloth started to flood the domestic as well as the international markets. Heavy duties were imposed on Indian textiles and traders could no longer afford to buy these textiles.

Answer: (i) in the 18th century Britain don't imposed so much import duties on cotton textiles, so export market not declined. (ii) Exports of British goods to India were less this enable the Indian markets to run smoothly.

While production has taken a hit, imports of textiles have increased. In the period from April to November, 2022, imports of textiles were valued at Rs 433 billion. In the same period of last year, imports of textiles were valued at Rs. 313 billion.

Waste can be reduced at sample making, cutting, manufacturing, packaging, sewing and finishing levels. One can also reduce the waste by manufacturing large quantities of the same style in different colors or prints, as cutting and production is easier with efficient marker making.

Cotton's water thirst also affected the Indus River, with about 97% of its waste irrigating cotton fields. They channel surface and ground waters to irrigate cotton fields in many other places. This practice has caused water loss through evaporation, poor management, and soil erosion.

In fact, India exports huge quantity of cotton. What India imports are cotton which is richer and has lesser contamination than Indian cotton.

The low yields persistent in Indian cotton production are also attributed to the lack of disease resistant and high yielding varieties. Another factor affecting the yield is rainfall pattern in India.

How fashion has changed in India? ›

The evolution of fashion in India cannot be ignored as it soars through the heights of international platforms even today. Traditional patterns and designs on aesthetically pleasing fabrics such as Chikhan and Zardosi are seen with a touch of western on some of the biggest runway platforms in the world.

Fast Fashion

Indian workers experience unfair and abusive conditions in their workplace. About 12.9 million individuals work in sweatshops and millions more work in informal settings, typically in their homes. The United States and European Union receive 47% of India's total fast fashion output.

Do Fast Fashion Statistics Vary by Country? 10 countries dominate the market for retail purchasing: China 40 billion, USA 17 billion, India 6 billion, Japan 3.3 billion, Germany 2.2 billion, UK 2.1 billion, Russia 2 billion, France 1.5 billion, Italy 1.3 billion and Brazil 2.3 billion.

Fast fashion's benefits are affordable prices and instant gratification for consumers, more profits for companies, and the democratization of stylish clothing. On the downside, fast fashion is also associated with pollution, waste, the promulgation of a "disposable" mentality, low wages, and unsafe workplaces.

Indian ethnic wears are an intimate part of the Indian cultural believes. This is religiously believed and followed by people and mass of all age groups. Even important life events like weddings, both men and women prefer wearing traditional clothes.

This is because it is closely linked to the agriculture sector due to the need for raw materials such as cotton for garment production as well as the ancient culture and traditions of the country that are still heavily implemented in the textile sector.

Clothing in India varies with the different ethnicities, geography, climate, and cultural traditions of the people of each region of India. Historically, clothing has evolved from simple garments like kaupina, langota, achkan, lungi, sari, well as rituals and dance performances.

India is one of the largest producers of silk. Textile companies in India recycle tons of discarded fibrous waste each year. They are using them to create unique products. One of the byproducts of textile waste recycling is yarn.

Fast fashion is severely criticized for its negative social impacts. It doesn't promote decent work conditions, gender equality, diversity, or inclusivity. Instead, retailers foster a culture of discrimination, harassment, and violence.

The target audience for fast fashion is consumers aged between 18 and 24, while women and young girls consume fast fashion more than any other demographic group.

How wasteful is fast fashion? ›

Each wash and dry cycle, especially the latter, sheds microfilaments that move through our sewage systems and end up in waterways. It is estimated that half a million tons of these contaminants reach the ocean each year. That's the equivalent to the plastic pollution of more than 50 billion bottles.

Choose More Eco-Friendly Materials

Fast fashion makes use of a lot of cheap materials that use microplastics, for example, such as polyester and rayon. So instead, opt for items made from sustainable fabrics that are more durable, require fewer resources to produce, and are made of little to no microplastics.

Economic Downsides of Fast Fashion

Moreover, the unsafe working conditions that these workers are subjected to, have consequences on their health, predisposing sickness and injuries to the labor, thereby negatively impacting the global economy's workforce.

* The report states: "7793 ktons, or 8.5% of global textile waste, is accumulated in India every year".

India's textile waste accounts for 8.5% of the global total; only 59% of the textile waste in India finds its way back into the textile industry through reuse and recycling, with a mere fraction making it back into the global supply chain.