The Link Between Fast Fashion and Poverty - The Borgen Project (2024)

FAQs

How does fast fashion contribute to poverty? ›

Unethical Production Practices

These sweatshops prey on the poorest people who do not have the luxury to turn down any form of work. In many manufacturing countries such as China, India and Bangladesh, the minimum wage only ranges from a half to a fifth of the living wage required for a family to meet its basic needs.

According to a 2020 Borgen Magazine article by Grace Ganz, the combination of emissions and water pollution created by clothing dyes, chemicals and other waste from the operation of these companies leads to environmental poverty in those areas.

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.

It dries up water sources and pollutes rivers and streams, while 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year. Even washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibres into the ocean each year, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles.

In addition, on a deeper level, fast fashion allows lower income individuals and families to purchase more items of clothing that are modern and trendy. Because of this, low-income individuals can wear styles comparable to those of their more well-off peers, thus mitigating the impacts of classism through clothing.

Waste occurs at every stage of the garment manufacturing process, harming wildlife, degrading land, and polluting soil and water. The fast fashion industry is a significant contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for as much as 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions.

The disadvantages of fast fashion include –

not paying fair living wages to workers, poor working conditions, child labor, environmental destruction from hazardous chemicals, plastic-derived materials, and increasing amounts of water pollution and textile waste.

Every time a synthetic garment is washed, it releases tiny plastic microfibers into the water. Up to 500,000 tons of microfibers end up in the ocean every year. Textiles and fashion waste account for 9% of annual microplastic pollution added to our oceans.

These garments appeal to shoppers because they are affordable and trendy. But because they aren't built to last and quickly go out of style, and because the owner didn't spend much money on them to begin with, these clothes are quickly discarded, piling up in landfills.

Fast fashion became common because of cheaper, speedier manufacturing and shipping methods, an increase in consumers' appetite for up-to-the-minute styles, and the increase in consumer purchasing power—especially among young people—to indulge these instant-gratification desires.

How does fast fashion damage the environment? ›

How does fast fashion affect the environment? The impact of plastic fibres on the environment cannot be ignored. These tiny particles are polluting the oceans, entering our waterways and contaminating our food chain. However, plastic fibres are not the only environmental issue caused by the fashion industry.

Social factor is one of the most significant factors that influence fashion frequently and expansively. Its area is pretty wide and includes many factors, such as place of living (urban area or rural area), educational and cultural background, status in society, gender, profession, and, of course, occasions.

Consumers demand new, affordable, and fashionable clothes available in high-street stores every week. The fast fashion industry plays a huge role in the global economy. It employs 300 million people around the world. It offers jobs to farmers and workers in the poorest countries.

Negative Impacts of Fashion Trends on Society

Such new fashion trends also affect the psychology of younger generations, and hence, if they do not get it, then it badly affects their minds and (likely) they become victims of psychological disorders such as eating disorders, mental illness, stress, etc.

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.

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.

Is Nike fast fashion? Yes, Nike is fast fashion. While Nike has had many labor and sweatshop controversies over the years, they do seem to be cleaning up their act and offering more transparency.

There are 92 million tons of clothes-related waste each year, which produces half a million tons of microplastics. 15% of the fabric used in production is wasted, and 57% of all discarded clothes end up in landfills.

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.

Why clothing waste has become a problem? ›

85% Of Our Clothes End Up In Landfills Or Burned

Even if we tried to recycle all of our old clothes, it's important to acknowledge that a lot of these textiles — about 60 percent of them — are not recyclable in the first place, which is why they end up in landfills or burned. Many of our clothes are made with plastic.

Clothes, footwear and household textiles are responsible for water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and landfill. Find out more in our infographic.

Pollution occurs at all stages of the clothing life cycle. During production, it occurs with the use of synthetic fibres, cotton, and textile dyeing. Then, when we use the clothes, they pollute when we wash them. Once we throw them away, they pollute in landfill.

Fast fashion clothing relies heavily on cheap synthetic fabrics that rarely hold together over multiple wears. This means the customer needs to continuously foot the bill for new pieces. It's a vicious cycle that keeps your wallet empty. But it's also harming the environment.

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.

One of the biggest economic issues with fast fashion is the high production costs. This is also associated with producing millions of garments in a short amount of time. This includes labor costs, materials, machinery, energy used to create each garment, and transportation costs if the garments are produced overseas.

It is estimated that approximately 60% of fast fashion items are produced with plastic-based (which is made from fossil fuels) fabrics. Throughout their life cycles, these fabrics are significantly contributing to the worldwide plastic pollution crisis.

Fashion trends are influenced by several factors, including cinema, celebrities, climate, creative explorations, innovations, designs, political, economic, social, and technological.

How much money does fast fashion contribute to the economy? ›

Fast fashion is growing with e-commerce

Fast fashion and e-commerce are driving massive economic growth. The e-commerce revenue in the fashion industry worldwide was USD 481 billion in 2018, as reported by A. Orendorff (2018). It is expected to reach USD 713 billion in 2022.

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.

Sadly, cheap and unregulated child labour is especially still a thing in fast fashion because it helps keep the costs so low. Some of the reasons that maintain child labour in the fashion supply chain are: Many of its stages involve low-skilled tasks.

The disadvantages of fast fashion include –

not paying fair living wages to workers, poor working conditions, child labor, environmental destruction from hazardous chemicals, plastic-derived materials, and increasing amounts of water pollution and textile waste.

Greenhouse Gasses

If the demand for fast fashion continues at its current rate, the total global carbon emissions of our clothing could reach 26% by 2050.

Introduced by American Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), the FABRIC Act aims to make sure that fashion companies abide by supply chain transparency, safe labor conditions, and fair wages, enabling stakeholders to hold fast fashion companies accountable for malpractices.

6 million children are in forced labour. Schuurman says there are practical steps that companies can take to rid their supply chains of child labour. “Brands can start off by creating a supply register. Fashion brands normally have 200 or more suppliers.

Low wages, long work hours, unsafe conditions, sexual abuse, and physical assaults are numerous in the fast fashion industry. Many fast fashion brands and retailers don't oversee their supply chain as they should. They let child labor and modern slavery happen in cotton farms and garment factories.

One of the biggest economic issues with fast fashion is the high production costs. This is also associated with producing millions of garments in a short amount of time. This includes labor costs, materials, machinery, energy used to create each garment, and transportation costs if the garments are produced overseas.