The Climate of Fashion
Sustainability Vs. Fast Fashion
In sunny California, where avocado toasts and vegan options reign, Mother Nature has given us a large wake up call in the past couple of months. From the forest fires to the flooding of beach towns, signs of Earth’s global warming have led a wave of awareness of the affect people have on the environment. The fashion industry is no small contributor to climate change. Growing technology, online shopping, and the world of social media creates a fast paced environment that allows clothes to become more affordable to the general public and thus more profitable, resulting in the name fast fashion.
In conducting a recent Instagram poll targeted at Citrus College students, 42% of respondents said they have not heard the term “fast fashion,” while 58% said they had heard the term. While it’s clear that the concepts of “sustainability” and “fast fashion” have increasingly become more known, many are still unfamiliar with what they actually mean.
Fast fashion is clothing that is made up of cheap materials at warp speed and sold at very low prices to make room for the next trends (retailers like Forever 21, SHEIN, Fashion Nova, and PrettyLittleThing). However, it all comes at the cost of the environment. These brands constantly try to keep space in their inventory for the rapidly evolving consumer tastes. As a result, old products that don’t sell will end up in the trash as the cycle of trends shift with the times.
Fast fashion will typically make clothing out of cheaper and toxic synthetic materials such as polyester. This practice makes the fashion industry the second largest polluter of clean water after agriculture. When looking at the fashion industry as a whole, the United Nations Environment Programme says that the $2.5 trillion fashion industry is responsible for 20% of all global wastewater and 10% of all global carbon emissions. Fast fashion creates a culture that tells consumers they need to stay on trend by buying the latest pieces.
The constant speed and demand of this industry creates a cycle of fast purchases and fast disposal due to the low quality material used to make these pieces, most of which will be thrown in the trash. On average one garbage truck of clothes is burned or sent to landfills every second. That’s enough to fill one and a half Empire State Buildings every day. In 2019, it was enough to fill the Sydney Harbor every year. The environment has been showing clear signs of the damage being done as each year passes by, motivating many activists to push for sustainability within all areas of consumption.
For almost a century, thrift stores have served as a way for individuals and businesses to help this cause. Donating for others to buy second hand increases sustainability and is one of the easiest ways to give old clothes a chance for a second life.
New Unto Others, a local nonprofit thrift store in Glendora located on 175 N. Vermont Ave., has been doing this for almost ten years. “Whatever hasn’t been sold during the first four week period of being in the store gets marked down to one dollar. After that, New Unto Others makes it a priority to get the merchandise taken to material recovery facilities,” said store owner Shawn Prince. Store employee Marc Villagran is a Geology Major at Citrus College. The 20 year old has worked at New Unto Others for 3 1/2 years. “After working there, I’ve gained more knowledge about what kind of clothes and companies I should be looking for and supporting based on their process of making clothes and such,” said Villagran.
The commitment of small business owners like Prince is a contrast to the quality and sustainability large chain thrift stores may not emphasize as much. When visiting the West Covina Goodwill store for comment, Logos was told store employees were not allowed to talk to the press on their policies and we were directed to contact Goodwill Human Resources for comment. As of the publication of this story, no response has been received from Goodwill. New Unto Others commits to sustainability by making sure they are selecting items in great condition that are able to resell as much merchandise as possible before turning to textile recycling plants. Rather than leaving unwanted miscellaneous items for the garbage trucks, fashion recycling retailers like New Unto Others are examples of where to take clothing, footwear, furniture, and other household and domestic items that can be reused.
Of course, there are other ways to prevent clothing waste, and many sources on the internet provide tips on how to do so. Citrus College student Isabella Viyar is a 19 year old psychology major who manages her Instagram page with plenty of helpful content regarding sustainability. For the past few months, Viyar has been developing her social media platform through her aesthetically pleasing photographs coupled with captions that relate to her everyday life. Her goal is to teach others about ethical fashion, how it affects the world, and things one could do to help. Ever since her participation in a Dressember’s 10×10 challenge to raise awareness about human trafficking, her experience of only wearing ten items of clothing for ten days led her to become more conscious of what was in her closet. Viyar is candid about her sustainable lifestyle journey. “I’ve been thrifting my whole life, but never learned about sustainability as a lifestyle, a movement, and a part of intersectional environmentalism until I participated in [the challenge] and saw how much of an impact the clothes we buy had an affect on others and the environment,” said Viyar.
Sustainability is all about limiting waste and human consumption of consumer goods in response to the changing climate of the Earth. Even the smallest of steps like shopping at thrift stores or purchasing less clothing can contribute to the movement sustainability aims for. Curated by Isabella Viyar, some tips and tricks for sustainability in terms of fashion are:
1) The most sustainable option is what’s already in your closet, so try to make the most of the clothes you already have until you really need to buy something else.
2) Buy second hand clothes from thrift stores both online and in-person. Places like Depop, Poshmark, or your local community store. Thrifting helps extend the lives of clothes and keeps them from going to the landfill.
3)If you can’t buy second hand, try to buy clothes that are quality and can last you for a long time (if that’s within your financial means).
4) Learn to mend your clothes. Often we throw out our favorite items if there’s a small hole in it, so learning to take care of them can help us love them longer.
5) Try not to impulse buy! Really think about the clothes you buy, even if it’s on sale, ask if you really need it or if it’s just going to be something that’ll sit in your closet forever.
