Everyone loves to purchase dupes of high end clothing designs because they are affordable and fashionable, satisfying the needs of young customers. However, the brands that produce them hold a deep dark secret, which is that in order to copy the latest fashion trends their clothes are made from harmful and cheap material. This is called ‘fast fashion’. If it still leaves you wondering “why is fast fashion such a bad thing?”. Well the answer is simple: it causes a lot of environmental harm such as carbon emissions, and marine pollution. Therefore, resulting in an unsustainable and hazardous environment. 

 

In my opinion fast fashion should be put to a halt or further regulated. This is because fast fashion causes a lot of environmental hazards through carbon emissions. It includes the depletion of non-renewable sources, emission of greenhouse gases and the use of massive amounts of water and energy. As unbelievable as it seems, it requires about 700 gallons of water to produce one cotton shirt and 2000 gallons to produce a pair of jeans. Moreover, these cheap clothing materials consist of petrochemicals that increase carbon emission when these clothes are discarded and burned. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation the fashion industry is liable for 10% of global CO2 emissions each year. Furthermore, Fast Fashion adds to marine pollution. This is triggered by the clothes made out of synthetic fabrics that may contain microplastics. However, the microplastics can be released from these clothes when they are washed or are subjected to rain. When these microplastics are released they will enter water systems and eventually enter the ocean, consequently resulting in marine pollution. Moreover, according to different studies microplastics may end up in the stomachs of marine animals including the ones that turn into seafood; ultimately affecting  human health. Additionally, many dyes used to color fabrics are highly toxic, both to humans and the environment. Lack of adequate disposal mechanisms result in  flushing dye waste into nearby rivers which will contribute to agricultural pollution, and infect water resources for animals, and humans. 

 

In conclusion, it is important to recognize that our purchasing habits in regards to fast fashion have a significant impact on our environment and our health. It is understandable that fast fashion is appealing to the eye because of its ability to stay up to date with the latest fashion trend in an affordable manner. However, this eye candy causes a lot of problems to the environment including humans. As responsible humans we should choose more sustainable brands in order to protect the environment.