Fast Fashion Must Slow Down – The Colgate Maroon-News

Fashion, a representation of personal identity, is deeply intertwined with the human experience. As social values ​​and beliefs evolve, culture and society undergo changes that are reflected in new trends. For many people, buying new clothes can mean an exciting change in character. As the foundation of identity and consumerism, fashion occupies a central place in our lives, and the pressure that comes with dressing in the latest fashion trends is often related to human need to belong. Feeling pressure to fit in can be especially common among students who feel forced to conform to avoid being seen as “different.”

Reinforcing the idea that repeating outfits is a fashion faux pas, the fear of fitting in and social confirmation can drive students to buy new items and throw away the old ones. This seasonal wardrobe change illustrates how people can subject themselves to social norms, a concept that seems to have been greatly reinforced by the rise of social media. While fashion is a means of self-expression, the idea that we should always have the latest wardrobe intertwines expression with materialism, an attitude that has left many constantly craving new content.

The “wear it once” culture that this mentality has given rise to is damaging the environment in several ways. First, to meet the fashion industry’s need for wood pulp to make fabrics such as rayon and viscose, 70 million tons of trees are cut down every yearThis number is expected to double by 2034, according to the Columbia Climate School. A 2017 study linked fashion brands such as Zara and H&M to highly polluting viscose factories in China, India and Indonesia. As a plant-based fiber, viscose is not necessarily bad for the environment, but due to the burgeoning fast fashion industry, much of the viscose on the market is manufactured cheaply using energy-, water-, and chemical-intensive processes that have devastating consequences. on the environment, employees and local communities. In addition to accelerating deforestation of some of the world’s endangered forests, viscose production has also releases many toxic chemicals into the air and waterways of surrounding factory areas. Not only are the materials that fast fashion brands use harmful to the environment, they also have a harmful impact on local communities and biodiversity.

Polyester is used by Shein, ASOS, Uniqlo, Forever 21 and more and is the most common material in the fast fashion industry. The Columbia Climate School reports that aPolyester is used in approximately 65 percent of all clothing, consuming 70 million barrels of oil annually. It is a wire made of plastic, which does not break down and cannot be recycled, causing a huge plastic waste problem. Although climate action has reduced the use of fossil fuels, the oil industries are still making profits thanks to the fashion industry’s endless demand for polyester. Companies including New Look and Next are said to be unintentionally helping finance Russia’s war against Ukraine using polyester made from Russian oil, according to Forbes. The fashion industry is the second largest industrial polluter after aviation. bookkeeping responsible for 10 percent of global pollutionto broadcast the equivalent of five billion tons of CO2 per year. IAccording to the Columbia Climate School, this resulted in more greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 than the carbon produced by France, Germany and Britain combined.

As awareness grows that much of the fast fashion industry is unsustainable, the resale market is growing and many people make some money back, according to the Harvard Business Review. The clothing is given a new life instead of simply being thrown away. Anyway, Fashion United reports that less than one percent of clothing is recycled to make new clothing. Synthetic fibers are made of polymers – long chains of chemically linked molecules – and washing and wearing clothes shortens and weakens these polymers. By the time a garment is thrown away, the polymers are too short to make a strong new fabric. Of the 100 billion garments produced each year, a whopping 92 million tons of clothing ends up in landfills, according to TheRoundup. Although clothing made from natural fabrics such as cotton and linen can deteriorate within a few weeks, Synthetic substances can take up to 200 years to break downAnd as they do, they produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that causes global warming.

It seems to me that students in particular are trapped in a cycle of frequent purchasing. Wanting to stay on top of trends, but also express their individuality, college students, with the constraints of limited budgets, become sensitive targets for the fast fashion industry. Because the manufacturers responsible for these cheap items produce them in excess to meet consumer demands, the only viable solution to this cycle of materialism seems to be for buyers to be aware of their participation in the fashion industry.

There has been a positive shift in attitudes towards the ‘wear it once’ culture in recent years, as more and more people have become interested in the sustainable future of fashion. People are becoming increasingly aware of the consequences of fast fashion and unhealthy habits within the fashion industry. There is less of a desire to conform to trends and instead a growing desire to express individuality with unique pieces that cannot be found in stores with mass-produced items. As such, saving and reusing old clothes has become popular over the years. In a world that is becoming increasingly aware of its environmental and ethical impact, people are trying to make better choices and prioritize sustainability. Even at major fashion events like Fashion Week, people – including celebrities – fight the stigma that old means ‘uncool’ by stacking various thrift store finds or other items on top of each other. wearing archive looks on red carpets. Swapping and sharing clothes is another way people are working to build a healthier and friendlier relationship with the environment. These more viable options focus on style rather than trends, stripping fashion back to its true essence and reminding people that it’s not just about the garment, but rather how you wear and style it. After all, clothing is just material until it takes on meaning.