---

Fashion - A Major Threat To The Planet Helping To Speeds Up Climate Change

You may not realise, but 'Fashion' and it's producers such as; Zara, Forever 21, and H&M are helping to kill off the planet and all human life!

In a world that is more and more dominated by 'selfies' and 'body image dismorphia' and the crass 'fashion industry', which is about obsession with outward image and appearance.

Rarely do we as consumers consider what’s on the inside: the hundreds of thousands of fibres that make up our clothing contribute an estimated 9% of microplastic losses into our oceans, says a 2019 report from the UN entitled "Fashion’s Tiny Hidden Secret" which can be read in full here

It may take until the end of this century, but according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the fashion industry is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined!

So whilst your trip to the likes of Prema and Zara for cheap and 'fast fashion' clothes may make your week, it will also cost the lives of your children and your children's children.

Science now fully understands the part that human activity plays in Climate Change, but more seriously it also knows exactly what global warming is doing to the planet and how, ultimately there is a serious danger to not only human life on Earth, but also to that of most non-human species.

The latest fashion-craze is a phenomenon called 'fast fashion' and is one that produces fashionable items, clothes, jewelry, at an accelerated rate causing more wastage and environmental pollution than the industry previously was responsible for. The 'new' fashion season used to be the catalyst to manufacturing clothes and other items, as designers showed off their latest creations and stores such as Zara and others would then order in their favourite designs.

Now, so-called 'fast fashion' no longer relies on this seasonal change, but on churning out cheap creations at a speedy rate in order to maximise profits, and appeal to those who see 'fashion' as a lifestyle to be envied, when in reality it is merely a perfect example of consumerism dictate gone wild!

Earth.org explains in more detail just what 'speedy fashion' is all about:

" The term ‘fast fashion’ has become more prominent in conversations surrounding fashion, sustainability, and environmental consciousness. The term refers to ‘cheaply produced and priced garments that copy the latest catwalk styles and get pumped quickly through stores in order to maximise on current trends’.

The fast fashion model is so-called because it involves the rapid design, production, distribution, and marketing of clothing, which means that retailers are able to pull large quantities of greater product variety and allow consumers to get more fashion and product differentiation at a low price."

Apparently, the term was coined after Zara landed in New York in the early 1990s, by the New York Times to describe Zara’s mission to take only 15 days for a garment to go from the design stage to being sold in stores.

The biggest players, and by extension, the worlds biggest polluters of the fast fashion world include Zara, UNIQLO, Forever 21 and H&M.

Analysis of the industry by Business Insider, claims that fashion production comprises 10% of total global carbon emissions, as much as the European Union. 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.

The Quantis International 2018 report entitled 'MEASURING FASHION 2018: Environmental Impact of the Global Apparel and Footwear Industries Study Full report and methodological consideration' found that the three main drivers of the industry’s global pollution impacts are dyeing and finishing (36%), yarn preparation (28%) and fibre production (15%).

Click the image, left, to download the report from the E-Library.

The report also established that fibre production has the largest impact on freshwater withdrawal (water diverted or withdrawn from a surface water or groundwater source) and ecosystem quality due to cotton cultivation, while the dyeing and finishing, yarn preparation and fibre production stages have the highest impacts on resource depletion, due to the energy-intensive processes based on fossil fuel energy.

In the report's introduction, it states that:

"The role of the global apparel and footwear industries has shifted far beyond meeting a basic human need. The relationship with fashion in our modern lives has had a collateral and significant
impact on our planet’s resources.

As we face urgent environmental and social challenges caused by climate change and resource depletion, the efficacy of solutions will depend on the creativity, innovation and boldness so characteristic of the fashion industry. It’s time for players to change the trajectory. This report encourages actors in the industry to set ambitious, evidence-based environmental impact reduction goals to drive meaningful change to secure a more sustainable future for fashion."

According to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, emissions from textile manufacturing alone are projected to skyrocket by 60% by 2030.

The time it takes for a product to go through the supply chain, from design to purchase, is called a ‘lead time’. In 2012, Zara was able to design, produce and deliver a new garment in two weeks; Forever 21 in six weeks and H&M in eight weeks. This results in the fashion industry producing obscene amounts of waste.

Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact is a serious danger to the planet:

Water, Microplastics, and Energy

In terms of the social impact:

Child Labour, Sweatshops,

Governments need to be more actively involved in the fashion industry’s damaging effects.

As could be expected, UK ministers rejected a report by members of parliament to address the environmental effects of fast fashion. Yet, French president, Emmanuel Macron has made a pact with 150 brands to make the fashion industry more sustainable and 'Earth Friendly'.

You can read more detail from the Earth.org article that this news item is taken from here

Source: Earth.org / The Guardian / Parliament UK / Business Insider / UN Reports / unionsafety

 

Designed, Hosted and Maintained by Union Safety Services