This blog post was written by Lyndsay Amat, Kaitlyn De Sousa, and Gwen Merry.
WHEN advocates for all women, trans, cis, and Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB) individuals. For the purposes of this blog post, the term ‘women’ shall refer to those with ovarian reproductive systems and/or those who identify as women, recognizing that both sex and gender affect one’s vulnerability to the impacts of fast fashion.
Fast fashion has revolutionized how we consume clothing, offering new styles at unbelievable prices and record speeds. It has also created a culture of overconsumption that is not only wasteful, but is also devastating the planet. In Canada, it can be difficult to see the direct impacts of the fast fashion industry as a significant amount of the country’s waste is shipped to the Global South in the name of “donations.” However, these “donations” only become a burden, forcing countries that lack the necessary infrastructure to deal with textile waste and its toxic environmental and human health effects.
Most fast fashion is produced in developing nations, where poor working conditions and weak environmental conditions allow for mass production at a devastating cost. As humans who both depend on and influence the environment, it is important to understand how the fast fashion industry and our consumption choices impact the world around us.
If you’re in or around Toronto and want to learn more about the fast fashion industry while revamping your closet, look no further! WHEN is co-hosting, a Third Anniversary Clothing Swap and #WannaBeToxicFree Panel event with The Good Swaps on March 30th from 12:00-4:00 pm. The event will start off with an engaging panel discussion on the environmental and human health impacts of fast fashion. Afterwards, you’ll have the chance to participate in our clothing swap from 1:00-3:00 pm. This event is the perfect chance to consume sustainably and socialize – sign up here!
Clothing dump in Atacama Desert, Chile
Photo by Jason Mayne / People Dispatch Twitter
Contaminated Waters
Clothing production - including growing natural fibres, manufacturing synthetic fibres, and washing and dyeing textiles - requires staggering amounts of water. It’s estimated that the fashion industry uses around 4 percent of all freshwater extraction globally, which is set to double by 2030. According to the World Resources Institute, it takes 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt, which is enough water for one person to drink for 2 and a half years.
Beyond extreme water use, fast fashion also pollutes and contaminates water through the textile production process. Dyeing and producing textiles is estimated to be responsible for 20% of clean water pollution. The byproducts of commercial dyes, such as oily froth, make the water cloudy and foul-smelling. Oily froth also accumulates in waterways and forms a layer on the surface that blocks sunlight, making it harder for organisms to photosynthesize and produce the energy they need to survive.
In the end, this reduced photosynthesis leads to lower oxygen levels in the water, which threatens aquatic plants and animals’ survival. Not only do these chemicals disrupt local ecosystems, but they contaminate drinking water sources and expose communities to harmful substances. To learn more about the health impacts of toxins in our waterways from fast fashion, keep an eye out for our upcoming blog post.
The majority of textiles produced in fast fashion are made from synthetic fabrics, which are derived from plastics and petrochemicals. In fact, over 60% of textile fibres, such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic, are made this way. These materials are not biodegradable, meaning that they don’t break down naturally and can take up to 200+ years to decompose in a landfill.They also release harmful toxins, including microplastics and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Even washing clothes in a washing machine can cause a large amount of microplastics to be released. A 2017 report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature found that around 35% of all microplastics in the ocean are the result of washing synthetic textiles like polyester.
Toxic Foam in the Yamuna River
Photo by Salman Ali/Hindustan Times/Getty Images
Degraded Dirt
Fast fashion isn’t just polluting water, it’s also contaminating the very soil we rely on for food and healthy ecosystems. During the production stages of textiles, factories release waste, synthetic dyes, pesticides, and heavy metals, exposing the soil to harmful chemicals.
Over time, these chemicals seep into the ground and build up, changing the structure of the soil by increasing its toxicity. These changes reduce the quality of the soil, which harms plants, reduces biodiversity, and affects crops and wildlife. As the soil becomes more polluted from these toxins, entire ecosystems suffer, showing how much of an impact fast fashion can have on the natural world around us.
Lu Guang/GreenPeace
Polluted Skies
In addition to its effects on land and water, fast fashion negatively impacts our atmosphere, fuelling climate change. On a household scale, the main source of microplastics in the air inside is from textiles such as clothing.
Worldwide, fast fashion produces enough greenhouse gasses (GHGs) for textile production to be responsible for around 10% of all global emissions, and is ranked the 5th largest contributor of GHG emissions among households in the European Union (EU). Despite this statistic, over 75% of emissions related to the production of clothes for the EU are released outside of the EU.
When clothes are thrown away, they often end up in landfills or open dumps. Landfills act as contained sites for garbage and are typically found in developed countries. On the other hand, open dumps are typically found in countries in the Global South where there is a lack of waste management. In these unmanaged dumps, garbage, including clothing, is often burned, releasing harmful chemicals into the environment. Synthetic fabrics take hundreds of years to decompose, meaning that they continue to release these toxins over time. As they break down or are burned, strong greenhouse gases such as CO2 and methane are released into the air, forming aerosols and ozone. This can cause serious health problems and accumulate in the food chain.
Burning polyester releases cancer-causing chemicals, such as dioxins, furans, and heavy metals. All of these substances are considered persistent toxins and bioaccumulate in the food chain, posing a risk to general wildlife, including humans. While there are many efforts to promote best practices for textile waste disposal, addressing waste prevention leads to cleaner, healthier air for everyone. To learn more about the health impacts of toxins in our air from fast fashion, keep an eye out for our upcoming blog post.
Unraveling Ecosystems
Fast fashion has a significant effect on our ecosystems. Fabrics such as polyester introduce microplastics to the environment. Microplastics can be ingested by marine organisms and then enter the food chain, ultimately being consumed by humans. Organisms that ingest microplastics may experience delayed growth, abnormal behavior, or reduced food intake. For women, microplastics that have accumulated in the food chain can cause allergic reactions, endocrine disruption, and decreased reproductive health.
When plastic particles degrade, they change their physical and chemical properties, heightening the risk of toxic effects on organisms. The chance of toxic effects increases with the number of species and ecological functions that could potentially be affected. Chemical impacts are particularly concerning during the degradation phase.
Chemicals like phthalates and Bisphenol A (BPA) escape from plastic particles. These chemicals are known to affect hormones, disrupting the hormone systems of contaminated animals. The nano-sized particles can cause inflammation, cross cellular barriers, and even penetrate special membranes such as the blood-brain barrier or the placenta. Inside cells, they alter gene expression and biochemical reactions, among other effects. To learn more about the impact on human health, keep an eye out for our final segment on fast fashion toxins.
As we look closely at fast fashion’s effect on the environment, it’s important to consider not just synthetic materials, but also the hidden costs of natural fibers. Cotton is one of the most widely used materials worldwide due to its versatility and easy care. Despite only occupying 2.4% of the world’s cropland, cotton uses significant amounts of pesticides and is responsible for roughly one-fifth of global insecticide use. This results in widespread harm to various ecosystems beyond the targeted pests. Species that come in contact with the contaminated water or consume plants are at risk.
What can be done?
As consumers, we can make choices in our clothing consumption that can drive positive change and make a fashion statement of sustainability.
We can:
Support brands with sustainable and environmental certifications, including the B Corp logo, Ecologo, and the Green Seal;
Thrift! Thrifting and purchasing second hand reduces the need for new production, eliminating the issues caused by textile production.
Participate in community clothing swaps! Exchanging clothing extends the lifespan of each piece, delaying its journey to the landfill.
Only buy what we truly need! We can’t break the cycle of overproduction and ecological harm solely by conscious consumption.