Fast Fashion is Filling Our Landfills, But Some Solutions are In Sight
“Fast fashion” refers to inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. This type of production is extremely popular, and it’s having a drastic effect on consumer waste produced around the world. According to the World Economic Forum, between 2000 and 2015, 60% more garments were purchased during this time period, but the clothing was only kept for wearing half as long. This translates to clothing and other garments being discarded at unusually high rates.
Some companies around the country are looking to change these statistics. These companies, like Patagonia, allow customers to return their unwanted clothing for modification or re-sale. Other new companies are looking for new ways to recycle clothing, such as using chemical recycling of textiles. Still other start-ups are looking at plant based fibers and textiles as sustainable alternatives to animal and synthetic products. Many groups are looking at mushroom mycelium to create a durable and biodegradable product. Though environmentally friendly alternatives to fast fashion are becoming more available, there is concern that consumers will have to choose to use these environmentally friendly alternatives, or the work will be for naught.
Read more about potential solutions to discarding unwanted clothing here.
