The impact of fast fashion on the environment

The impact of fast fashion on the environment

Fast fashion is a phenomenon in the global fashion industry that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Fast fashion refers to fads that adapt trends from the high fashion world very quickly and at low prices for the mass market. At first glance it sounds plausible and strategically clever - but upon closer inspection and from an ecological perspective, a completely different picture emerges.

The fast fashion industry represents an enormous environmental impact, which is due to various factors. In this article we want to take a closer look at the impact of fast fashion on the environment, examining topics such as production and consumption, water and energy consumption, and waste production and management.

Production and consumption mechanisms of fast fashion

The production

We live in a throwaway society in which consumption and overproduction continue to increase. Fast fashion companies make a significant contribution to this by ensuring a constant presence on shelves and online shops through high production volumes of fashion items. More than 100 billion pieces of clothing are produced worldwide every year, many of which are never worn or end up in the trash after a short time.

The production of these huge quantities of clothing is emissions-intensive. The fast fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world after the oil industry. The production of a pair of jeans alone causes around 33.4 kilograms of CO2 equivalents, which is roughly the same amount as a car emits over a 111-kilometer journey.

The consumption

Through attractive prices and continually changing collections, fast fashion encourages impulsive clothing purchases. As a study by the Federal Environment Agency showed, every German buys an average of 60 new items of clothing per year - that's more than one item of clothing per week. The high fluctuation in fashion means that items of clothing are only worn for a short time and then often thrown away.

Impact on water and energy

Water consumption

The textile industry is one of the largest consumers of water. For example, around 7,600 liters of water are required to produce a single pair of jeans. This is roughly the amount a person needs to drink in seven years. In addition, in many cases the water is heavily polluted by chemicals used in the textile industry. This sometimes has dramatic effects on water quality in the producing countries.

Energy consumption

The production of fast fashion is energy intensive. Growing cotton, dyeing textiles, transporting goods – all of these aspects require a large amount of energy. It is estimated that textile production uses around 132 million tons of coal and between 6 and 9 trillion liters of water annually.

Waste production and management

Waste production

Fast fashion produces enormous amounts of textile waste. Every year, more than 1 million tons of textiles end up in the trash in Germany alone. Around 92 million tons of textiles are thrown away every year worldwide. That's about one garbage truck full of clothes every second.

Waste management

The disposal and recycling of textiles represents an enormous challenge. Only a small proportion of them are recycled or reused. Many items of clothing end up in landfills or are incinerated. The disposal of textiles can release significant amounts of greenhouse gases.

Summary and outlook

The fast fashion industry has a huge impact on our environment. From production to consumption to disposal – a significant ecological burden is created at every step of the way. It is therefore essential that we change our purchasing habits and choose more conscious, sustainable fashion. For their part, companies must move to more responsible production methods that reduce environmental impact.

It's obvious that the fast fashion industry is an environmental problem. But it is also a symptom of a larger crisis – that of overconsumption and throwaway culture. It's time we fundamentally rethink our relationship with fashion and consumption and commit to a more sustainable future.