We discussed in a previous article the fact that we were all participant in the Fast Fashion movement.

 

Finding the wrongdoers is not the purpose here, but let’s just say that there are many actors involved. If you find it hard to be trendy today, it may be due to Fast Fashion. Unfortunately, there is a very important ecosystem suffering from this trend, our planet.

Photo by © JIANAN YU/REUTERS

 

A bad trend for our planet, the fashion industry is the second most polluting industry.

  • It takes as much as 5,200 liters of water to harvest 1 kg of cotton.
  • The cotton is fragile and must therefore receive large quantities of fertilizers and pesticides. In India, every season a producer will suffer an average of three cases of pesticide intoxication.
  • Cotton fibers are bleached with chlorine which is an accelerator of genetic mutations.
  • Dyeing is done with heavy metals like lead and chromium which are toxic products.
  • Incineration of polyester releases a large amount of CO2 into the atmosphere, accentuating the phenomenon of global warming.
  • Transport is done by thousands of planes. CO2 Again.
  • And we do not count the number of trees cut for shipping boxes…

 

And what about humans?

  • Inhuman manufacturing conditions.
  • Workers who handle dangerous products sacrifice their health for a few bucks a day.
  • Some have to work more than 12 hours a day and sometimes sleep on the factory’s floor.

 

And unfortunately, factories are taking advantage of the misery in some country hiring children from 6 years old.

© Photo www.hopaal.com

 

There are many accessible solutions for us to improve the situation. The bottom line is we need understand that we, as consumers, have a very important role in turning the tide on this matter.

 

Businesses aim to evolve and adapt to the needs of their customers. Collectively, we must choose to value human policies and respect of the environment, choose fair trade and local products.

 

By valuing them, we make sure that the workers who made our pieces of clothing are compensated reasonably and that they benefit from fair working conditions. Questioning the origin of the products you buy is the least you can do. Obviously, this choice leads us directly to an enormous change in the way business is done.

 

Businesses and consumers will have to make choices. Some will say tough decisions, but at the end of the way it’s either that or the planet will keep sinking.

Think Differently

 

Rethink the way you buy, review your priorities and, above all, make the right choices. Go for sustainable trends rather than ephemeral. Ask yourself the right questions for your next purchases.