CLIMATE/LIFESTYLE ― By Carys McMurray --- Fashion. To some, it is a form of self expression, to others an art form. But fashion has another face that many of us are not aware of: a self-destructive habit that causes immense, irreversible ecological damage. The current fashion world revolves around keeping up. Clothing companies are putting out new lines and phasing out old ones at the drop of a hat to keep up with consumers desires to be trendy. But while the fashion world moves forward, the environment is left in the dust. The style of the day is fast, destructive, and wasteful, and very dangerous for the future of our planet. The fashion industry pollutes without thinking while the earth is already bursting at its seams. To meet the demands of consumers, clothing companies use cheap material that pollute at every stage of production and cheap labour in countries already bearing the brunt of climate change. In the real world, the true fashion victim isn’t the person wearing an outdated style or clashing pattern. It’s the marine life poisoned by toxic wastewater that flows through polluted rivers into already struggling oceans. It’s the communities that lack fresh water while the garment industry uses 1.5 trillion litres of it every year. It’s the tens of thousands of workers who die every year from exposure to chemicals used in cotton production. It’s the people in countries like Bangladesh or China who breath tainted air, fouled by the industrial use of coal. Most clothing companies these days seem to be cut from the same cloth of ignorance, greed and stubbornness and although as consumers we have an immense power to change this, we don’t. We’re so preoccupied with looking nice and being on trend that we prioritize style over life, but believe me when I say that “your clothes can’t be beautiful if they’re made in an ugly way” (1 million women). Each and every one of us is guilty of a fashion crime, and I don’t mean wearing something tacky or out-dated. I mean putting our own selfish desire to be trendy over the rapidly declining state of the environment. I mean buying clothes for no reason, from retailers we know nothing about, and throwing them away as soon as we find them boring. This is a carbon-heavy luxury that although maybe we can afford, the earth can’t. This way of living isn’t sustainable. The true cost of fashion isn’t written on a price tag. Would you think a little differently if the price wasn’t a monetary value? If that shirt cost not twenty dollars but instead 200 litres of water and a couple tonnes of CO2 would you still be so apt to buy it? The true cost of fashion isn’t paid out of pocket at the cash register. It doesn’t get reduced when items go on sale. The true cost is the suffering of the natural world, a world that together with large corporations, we consistently fail. There are plenty of simple ways to change our consumer habits and reduce our impact on the earth. There are many up and coming sustainable clothing companies that produce stylish and practical clothing with a much lessened environmental impact, by using recycled materials, natural dyes, zero chemicals and plastic-free packaging. Thrift, upcycle, swap with friends or simply wear what you already have. These are all ways to reduce environmental impact ... and they don’t cost you anything, they’ll actually save you money. As great as these companies are, they can often be more expensive and aren’t financially feasible for everyone. Realistically, truly the best thing you can do is to stop buying new. Production of new clothing has by far the largest negative impact on the planet, so ceasing to buy new is a great way to reduce your impact. Thrift, upcycle, swap with friends or simply wear what you already have. These are all ways to reduce environmental impact through reforming current consumer behaviours, and they don’t cost you anything, they’ll actually save you money. Fashion doesn’t have to be destructive. We don’t have to sacrifice our self-expression. For those to whom fashion means a great deal, sustainability doesn’t mean the end of being stylish, it just means we have to look at it through a different lense. So take the time to reflect a little on your own habits. Do some research and decide for yourself whether or not keeping up with fast fashion trends really means the world to you, because sooner or later, that’s the price you’ll have to pay. ---
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