Stand Against Textile Pollution and Fast Fashion
‘Fast Fashion’ is a term used to define a highly profitable and exploitative business model that is “based on copying and replicating high end fashion designs”. The clothes are mass-produced, with workers often working in inhumane conditions, and are purposefully designed to be frail with a limited lifespan as designs change quickly and are cheap to produce.
- Earth.org
Behind the fashion industry, there is long history of East Africa’s garment manufacturing industry known for its high quality cotton.
Yet colonial influence and the rise of “fast fashion” undercut Africa’s textile market and undermine its competitive advantage. Africa has become one of the outlets for millions of tonnes used clothes through donation and import. According to research, the second-hand share on the fashion market could leap from 3.5% to 23% by the end of the decade. And only about 10% is circulating within its own market.
The question remains that who is going to absorb advanced economies’ textile pollution, oftentimes sugarcoated by the name of charity?
Why fast fashion is detrimental to our mental health and the environment?
Fast Fashion has completely changed our consumption style, whether you like it or not. Walking into a three-level fast fashion retail store, picking something similar to what you have seen trendy online, with one-fourth of the price in other couture stores, you can get away with a sexy look for a cocktail party or a professional look for an office happy hour the same night. It’s cheap and easy right? Next week, why not get another one? There are new styles every week. Those dangling chic dresses plant a seed of desire in your mind.
What’s the problem of it? You end up having an exploding wardrobe after a few months, yet you still wear only 10% of your wardrobe more than 3 times a year, the rest goes to thrift stores.
The excitement of picking a unique outfit for a special occasion is not longer there. Instead, irresponsible and impulsive overconsumption becomes a norm. Negative feelings such as insecurity, inadequacy and anxiety start consuming your mental health.
“And I was that “you” in my 20s, the cluster frustrated me, the guilt of throwing away or donating brand new clothes haunted me. Yet, none of my fast fashion pieces represents high quality and class.”
