PARTICLE 101: FAST FASHION

1 month ago

Fast fashion is clothing produced quickly and sold astatine a very debased cost.

These items often travel inclination cycles and are marketed to promote consumers to buy more.

If we’re not up to day pinch nan latest manner trends, who are we?

It’s a vicious cycle.

STITCHED UP

Before nan 1800s, fashion was slow. Materials had to beryllium sourced, prepared and woven.

The creation of nan sewing instrumentality during nan Industrial Revolution revolutionised clothing production. It became overmuch faster and cheaper.

When inclination cycles sped up successful nan 1990s, nan word ‘fast fashion’ was born.

Well-known brands for illustration Forever 21 and Zara were astatine nan forefront of creating what’s described arsenic ‘micro seasons’.

Caption: Well-known elephantine Zara spearheaded nan emergence of accelerated fashion
Credit: Pratik Prasad (Pexels)

The accumulation of clothing doubled betwixt 2000 and 2015, while nan garments’ lifespans shrank by 36%.

Fast-forward to 2025 and online-only brands for illustration Shein and Temu manufacture clothing astatine an alarming rate.

Social media creates trends faster than we tin comprehend. This is ultra-fast fashion.

SEW WHAT?

Fashion is 1 of nan apical 3 industries contributing to pollution, greenhouse state emissions (GHG) and biodiversity loss, according to nan United Nations Environment Programme.

The balanced of a garbage motortruck afloat of textile discarded is incinerated aliases dumped successful landfill every second.

This accounts for 2–8% of GHG emissions and 9% of microplastic pollution annually.

Australia is nan second-largest user of textiles per personification successful nan world aft nan USA.

Most of these materials will extremity up successful landfill and very slow decompose.

In landfill, a garment turns into methane and microplastics, polluting nan air, ungraded and water for hundreds of years.

Caption: Masses of clothing recovered successful landfills
Credit: Victor Moragriega (Pexels)

THE FUTURE IS CIRCULAR

In nan past, clothing was created pinch intention, weighted and made to last.

We tin return inspiration from these practices and activity together towards a much sustainable future.

Shopping second-hand astatine op shops aliases connected online platforms for illustration Facebook Marketplace and Depop is simply a awesome start. Repairing clothing alternatively of throwing it distant helps too.

Choose earthy fabrics for illustration integrated cotton, linen and wool complete low-quality synthetic materials for illustration polyester and viscose.

In Perth, Good Sammy offers thief hosting clothing aid drives. Perth Community Clothing Recycling Wholesaler provides free postulation services for textile recycling.

By revisiting slow fashion, we tin activity towards a circular economy that’s amended for our wardrobe, our wallet and our planet.

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