THE WORLD WITH FAST FASHION VS THE WORLD WHEN YOU CONSUME ETHICALLY

Sometimes you have to SEE the impact you make before you can make a real change. You might not understand the totality of how climate change until you see haunting pictures of a before and after. While we are visual creatures, we can't always perceptive the total scale of how those individual actions add up and those changes to the environment are more subtle than we think!

So, what does a world look like with fast fashion? And what would it look like if we made more humane choices?

PLASTIC POLLUTION:

The process of making denim already wastes a lot of energy and water. The dyeing process already dumps tons of chemicals and pollutants into precious waterways. Microplastics from synthetic garments can also damage and interrupt the lives of fish. In a world where about 70% of the world is water, the dissolution of fast fashion would mean cleaner waters, and a healthier maritime ecosystem.

TEXTLE WASTE:

It probably doesn't so shock you to know that even when you get rid of your fast fashion garments - they hang around forever. In a literal sense. Some garments are not biodegradable and take more than hundreds of years to decompose. When the garments break down, they release volatile carbon dioxide into the environment. If we eliminated a significant portion of textile waste in landfills the air would be so much cleaner.

CARBON EMISSIONS:

The carbon footprint fast fashion leaves behind when a new collection is manufactured or transported is massive. Buying fast fashion isn't just unsustainable - making those items are too and the co2 footprint is even greater than air travel. If we shifted towards a more sustainable fashion model and the desire for cheap garments was reduced, we could eliminate at least ten percent of global pollution.

POOR FACTORY CONDITIONS:

When speed is the essence of the fast fashion business model, health and humane conditions are often glossed over. The worker conditions are unbearable, and they may end up with illnesses as a result of long-term inhalation to dyes and long hour dyes with few breaks. A world without fast fashion would see an end to workshops and cruel conditions.

DEFORESTATION:

Been awhile since you've seen a National Geographic cover with a flourishing forest? You can still have that ideal, but it would require letting go of polyester and other petroleum derived garments. Sourcing nylon, polyester, and other synthetic based garments doesn't just hurt the trees, it erodes the soil and destroys the habitats of dozens of animal species. Give up fast fashion and you can still preserve those forests - and the organisms that make up our rainforests.

SPECIES EXTINCTION:

Dyes and pesticides from cotton are constantly released into rivers. The water use during cotton productions is intense and microplastics flood our water too, making the maritime creatures sick. Fast fashion kills biodiversity. Without fast fashion, our animal species would have a chance to regenerate and rewild.

The difference between a damaged world and a healing one belongs to you. Though you are just one person, it takes many individuals with a conscience to keep making the world a place that retains its natural beauty.