According to Earth.org, “In America alone, an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste end up in landfills on a yearly basis.”
Most of the textile waste ends up in landfills, overflowing the space. Buying from fast-fashion brands does not help this problem. These companies focus on fast fashion, meaning their clothing is produced cheaply and quickly; it usually ends up in the trash after only a few wears. These clothes are meant to be disposable to make way for the next must-have item.
Ms. Berenice Sealy teaches AP Environment Science and anatomy and physiology at Rancho Cucamonga High School.
“People don’t realize how much CO2 is emitted from the clothing industry,” Sealy said. “One pair of Levi’s alone produces 33 kilograms of CO2. Now imagine the impact of constantly buying new clothes from brands like Shein or H&M, where shirts start falling apart after just three washes.”
Many fast fashion brands produce clothing quickly, with little regard for sustainability. The businesses rely on convincing consumers that they always need the latest style. As a result of this, fast-fashion items are only worn a few times just be tossed aside and replaced with the newest trend.
But the issue isn’t just with the companies but the material the cheap clothing is made of. Most fast fashion brands like Shein, H&M, and Forever 21 use synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, and acrylic in their clothing. While these fibers are cheap and easy to produce, the toll on the environment is so much higher than the clothing itself is worth.
The materials that make synthetic fibers are called petrochemicals and are made using fossil fuels like crude oil and natural gas. These are the same resources used to produce gasoline, diesel, and plastic packaging. The process of making synthetic fibers uses massive amounts of electricity and heat, which come from burning fossil fuels. Because synthetic fibers are made of fossil fuels, their production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the International Energy Agency, polyester, which is the most commonly used synthetic fiber, emits nearly three times more CO2 than cotton during its production.
So you might think, “Why don’t I just donate my clothes?” Well, the truth is most of these donated clothes go to developing countries.
There’s this idea that donating makes a difference, but the truth is, there’s too much clothing.
“We assume other countries want our clothes, but places like Africa are overwhelmed. They can’t take anymore, so it just gets dumped in the ocean or burned,” Sealy said.
According to Sealy, correcting overconsumption starts with a mindset shift.
“Find happiness in living simply. Value experiences, nature, and people over material things. Buy less. Thrift. Recycle,” Sealy said. “The biggest impact comes from consuming less in the first place.”
