“Fast fashion” has dramatically decreased the time between the introduction of new styles of clothing and their appearance in the market. That has made it possible for designers to sell—and consumers to buy—ever-changing wardrobes. The number of new garments bought each year by Americans has tripled since the 1960s, and the time that clothes are kept by consumers has reduced by half.
Although various organizations collect used apparel, only about 10% of donated clothing actually ends up in the secondhand market. (Business Insider, March 22, 2018). The U.S. alone sends about 21 billion pounds of textile waste (much of it clothes) to landfills every year.
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), fashion production makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, dries up water sources, and pollutes rivers and streams. The dyes used in clothing production in countries without environmental protections are often dumped directly into streams and rivers. Washing clothes containing polyester, a plastic contained in approximately 60% of apparel, releases tiny particles of plastic into the water supply, and oceans.
Some manufacturers have pledged to adopt sustainable practices to produce clothing. Consumers also can buy, trade, and donate used clothing, and keep new purchases longer. National awareness on the scope of the problem may result in new, innovative solutions in the future.