Since Vidhathri Matety went undercover at a factory in Leicester making clothes for Boohoo and found terrible working conditions, the hashtag #BoycottBoohoo has been found all over Twitter and Instagram.
Great- this news story is raising awareness of the exploitative nature of fast fashion, but why is such an uproar being caused now, when this is not a new problem? Yes, scandals appear in the news every so often (think the £1 Missguided bikini), but we hear about them, make a fuss, and then forget about it.
Simply boycotting Boohoo is not enough. Just because other brands such as H&M and SHEIN are not being targeted in the news right now, it doesn't mean they are any better. To make a real difference, we need to commit to stop buying from all fast fashion brands, even when it's not flooding our newsfeeds.
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| Over 600 items added per day- on a site ever-increasing in popularity. |
The biggest excuse I've heard countless times for continuing to buy from fast fashion brands is: 'I can't afford the clothes from these independent, sustainable clothing brands'. And I get it. When you compare the price for, say, a swimsuit made from 100% recycled plastic, and one from a fast fashion store, chances are the latter is almost always going to be cheaper.
So, next week I'll be looking at ways you can quit fast fashion in a way that's sustainable for your bank account too! But for now, here are 5 reasons why you should stop buying fast fashion right now:
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| (If this picture on its own isn't enough to convince you) |
1. The problem of microplastics
Around 60% of the materials used for clothes are some form of plastic, such as polyester, nylon, or acrylic. Every time these clothes are washed, they release tiny fibres (classed as microplastics) which are too small to stop from getting into our water system and oceans. A study done by Plymouth University found that each washing machine cycle could release 700,000 plastic fibres into the environment. Microplastics have been found in 83% of tap water, samples of which were taken from across the globe.
Everyone may have stopped using plastic straws, but microplastics are a whole new shoal of (plastic-filled) fish. Over a third of microplastics found in the ocean are coming from clothing and textiles; a statistic that is only going to rise as more and more clothes are produced, bought, washed, and discarded.
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| We're waking up to the plastic we can see, but what about the bits we can't? |
2. The treatment of the workers
In the Leicester factory, Boohoo suppliers are being blamed for paying workers as little as £3.50 an hour, even though the national living wage is £8.72. Other allegations made against the factory include staff being forced to work through lockdown, unfit working conditions, and a lack of protective equipment and sanitiser.
But this isn't a new issue.
Sexual harassment, child labour, underpayment and dire working conditions are just a few of the issues that workers face in countries all over the world. These problems are especially prevalent in countries like Bangladesh where it is difficult (for women especially, who make up 80% of the clothing industry) to find jobs in other industries.
3. 10% of CO2 emissions are caused by the fashion industry.
When the only parts of the clothing industry we play a role in is the buying and wearing of clothes, it can be a shock when you realise just how much fast fashion contributes to global emissions. People avoid flying because of it's impact on the environment, but don't think twice about popping to Primark for a wardrobe refresh -a point made even more ridiculous when you consider the fact that fashion uses more energy than both aviation and shipping combined.
One of the main problems with the fashion industry is that there are so many steps involved that cause emissions. For example:
- Synthetic fibres used in clothes are produced from fossil fuels.
- Many clothes are produced in countries (such as India) that use coal as their main source of energy, which is the worst type of energy for carbon emissions.
- 300,000 tonnes of clothing are burned or buried every year here in the UK.
So, each step might not sound like it has such a major impact, but when they are all combined to make up the whole process it takes to produced cheap clothes quickly, it all adds up. To 10% of CO2 emissions, to be exact.
4. We are buying clothes far too much...
We all know it, and yet we try and ignore it- just like in many other areas of our lives, we buy far too much. In 2014, we bought approximately 60% more clothes than in 2000. And although we like to think we have control over what and how much we buy, the fashion industry has been shaped so much by global companies, that the amount we buy now is seen as 'normal'. For example, instead of having two seasons (spring/summer and autumn/winter), it's become the norm for the fashion industry to release 52 'micro-seasons' instead.
If every week is a new season for clothes, then brands are constantly making us feel as though we haven't got the latest look if we don't buy new clothes 24/7. And even if we claim we don't care about having the latest style, clothes shopping is still part of many peoples' everyday lives- whether as a fun activity with friends, to unwind after a busy day at work, or to grab the best bargains in the sales.
5. ...and disposing of them far too quickly.
As well as buying 60% more clothes in 2014 than 2000, we also only keep these clothes for half as long. It's not exactly ground-breakig news that fast fashion has not been made to last. And when the clothes costs so little, we often don't think twice about chucking them out as soon as they break or we simply no longer want them.
This can no longer be the normal way to live. It's destroying the planet, undermining workers' rights, and wasting our money. Unless we all make a stand and boycott fast fashion, these problems are only going to accelerate.
Next week- how can I quit fast fashion but still buy clothes I can afford?
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