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Earth is facing unprecedented attacks on its ecosystems, from deadly ozone-attacking gasses to deforestation that’s literally ripping out the lungs of the world to a mountain of discarded polysynthetic clothes in the country of Chile that can be seen from the sky. For 14 years, no rain has fallen in Alto Hospicio or the surrounding Atacama Desert region, where tons of clothes are discarded from all over the world.
The dry conditions of the desert, coupled with the nonbiodegradable, predominantly synthetic, petroleum-derived fibers used in modern clothes, meant that the pile never shrank. Instead, for more than two decades, it grew, and with every discarded item, it grew so large it could be seen from space. Startups like Ecocitex are helping solve the issue by recycling discarded clothes and turning them into raw materials. However, the problem requires government action.
On that front, efforts have been underway since 2016 to add textiles to the Extended Liability of the Producer law, or REP law for short, which makes producers and importers accountable for wasting specified materials. Tomás Saieg, head of the Chilean environment ministry’s Circular Economy Office, said to National Geographic, “Converting Chile from a junkyard into a recycling hub would be the dream, but first we have to add textiles to the REP law.
Collective Devastation: Human Rights, Environmental, Late Stage Capitalism
Considering the speed at which fashion trends come and go, and the recent enormous transfer of wealth to billionaires from the middle and working class, it’s only natural that today’s shoppers would be happy to find affordable fashionable options that keep up with fashion trends.
Now add on deeply acculturated consumerism that has people fist-fighting over travel cups and coveting the latest fashion trend that a social media star just talked about, and we have all the ingredients for fast fashion brands to rise like flames for the fashion-hungry moths to gravitate towards.
Fast fashion, pushed by giant brands like Zara, H&M, Forever 21, SHEIN, Fashion Nova, ASOS, and more, has made these companies some of the biggest faces of modern consumerism. These brands are also some of the biggest representatives of unsafe working conditions and wage theft of workers who are often forced to work more than 75 hours per week.
The human devastation these brands, individually and collectively, are causing is, sadly, not being taken seriously by the consumers who continue to provide billions of dollars a year to each of these companies.
As that $8 shirt is shipped from across the world in plastic bags that will end up in landfills, the fast fashion industry also consumes around 93 billion cubic meters of water a year. That’s enough to meet the water needs of as many as 5 million people. Moreover, according to the UN, this industry is responsible for 2 to 8 percent of global carbon emissions.
Fast fashion’s water impact and carbon emissions are not the only issues, though. The environmental impact of this industry runs deeper, not to mention the social impact side of the coin. The more is known about it, the more informed decisions can be made.
The dark side of fashion needs as much light shone on it as possible.
The rise of fast fashion
While fast fashion has skyrocketed in recent years, it has been around since the early 1990s, starting with the fashion store chain Zara’s lighting-fast supply chain. The design, production, distribution, and marketing of fast fashion are lightning-fast, which is how fast fashion brands can offer so much variety at such low prices.
However, if there’s a piece of life wisdom that most people know, it’s that nothing in life is free, everything comes at a price. The price of getting dirt-cheap clothes quickly delivered to our doorstep is paid not only by the environment but also by millions of workers who barely get paid for back-breaking, often unsafe work.
The dark side of fast fashion
As a business model, fast fashion is undeniably profitable, but if we dive deeper, is the damage really worth it? From water depletion to carbon emissions, the industry is notorious for its trail of destruction. It’s also notorious for its waste. As of 2023, 97 million tons of textile waste pile up in landfills every year. This number is predicted to continue rising, with the average American discarding as much as 81.5 pounds of clothes every year.
Moreover, clothing usage has plummeted by almost 40% as people only use garments 7 to 10 times before they dispose of them. The lower the quality of the clothing is, the faster it’s discarded. By 2030, the fashion industry's global emissions are poised to skyrocket by 50% if nothing is done about fast fashion’s impact. When it comes to water waste, fast fashion accounts for 20% of global wastewater.
Not only that, fast fashion also pollutes water resources due to practices like fabric dying and treatment, which involve chemicals. Those chemicals are infused into the water, including things like heavy metals, pesticides, dyes, oil, phenol, and more. In turn, that polluted water can contaminate streams and groundwater. If that water is used for irrigating crops, the food growing out of them will also be contaminated.
Synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon, which are staples in fast fashion, pose yet another threat. These materials take centuries to biodegrade, shedding microplastics with each wash. Those microplastics find their way into the oceans, contaminating marine life and ecosystems. It’s estimated that 35% of ocean microplastics come from textile laundering.
Of course, the impact of fast fashion extends beyond the environment. In developing economies, where much of fast fashion production takes place, exploitation is a huge issue. Forced labor, child labor, and awful working conditions are staples in the industry. As is often the case, marginalized communities bear the brunt of it.
A better alternative to fast fashion
As more and more people become aware of the high cost of fast fashion, the slow fashion movement gains more traction. This movement advocates for sustainable practices, mindful consumption, and ethical production. Leaning on slow fashion practices can be an antidote to the rampant consumerism fast fashion inspires.
A lot of people rely on fast fashion because they feel it’s their only alternative to creating a wardrobe. After all, high-quality pieces that are made to last are investments and they can be quite expensive. However, it’s important to remember those aren’t the only options. While saving up to build a more sustainable wardrobe is possible, alternatives like recycling, thrifting, and even renting clothes are great ways to exercise your power as a consumer to effect change. Of course, it’s also possible to abstain from buying clothes altogether when you already have a wardrobe you can work with.
No matter how attractive fast fashion may be, its cost to our planet and our fellow humans is a high price to pay. On this Earth Day, you can be more mindful of how your consumer choices accelerate climate destruction. You can also learn ways to decelerate it by creating more sustainable habits, such as adjusting your attitude about clothes, being more mindful of the clothes you buy, and choosing carefully what kind of brands you support with your hard-earned dollars.
1.Anette Padilla
Running, biking, and swimming come naturally to Anette Padilla, a regular triathlon participant. But after coming across a social media post that encouraged users to have diverse feeds, Padilla began noticing that the outdoorsy accounts she followed were predominately white and male. After a failed online search for Latina hikers and explorers, she decided to start an Instagram presence as Outdoor Latina.
“I think some people feel they’re not ‘outdoorsy’ based on the traditional definition, so by broadening it and making it a little more inclusive, [it] empowers people to call themselves outdoorsy…and continue to do outdoorsy things,” Padilla tells Luz Collective.
Currently traveling the U.S. in an RV with her partner, Padilla documents their trips while providing beginner tips for biking and hiking all in an effort to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in the outdoors. She also welcomes advice from more experienced outdoors people and shares this knowledge with her followers.
“In order to feel welcome, it’s easier if you see someone that looks like you already doing it,” she adds.
2.Heather Diaz
Through Hike and Lift, Heather Diaz is bringing representation in the outdoors. Diaz founded the blog to help people understand the fundamentals of hiking, camping, and backpacking. After learning about the Leave No Trace method, which encourages campers to not leave behind food, cans, plastic bags, or other items, she was motivated to teach and inspire others to do the same through online tips and guides, like how to plan a day trip or what to carry in your backpack. The goal is to help set individuals and groups up for camping and hiking success, no matter their level of experience.
“When I see people post a [nature] picture or image with a quote, it does nothing for me. I want [my followers] to feel inspired and empowered, and think ‘yes, I can do that. It makes sense,’” she says.
Growing up a runner, Diaz realized her love for nature could reach deeper levels by slowing down her pace in walking trails and camping overnight. For these trips, Diaz packs bright and bold colors; she’s not a fan of the neutral tones that are popular in mainstream hiking gear. After a friend likened Diaz’s style to tejana icon Selena, she started using her flamboyant prints and colors as a way to also inspire more Latinas in the outdoors.
“You don’t have to conform to a certain look or style just so you can be outdoorsy,” Diaz says.
3.Nez Nuñez
Moving from Texas to Colorado for a job opportunity, Nez Nuñez was exposed to new landscapes. Living closer to nature, she says, improved her physical and mental health. In 2019, she started The Random Rover to share everything she could about her newfound love for nature.
“We were too poor to travel…but most of these things are free, and I just really want my nieces, nephews, cousins, my future kids, and future generations to know that the outdoor spaces are for all of us,” Nuñez says.
In August, Nuñez extended the invitation to diversify the outdoors to others by creating All Women Outdoors, a digital outdoor community profiling women of all backgrounds, shapes, and sizes exploring nature. By widening representation of hikers and explorers, she hopes to encourage more Latinas to adopt these hobbies. Through the page, she also educates and raises awareness about how to preserve the beautiful landscapes that are pictured.
“I’m educating myself on people who [need accessibility] and things that I hadn’t had to keep in mind when I’m outside,” she adds.
4.Cindy Rodriguez
After a solo winter trip to Badlands National Park in South Dakota, Cindy Rodriguez realized the journal she carried was among the most important items packed. After all, her trip through the national park was inspired by her need to reflect on life and return to the outdoors. Not long after, Reclama, a spiritual wellness community for women of color she founded in 2018, was born.
“You take up space in the woods, you will take up space in other parts of our life,” Rodriguez tells Luz Collective. “…I tell [my groups], ‘we’re going to do a sharing circle at the trailhead. I’m going to smudge you with sage. You might even feel people kind of looking – ignore them. This is about us right now.’”
Diversifying the outdoors as a spiritual hiking guide, Rodriguez leads her groups by asking hikers to make sure they take moments to stop, breathe, meditate, and journal.
“To be with other women that look and sound like me who are taking up space in nature is reclamation, and it’s empowering to me,” she adds.
5.Evelynn Escobar-Thomas
Growing up watching kids of all racial and ethnic backgrounds enjoying the outdoors during summer camp on the Disney Channel’s reality TV series Bug Juice, Evelynn Escobar-Thomas assumed she’d see similar representation during her first national park trip at 23 years old. She didn’t. To get this representation, Escobar-Thomas formed Hike Clerb, an intersectional hiking community and nonprofit that centers Black and brown women working to dismantle white supremacy, recharge, and focus on collective healing.
“As Black and brown people, we do carry a lot of intergenerational trauma, and nature is this sort of infinite source of healing [that] we can tap into and heal ourselves and our past generations,” Escobar-Thomas says.
The hikes are open to anyone who aligns with the mission and values of the community, including the goal to promote diversity in the outdoors. She tries to ensure that anyone who is interested in attending the trips are able to by securing partnerships that allow her to offer giveaways, like monthly national park passes, to low-income women of color.
“Being Black and being Indigenous, it’s been such a journey to not only reclaim the land but solidifying my own roots,” she says.
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