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What is Fast Fashion?
Fast fashion can be defined as cheap, trendy clothing that is mass produced at breakneck speed to meet consumer demand. The idea is to get the newest styles on the market as fast as possible, so shoppers can snatch them up while they are still at the height of their popularity and then, sadly, discard them after a few wears.
In the past two decades, clothing production has doubled and garment usage lifetime has decreased. On average, we buy 60% more clothes now than we did in the year 2000, but we wear over half of them for less than a year. Unfortunately, this change in clothing trends has meant devastating news for our planet.
Fast Fashion’s Impact on the Environment
The massive amount of clothing we are buying and discarding each year has had a huge impact on the environment. Here are some facts about the fashion industry’s impact.
- We discard 92 million tons of clothes-related waste each year. This contributes to the waste in our landfills and oceans. Imagine the positive difference it would make if we could reduce the amount of clothing waste.
- In 2022, fast fashion generated more CO2 than aviation and shipping combined. Fast fashion is responsible for 8-10% of all carbon emissions.
- The fashion industry produces half a million tons of microplastics. Fast fashion is responsible for 20-35% of microplastics in the ocean.
Shop second hand instead
What is the alternative to supporting fast fashion brands? If you have the means or ability to make your own clothes or support small, sustainable clothing companies, that is an amazing alternative. Another very accessible alternative to fast fashion is to shop second hand. Here are some reasons to shop second hand instead.
- Shopping second hand helps to decrease the negative impact on the environment. Clothes get another life instead of going to the landfill!
- When you shop second hand for treasures that are new to you, you can often find higher quality products at a lower price. This means clothes that are meant to last more than a few wears!
You also support small and local when you shop second hand! Shopping second hand generally supports smaller, more local businesses in your community rather than unethical corporations who are polluting the environment.
We’re so excited to announce that soon you’ll be able to shop curated second hand clothing at Protea later this month! Soon you’ll be able to get more than just zero waste home and personal care at our shop, but you’ll be able to shop for second hand treasures, too!
We are setting aside a corner of our refill store for a few racks of hand-picked second hand clothes which will be available for sale. The opening day of “Protea’s Thrifts”, a boutique of thrifted clothes is February 25th! We’ll be celebrating with light pupu’s and drinks and we would love for you to join us.
You’re invited!
When: Saturday, February 25th, 2023. 10am - 4pm.
Where: Protea Zero Waste Store, 35 Kainehe St, Kailua