Millorino 1

The Fault in Fast Fashion

Jocelyn Millorino

Professor Babcock

English 138T

15 April 2021
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Introduction

If you have ever purchased a garment from Nike, Forever 21, ZARA, or H&M, you have

contributed to the ever-growing issue of fast fashion. Fast fashion is defined as cheap, trendy

clothing manufactured to mimic high-end brands. In response to the rapidly changing fashion

trends, these brands constantly push out new products that consumers wear a few times before

they end up at the back of the closet or in the trash once the clothes fall out of style. Fast fashion

heavily relies on the ability to produce and distribute trendy clothes in a very short amount of

time, while also being affordable and accessible to all. This new era of clothes being seen as

temporary is largely due to socio-cultural changes. The present-day consumer is now constantly

intune with the fashion trends and seeks out an affordable way to follow them. This lifestyle is

even more alluring due to the ability to make mistakes. Instead of muling over whether to spend

a pretty penny on one article of clothing, a consumer can choose several pieces for the same

price as one, and if they don’t like their options, there is no real economic disadvantage.

Furthermore, the flexibility of fast fashion is very enticing - one can buy an outfit for a specific

occasion and never wear it again. Consumers can also experiment with different styles and not be

held back by prices, allowing a universality to clothing1

Although this way of shopping may seem like a perfect solution for consumers who wish

to keep up with trends without breaking their banks, fast fashion has had disastrous effects on the

1
Veronica Gabrielli Ilaria Baghi Vanni Codeluppi, (2013),"Consumption practices of fast fashion
products: a consumer-based approach", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International
Journal, Vol. 17 Iss 2 pp. 206 - 224
 Millorino 3

environment. In fact, Americans throw away 70 pounds of clothing every year. 2 Furthermore,

this rapid cycle of production has accumulated humanitarian issues, such as unfair treatment of

workers along with dangerous work environments. Therefore, despite the rapid benefits fast

fashion can bring to consumers, this way of shopping has wreaked havoc on the environment and

has cost workers their lives.

History of Fast Fashion

The Industrial Revolution changed the fashion industry tremendously with the

introduction of textile machines and factories that allowed clothes to be manufactured and sold in

bulk, instead of making each garment by hand. The invention of the sewing machine in 1846

further revolutionized the fashion industry, allowing an even larger production of clothes to be

possible.

Despite the advancements in technology, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory revealed some

of the early flaws of clothing production. On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in

New York City caught on fire, killing 146 workers, most of them women. This infamous tragedy

drew light on the poor working conditions and negligence in these factories. The Triangle

Shirtwaist Factory employed young immigrant women who worked 12 hours a day, nearly

everyday, for very little pay. The factory had four elevators but only one was fully functional.

There were also two stairways down to the street, but one was locked and the other could only be

opened inward.3 Therefore, escape from the burning factory was extremely hard due to these

poor conditions. Luckily, this tragedy shed light on the need for improved working conditions

2
McFall-Johnsen, Morgan. “The Fashion Industry Emits More Carbon than International Flights and Maritime
Shipping Combined. Here Are the Biggest Ways It Impacts the Planet.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 21 Oct.
2019, www.businessinsider.com/fast-fashion-environmental-impact-pollution-emissions-waste-water-2019-10.
3
“Triangle Shirtwaist Fire.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 24 Nov. 2009,
www.history.com/this-day-in-history/triangle-shirtwaist-fire-in-new-york-city.
 Millorino 4

and many policies were enacted to protect factory workers. For example, the Sullivan-Hoey Fire

Prevention Law was passed in October to ensure that there were sprinkler systems installed in

every factory in New York City. 4

Despite the ever growing factory industry, most of the clothing production was made at

home up until World War II. Civilians became more accustomed to buying mass-produced

clothing after an increase in standardized clothing following the war. Fashion quickly changed

again in the 1960s when huge textile mills were established across the world to keep up with the

younger generation’s need

to keep up with new

trends. These mills proved

to be much cheaper to run

than their previous

operating methods.

Fast fashion became

cemented in society in the

late 1990s and early

2000s when it became

desirable to get the best

deal and flaunt a cheaply made garment. ZARA coined the term “fast fashion” in 1990 when

they proved that they could design a dress and in a retail store within 15 days.5Society’s view on

4
“Historical Significance.” The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire,
triangleshirtwaisthd.weebly.com/historical-significance.html#:~:text=The%20Sullivan-Hoey%20Fire%20Prevention
%20law%20of%20October%201911,like%20the%20Triangle%20Shirtwaist%20Fire%20from%20occurring%20aga
in.
5
Conca, James. “Making Climate Change Fashionable - The Garment Industry Takes On Global Warming.” Forbes,
Forbes Magazine, 3 Dec. 2015,
www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2015/12/03/making-climate-change-fashionable-the-garment-industry-takes-on-g
lobal-warming/?sh=1f9a2c3c79e4.
 Millorino 5

what is acceptable or desirable largely influences the decisions of individuals, and is one of the

biggest reasons why fast fashion is such a huge problem. If society can understand the

environmental and humanitarian impacts of fast fashion, perhaps it will no longer become

acceptable to buy a five dollar shirt for the weekend, only to never wear it again, and for the shirt

to end up in a landfill.

Environmental Impact

One of the biggest reasons fast fashion should be eliminated is because of the horrific

effects on the environment. First, the fast fashion industry is one of the top polluters of the world,

second only to the oil industry. This is largely due to the fact that producing and transporting

these cheap garments emits greenhouse gasses. Greenhouse gases are those that trap heat in the

atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Furthermore, the clothing industry accounts for

10% of global carbon emissions, which is equivalent to the amount of emissions produced by the

entire country of Russia - an astonishing amount.6 The materials used in these cheap garments

also plays a role in the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the environment. For example,

producing synthetic polymers designed to make clothes last longer emits nitrous oxide, a

greenhouse gas that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Furthermore, synthetic

clothing sheds plastic microfibers that account for 85% of the man-made materials that end up in

the ocean, harming animals and our food supply. Another example is polyester, now the most

commonly used fabric in clothing. Nearly 70 billion barrels of oil are used each year to make

polyester, and it takes 200 years for the material to break down7. Clearly, fast fashion has an

6
Author, Guest, et al. “Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion (With Facts and Statistics).” Get Green Now, 5 Mar.
2020,
get-green-now.com/environmental-impact-fast-fashion/#:~:text=%20How%20Does%20Fast%20Fashion%20Impact
%20the%20Environment%3F%28Fast,Depletes%20and%20Pollutes%20Water%20Resources.%20The...%20More
%20.
7
Conca, James. “Making Climate Change Fashionable - The Garment Industry Takes On Global Warming.” Forbes,
Forbes Magazine, 3 Dec. 2015,
 Millorino 6

incredible impact on the environment. Since fast fashion is a vicious cycle of keeping up with

trends that will get old in a few weeks, this production will only continue exacerbating the global

warming crisis.

In addition to the greenhouse gas production, the fast fashion industry also uses and

pollutes water supply. In fact, it takes 2700 liters of water to make a single cotton t-shirt. Pairing

water with the chemicals in the synthetic fibers of these cheap garments results in polluted,

undrinkable, and toxic water that is released back into the ecosystem when the clothing is

washed.

Humanitarian Impact

Despite all of the impacts fast fashion has on the planet, perhaps the most devastating

impacts lie on the humans who are affected. Human rights have long since been compromised in

the fashion industry, dating back to 1911 in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Although there have

been steps to improve human rights in the fast fashion industry, there are still areas that need

major improvement.

One of these areas is unlivable wages. The reason that fast fashion is so cheap is because

workers are expected to work long hours with very little pay. The majority of these workers are

minority women - 75% of garment workers in China, 85% in Bangladesh, and 90% in

Cambodia.8 These workers are expected to work 60 to 140 hours a week without adequate pay.

In fact, less than 2% of women who work in these factories earn a living wage; they cannot even

afford to buy the fast fashion they are producing. These women are often single mothers who do

not have the education or resources to find work elsewhere.

www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2015/12/03/making-climate-change-fashionable-the-garment-industry-takes-on-g
lobal-warming/?sh=1f9a2c3c79e4.
8
Therevivalzine. “Why Fast Fashion Is a Human Rights Issue - And What We Can Do About It.” The REVIVAL
Zine, 21 Dec. 2020,
therevivalzine.com/2020/12/20/why-fast-fashion-is-a-human-rights-issue-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/.
 Millorino 7

Another area that needs improvement is the unsafe working conditions. Many workers

develop health problems due to the dangerous environments they spend their days in.

Oftentimes, these conditions cost workers their lives. Bangladesh, the world’s second largest

exporter of clothing, behind China, exemplifies the horrific working conditions present in so

many factories. Bangladesh is home to more than 5,000 factories and is known for having some

of the lowest wages for their workers. In 2013, the Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed,

killing 1,000 workers. This factory collapse is the deadliest disaster of the garment industry and

was a result of the factory owner’s negligence. Mr. Rana, the owner, illegally constructed the

upper floors of the factory in order to house several thousand workers. Moreover, he placed

several power generators that would shake the fragile building when they were switched on. On

April 23, several small cracks appeared in the building, and many workers fled after the factory

started to shake. An engineer inspected the building and warned that it was unsafe, yet Mr. Rana

encouraged his workers to continue their jobs.9 Mr. Rana chose profit over the safety and lives of

his employees, as many sweatshop owners do as well.

Furthermore, employees of fast fashion often work in environments with little ventilation,

allowing them to inhale toxic chemicals, such as blasted sand and fiber dusts, that are known to

cause cancer.10 Workers are also subject to musculoskeletal hazards from repetitive hand

motions, such as sewing. One of the biggest health risks to textile workers is sandblasting.

Sandblasting is a technique that gives denim its worn look. This process exposes workers to

silica dust particles that can develop into silicosis. If left untreated, silicosis causes death.

9
Yardley, Jim. “Report on Deadly Factory Collapse in Bangladesh Finds Widespread Blame.” The New York Times,
The New York Times, 22 May 2013,
www.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/world/asia/report-on-bangladesh-building-collapse-finds-widespread-blame.html.
10
“Explorative Working Conditions in the Fast Fashion Industry.” GIROTTI International,
girottishoes.com/blog/explorative-working-conditions-in-the-fast-fashion-industry.
 Millorino 8

Although sandblasting is illegal in many countries, China, the world’s largest exporter of

clothing, continues to use it.

Moreover, child labor is often utilized in the fast fashion industry. Child labor is defined

as “work for which the child is either too young, work is done below the required minimum age,

or work which, because of its detrimental nature or conditions, is unaceptable for children and is

prohibited.11 Although there are child labor laws that prohibit this, the forceful working of

children still exists in countries such as China, India, and Egypt. It is estimated that at least 168

million children are forced to work.12 These children are subjected to dangerous living conditions

that will have long-term health consequences.

Children often get roped into working these dangerous jobs to help support their families

who are struggling. However, child labor perpetuates the cycle of poverty instead of alleviates it.

Since children are working instead of in school, they will not be able to get a higher-paying job

in the future. Hence, they will be stuck in these jobs with unlivable wages, and the cycle will

repeat with their children.

Current Policies

Although fast fashion is a growing concern for both the environment and humanity, there

have been few policies enacted to combat against it. Despite the lack of regulation regarding fast

fashion and consumerism, organizations such as the United States Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) could have a major impact on the amount of waste accumulated through the

production and distribution of clothing. EPA has several policies regarding greenhouse gas

emissions, waste regulation, and water purification that should be similarly applied to factories

supplying fast fashion. For example, the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) requires

11
“Child Labor Amid the Rise of Fast Fashion.” BORGEN, 10 Oct. 2020, www.borgenmagazine.com/fast-fashion/.
12
“Explorative Working Conditions in the Fast Fashion Industry.” GIROTTI International,
girottishoes.com/blog/explorative-working-conditions-in-the-fast-fashion-industry.
 Millorino 9

about 8,000 facilities to report greenhouse gas data annually. This program is aimed at tracking

those companies who are producing the most greenhouse gases in order to reduce these

emissions. The GHGRP has gathered data for about half of the United State’s greenhouse gas

emissions. Since fast fashion is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gases emitted, the EPA

should regulate these industries more thoroughly by gathering more data and limiting the amount

of gases they can release.13

Another area that should be addressed is water pollution and toxic substances. The

Pollution Prevention Act (P2) is aimed at reducing waste by promoting the use of nontoxic

substances and conservation, instead of putting materials into the waterstream.14 Since the

production of clothing in general takes up thousands of liters of water to produce a single

garment, fast fashion is responsible for the use of 79 billion cubic meters of water a year.15

Washing these items of clothing also releases the toxic chemicals used in creating synthetic

materials back into the ecosystem, further polluting water streams. The EPA should enact similar

policies to the Pollution Prevention Act that is specifically directed towards companies that

produce fast fashion to regulate and condense the amount of pollution they produce each year.

13
“Overview of US GHG Inventory Data and EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program.” EPA, Environmental
Protection Agency, 31 Aug. 2016,
www.epa.gov/natural-gas-star-program/overview-us-ghg-inventory-data-and-epas-greenhouse-gas-reporting-progra
m.
14
“Pollution Prevention Law and Policies.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 18 Mar. 2021,
www.epa.gov/p2/pollution-prevention-law-and-policies.
15
Common Objective. “The Issues: Water.” Common Objective, Common Objective, 1 Feb. 2018,
www.commonobjective.co/article/the-issues-water.
 Millorino 10

Slow Fashion

Although there is only so much that can be done from a government standpoint,

consumers can help the environment through everyday actions such as being more mindful about

one’s ecofootprint and carefully choosing stores one gives their business to. One option is to

switch to slow fashion. Slow Fashion is a movement designed to combat fast fashion and reverse

the damaging consequences it has on the environment and humanity. Slow fashion encourages

consumers to buy from companies that give fair wages to their workers and use environmentally

sustainable resources to create their products. These sustainable brands are usually smaller and

local and are a bit pricer than their fast fashion counterparts. Moreover, these brands usually

release a few items several times throughout the year, instead of several times a week.16 Being

conscious about where one’s clothes come from is a great way to be more environmentally

friendly. Furthermore, choosing timeless pieces that can be worn for years, instead of days, is

also another way to be more sustainable.

Finally, donating any unwanted clothes can also help circulate items so they do not go to

waste and end up in a landfill. For example, donating to second-hand stores such as Goodwill is

a great way to pass off unwanted clothes to someone who may use it in the future. One can even

get tax cuts through Goodwill as an added incentive. A similar option is Plato's Closet, where

one shoppers can sell gently used items and receive monetary compensation. Therefore, although

it is cheap and easy to buy fast fashion, the long-term consequences of it are not worth it. There

are many ways to be more sustainable if shoppers can become more mindful and conscious about

where their products are coming from. Ultimately, the most change will come from government

16
“What Is Slow Fashion?” Good On You, 2 Nov. 2020, goodonyou.eco/what-is-slow-fashion/.
 Millorino 11

regulation of fast fashion, but the consumer’s choice to become more sustainable should not be

underestimated.

Conclusion

Although clothing and fashion trends might not seem like a life-threatening issue, there

are serious consequences stemming from fast fashion. The

planet is suffering from the greenhouse gasses and water

pollution due to the production of cheap, synthetic clothing.

Furthermore, humans are suffering due to the demands to

keep up with the rapidly changing trends. Workers are

subjected to dangerous living conditions, creating health

hazards that result in long-time consequences, if not death.

Moreover, these workers are not being adequately

compensated for their long work hours. In reality, factory

workers do not even make livable wages and children are being exploited and roped into a

vicious cycle of poverty. Government regulation, such as through the Environmental Protection

Agency, will make the most impact on becoming more environmentally sustainable. Since there

are existing policies regarding facilities and their greenhouse gas emissions and water

expenditure, similar policies should be enacted to regulate fast fashion. However, a combination

of government regulation and consumer actions will make the most impact on saving the only

planet we have.
 Millorino 12

Bibliography

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Green Now, 5 Mar. 2020,

get-green-now.com/environmental-impact-fast-fashion/#:~:text=%20How%20Does%20F

ast%20Fashion%20Impact%20the%20Environment%3F%28Fast,Depletes%20and%20P

ollutes%20Water%20Resources.%20The...%20More%20.

“Child Labor Amid the Rise of Fast Fashion.” BORGEN, 10 Oct. 2020,

www.borgenmagazine.com/fast-fashion/.

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www.commonobjective.co/article/the-issues-water.

Conca, James. “Making Climate Change Fashionable - The Garment Industry Takes On Global

Warming.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 3 Dec. 2015,

www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2015/12/03/making-climate-change-fashionable-the-g

arment-industry-takes-on-global-warming/?sh=1f9a2c3c79e4.

“Explorative Working Conditions in the Fast Fashion Industry.” GIROTTI International,

girottishoes.com/blog/explorative-working-conditions-in-the-fast-fashion-industry.
 Millorino 13

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triangleshirtwaisthd.weebly.com/historical-significance.html#:~:text=The%20Sullivan-H

oey%20Fire%20Prevention%20law%20of%20October%201911,like%20the%20Triangle

%20Shirtwaist%20Fire%20from%20occurring%20again.

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water-2019-10.

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www.epa.gov/natural-gas-star-program/overview-us-ghg-inventory-data-and-epas-greenh

ouse-gas-reporting-program.

“Pollution Prevention Law and Policies.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 18 Mar. 2021,

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 Millorino 14

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