True Cost of Colors- Effects of Fast Fashion

In this animated short, I try to explore the dark side of the textile industry. The textile
industry is said to be the second largest polluter in the world. There are many reasons that
lead to this. The clothes that we buy from stores go through a variety of processes before
reaching our hands. One of the main processes amongst that is dyeing. The natural dyes that
were used earlier to bring life to clothing have been replaced almost completely by synthetic
dyes. There are very less places that still use natural dyeing methods to dye clothes. The
wastewater left out after dyeing is then drained into rivers and other water bodies. But due to
the fast fashion trends in today’s era and the mass production of clothes, it’s not easy to
switch back to natural dyes.

Insights

 Fast fashion is a major problem in today’s generation. It’s not only a cause for major
environmental pollution but it also doesn’t take the worker’s rights into consideration.
 The handloom industry even though being sustainable is unfortunately dying. The
powerlooms are replacing handlooms, and the weaving community is slowly
disappearing because unlike before, the weavers now don’t want their kids to continue
their tradition, they would prefer their children to get a good education and a job. And
frankly speaking I’m not surprised. After talking to weavers in Guledguudda and Old
Town Yelahanka, it’s understandable why they would think that.
 The fashion industry is said to use around 93 billion cubic metres of water per year,
enough to meet the needs of 5 million people.
 The sad truth is that most brands do very little for water. Most brands don’t
implement proper water reduction and wastewater management.
 We know that a large amount of potentially toxic chemicals are used to dye our
clothing, but there's a lack of knowledge and transparency about their properties in
relation to human and environmental health. Inadequate knowledge about chemicals
used is due to the fragmented and complex web of supply chains and distribution.
 The root cause of all this can be again linked to fast fashion and the enormous
amounts of clothing being produced and dumped.
 I think that everyone including me is responsible for fast fashion. Fashion Revolution
was founded by Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro in the wake of the Rana Plaza
disaster in 2013. It aims at a global fashion industry that conserves and restores the
environment and values people over profit and growth.
 Larger Questions
 How can we raise awareness regarding the toxic culture of fast fashion. What part can
we as individuals play in this?
 Even with the topics of sustainable fashion being in focus all around the world, why
are the industries like handloom disappearing?
 How can we push brands to be accountable for managing water properly?

Why should this film be made?

When I started this project, I was sadly unaware of the impact that the fashion
industry made. Even though I hear the term fast fashion being used all the time, I
never fully understood the magnitude of the situation. The research and making of this
film helped me educate myself more on this topic. I usually am very intrigued by
color and that reflects on my choice of clothes as well. But learning about the textile
dyeing industry and it’s impact on water has shifted my perspective. This change gave
me a clarity on why I want to make this film. Through my film, if I’m able to bring
about this change in people even if it is in the slightest way, I would be content.