Is it related to the Instagram new platform Threads?
The answer is NO!
This blog is about fashion, what we wear. Let me break it down for you.
How does our clothes being made? Fabric and textiles. What does fabric or textiles made of? Woven threads it is! Thread also sounded like threat, which metaphorically means the the fashion industry now is posing a threat to the people, environment and culture. Here are the factors:
Water Consumption, Pollution and Textile Waste:
Greenhouse gases from factories, high water consumption from dyeing, washing process and the microfibers released when washing clothes which causes pollution as well as textile waste from scraps, dead-stocks, ‘recycle-schemes’ that ended up in landfills.
Exploitation of Labour:
Low wages and unsafe working environments. Over the years, there were reporters unfolding truths of how our cheap and affordable clothes being made. Under paid workers putting their lives at risk working in places that are not following standards.
Carbon Footprint:
Endless freight traffic. Shipping raw materials from different parts of the world to produce a product and shipping the final product to another country. The rapid rise of online shopping and free exchange or returns policy also creates excessive carbon emissions to the planet. Besides that, energy consumption from factories due to bulk orders and production is also mounts up the carbon footprint calculator.
Animal Cruelty:
Oh! Leave the animals alone! Back then, although mankind wore animal hides/fur 120,000 years ago as clothing, but it’s at a very different scale now. We convert lands into farms, rearing animals for food and fashion. We are using variations of animal skins and fur to make lots different things, from clothes to accessories. Although there’s improvement on this issue as animal rights activists are also very vocal about it but commercial use of animal skins and fur has to stop.
Overconsumption:
This is the one of the main culprits that no one wants to admit, isn’t it? Let’s now look into the mirror and tell yourself. If there’s no demand, there won’t be supply. Consumer behaviour has changed drastically and we got attracted to low prices, hence we could buy more! But do we need it? Of course, I also blame capitalism, advertising and marketing. But if all consumers are aware about our actual needs, we will not end up in this mess.
Hand in hand, let’s strive towards a same goal for a better environment, healthier planet to live in.
The fashion industry is seen as a threat, but can we change it? Definitely! I am a strong believer that fashion does not cost the environment if we do it responsibly, as producers, businesses and consumers. Please don’t feel terrified or go judgemental after reading this and the references provided. My intention is to use it as a wake up call and raising awareness.
In a nutshell, this blog is to inspire you to change. It’s time to try our very best to change our way of how we consume fashion in this everchanging world.
references:
Made in Bangladesh – the fifth estate, CBC News, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onD5UOP5z_c
Top fashion brands face legal challenge over garment workers’ rights in Asia, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/jul/09/top-fashion-brands-face-legal-challenge-over-garment-workers-rights-in-asia
5 ways the circular economy will transform your fashion habits, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/01/5-ways-the-circular-economy-will-transform-your-fashion-habits/
Chile’s Atacama desert becomes dumping ground for fast fashion leftovers, https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/fast-fashion-atacama-desert-chile-b1953722.html
Cleaning up couture: what’s in your jeans?, https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/cleaning-couture-whats-your-jeans
Evidence of Fur and Leather Clothing, Among World’s Oldest, Found in Moroccan Cave, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/evidence-of-fur-and-leather-clothing-among-worlds-oldest-found-in-moroccan-cave-180978689/
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