As an “eco-worrier”, I try to buy products which are made out of recycled items. Such items often don’t come cheap, but I justify that this is my way of doing my bit for the environment-- buying a product made mostly of an “old whatever” that didn’t land up in a landfill altogether.
For long whenever the topic veers to environmental damage, focus is largely on plastics, emissions etc but seldom on the environmental hazard of fashion or rather fast fashion. The fast fashion scene is a vicious circle with a short rotation cycle--from the design idea till the product is on the store racks. The entire process takes place within 2 -4 weeks making it an astronomical 12-24 collections per year. As fast as these cheap creations are churned out, they also end up that fast in the dump leading to a careless throw-away culture it has created. Today we cannot ignore any longer the impact our self-indulgence is having on the world around us.
The entire fast fashion concept rests on optimizing all the steps involved in producing a garment. Right from the design, sewing, quality, fabric sourcing, etc must be done at a minimum cost humanly possible including labour. They are produced in countries where labour is cheap with many working under dangerous work environments and often exposed to hazardous substances. Also every step in the process has detrimental effect— from growing cotton, producing synthetic fibres, chemically treating fabrics, using harmful dyes or production process that are heavily reliant on water. The tight schedule of fast fashion puts tremendous pressure on all aspects.
Famous Chinese photojournalist Lu Guang has captured some of the most compelling images of pollution of water bodies due to garment factories. The photographs leave one with a disturbing imagery of how our self-indulgence is posing a threat to the environment and other life forms. We are at tipping-point and a mass awakening and conscious effort is the need of the hour to ensure a conscious fashion revolution. Consumers need to rethink the way they shop. Concepts of ethical/ conscious fashion mustn’t remain only in cyberspace but should be incorporated in practical life. There is a need to understand that more is not always merrier and that quality always trounces quantity.
Next time on Sale Day, remember that for those cheap clothes, the environment is paying a heavy price.

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List