The idea of spending hundreds of dollars and buying conveniently priced clothing may seem like a harmless hobby, but in reality it’s affecting the environment more than consumers realize.
Social media and the “fun” of mass clothing
When most social media users open their phone, it’s safe to say that their feed will be flooded with hauls and unboxing videos of the latest trends and fads. From stacks of trendy tops from SHEIN and Zara to unpackaging new toys and figurines.
SHEIN, Zara, H&M and more fast fashion stores are allowing for easy purchasing and convenient timing, but at what price? Fast fashion, while accessible, comes with its risks to the environment and produces carbon emissions which is a gas that directly affects pollution and global warming.
“The fashion industry is responsible for releasing more than 10% of carbon emissions every year and SHEIN has made a big contribution to this. Fast fashion brands often rely on global supply chains, which involve the transportation of materials and finished products across long distances. This results in high carbon emissions, contributing to climate change and air pollution.” said an article from Eco-Stylist.
Overconsumption and the trend of shopping hauls has become less of a fun craze and more of a harmful impact on the environment.
A 2018 Quantis International report, cited by Earth.org, found that dyeing and finishing, yarn preparation and fiber production are the largest contributors to the fashion industry’s pollution, with dyeing and finishing responsible for more than a third of its global impact.
Fast fashion is a term used to describe companies who are mass producing clothing that is convenient to purchase. However, the convenience comes with a cost. Easy shopping and social media shops allow buyers to purchase items at the tap of a screen or click of a button.
Consequently, most items bought for convenience are mass produced and use materials which are not environmentally ethical. When individuals purchase clothing that is factory made, it might be made of synthetic materials and microplastics that contribute to textile waste in our landfills, therefore creating more pollution problems.
“Every year, 92 million tons of textile waste is produced globally. Production doubled from 2000 to 2015, while the duration of garment use decreased by 36 per cent. Eleven per cent of plastic waste comes from clothing and textiles, with only 8 per cent of textiles fibres in 2023 made from recycled sources.” said an article from the U.N. Rnvironment Programme.
“Discarded clothing often ends up in low-income countries, where lack of waste management infrastructure leads to dumping, burning, and severe environmental and social consequences. Additionally, textile and fashion waste in cities often end up in landfills, where it takes decades to decompose and releases harmful greenhouse gases.”
Getting new clothes is an easy process and can oftentimes be described as exciting or therapeutic. However, getting new clothes doesn’t mean throwing old ones away. Tossing old clothes can lead to more environmental damage than intended and keeps chemicals and microplastics in our ecosystem.
Throwing your clothes away means that they will go directly into the landfill, which causes for the chemically induced materials to seep into our environment. These problems will directly affect climate change causing a greater amount of global warming and habitat destruction.
A large amount of textile production in our clothes has significant amounts of water, chemicals, energy, and more natural resources. On average, it can take 2,700 liters of water for a singular cotton shirt. When consumers throw away clothing, it wastes money and resources. Besides this, it takes 200+ years for the materials to decompose in a landfill. When the decomposition process starts, textiles from clothing can cause greenhouse methane gas, causing toxins and dyes to absorb into groundwater and soil.
Keeping the environment healthy is more than just watering plants but also about keeping grime out of the ground. Textile production is a massive environmental attack, so it’s important to be careful on how often one is buying newly made clothes and accessories. Making sure to keep a clothing boundary can help keep a safe and clean environment.
There’s always a new aesthetic on the uprise which contributes greatly to consumerism and fast fashion production. New styles fade in so brands can make more clothes for a decent price that will get buyers to come in and buy loads of the new products, but after the roar of the aesthetic has faded the buyers will discard the pieces leading them into the landfill.
Forced to buy
“TikTok made me buy it” is an online trend where influencers get the latest popular item they saw on social media where they can market it as a must-buy item. Typically the products are some form of accessory that will be considered out of fashion in the next six months. This is where influencers can make their next viral product video.
Another common must buy usually consists of an item that is marketed as sustainable. Commonly used is the reusable water bottle, Hydro Flask, which later left the scene and brought in Stanley cups. Stanley cups were another water bottle that claimed to keep your drink at the proper temperature and be another cute accessory.
However, sustainability died when it became a trend to grab a Stanley in every color in stock. Before you knew it, the trend of the Stanley was out and Owala was in. However, if they go out of style, how sustainable are they?
“In essence, consumerism is when constant spending of money on frivolous things is seen as the key to happiness by a society. Our country has fallen deep into the hold of consumerism, as people try to achieve happiness through their material possessions.” said an article from the Southerner “Consumerism has further worsened in the age of social media, as internet trends lead people to purchase unnecessary commodities like Labubus in large quantities for an inflated price in order to simply fit in.”
Performative consumerism has taken over when influencers are buying items for clicks and status. One of the biggest trends online being blind box unpackaging. Blind boxes are also a fun and mystery filled activity, but the fun is also dangerous. The idea of buying blind boxes is built on a marketing strategy that allows you to keep buying because you feel the need to collect them all.
Not only is this attributing to more waste in the landfill, but it also is a way for influencers to add to the overconsumption trend and get viewers to contribute too. Marketing teams know what they are doing and marketing popular toys such as Labubus and Sonny Angels with blind boxes allows for the companies to gain and the environment to lose.
The sustainable life
Staying sustainable will help to decrease the amounts of pollution, fossil fuel and carbon emissions being used and brought into the planet. Being careful of fast fashion and overconsumption is important to a healthy earth.
“The overproduction and waste generated by overconsumption have severe environmental repercussions. According to the United Nations, if current consumption patterns continue, we will need the equivalent of almost three planets by 2050 to provide the natural resources needed to sustain our lifestyle. The fashion industry, fueled by social media, notably contributes to this issue, generating more than 92 million tons of waste annually.” said an article from Overconsumption.
Some sustainability advocates recommend visiting thrift stores first. If available, try to go to the thrift store before the mall. Most factory made clothing is produced with synthetic materials. Thrifting clothes and accessories allows for old pieces to be repurposed and keep more fabric out of the landfill. If one is able to purchase trans-seasonal clothing, not only would it be saving money but also saving habitat destruction.
Buying more pieces that will be worn frequently helps to not feed into the overconsumption bandwagon. When going shopping, it can be unethical to purchase clothing that will only be used once or twice. This contributes to fast fashion manufacturing and textile waste once the material is discarded. When buying mass produced clothes, it helps to make sure it will be a regularly worn item to make sure there’s no contributing to environmental destruction.
Finding a tailor or learning how to sew allows for clothes that one already has to stay in a normal rotation, instead of throwing them away or buying a new piece. Keeping pre-worn clothes and fixing them when they get torn makes it easy to save the clothes that are already loved and verifies there won’t be unnecessary purchases.
Driving away from the overconsumerism trend can keep the landfill at a healthy state and to prevent more textile waste from digging into the soil. Keeping sustainability alive also keeps the environment alive.
Mays Turabi 
EveLynne Bruening