How Your Wardrobe is Wrecking the Planet
- Zoya Moossharma
- May 31
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 18
The True Cost Of Fast Fashion
Take a look at your closet: How many unneeded clothes lie collecting dust, never to see the light of day?
Coquette, Indie Kid, Y2K, Alternative, Grunge are just a few of the many niche clothing brands that become exceptionally popular online for all of a week, just to be dethroned by the next fad. Today, fast fashion brands are all too eager to keep you in the latest look without draining your wallet. In this everchanging online climate, fast fashion promises you can keep up with the looks without the strain on your wallet. But while our closets are stocked, the real cost isn't just in dollars—it's the steep environmental price that’s harder to ignore.
Fast Fashion’s Dirty Secret
Behind the glitter and shine of brand new clothes, fast fashion helps sustain a disturbing trend. It’s responsible for about 20% of global carbon emissions - that’s more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. In order to meet the demand for new styles and niches online, brands produce millions of articles of clothing that end up in landfills after only a few wears. In fact, the average consumer throws away around 81.5 pounds of clothing each year, contributing to the over 92 million tons of textile waste generated globally.
It gets worse. Producing a single cotton T-shirt guzzles around 2,700 liters of water—enough to sustain one person’s drinking water for over two years. Meanwhile, toxic dyes and chemicals seep into rivers, poisoning water sources and devastating aquatic ecosystems. Ask yourself, is this the legacy you want to leave behind?
Our momentary satisfaction and impulse purchases come at a steep cost, and it’s time to start doing something about it.
Slow Fashion: A Solution Worth Wearing
If the fast fashion hamster wheel sounds exhausting, slow fashion might be the breath of fresh air we need. This approach values quality over quantity, favoring timeless, ethically-produced pieces designed to last. Think about it: buying one beautifully-made piece that you’ll love and wear for years versus a dozen low-quality items you’ll discard within months.
If that’s not enough to convince you, just take a look at a few of these unique slow fashion brands that blend fashion with sustainability.
Ready to give slow fashion a try? Here’s how to start:
Know Before You Buy: Research brands and their practices. Look for certifications like Fair Trade and GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard).
On our Instagram page, you’ll find examples of sustainable fashion brands that you can buy from in Mumbai and different parts of India.
Buy Less, Choose Wisely: Invest in pieces that truly reflect your style and can stand the test of time.
Shop Second-Hand: Thrift stores and online resale platforms are treasure troves for unique, sustainable finds.
Repurpose and Repair: Give your old clothes a new life by upcycling them or learning basic sewing skills to repair damage. And if you need to dispose of them, send them to a recycling area where they can be put to good use!
By embracing slow fashion, we can reduce our impact on the planet, one thoughtfully chosen outfit at a time.