Environmental impact of fashion

The Fashion industry has a hug environmental impact and is have large negative affects on the environment. The fashion industry is the second biggest polluter in the world after the oil industry.
Water pollution is one of the biggest causes to our environment. When garments are produced the leftover toxic liquids are thrown into rivers and lakes. These liquids are toxic that are harmful to animals living in rivers and lakes. The toxic contamination also reaches to the ocean and eventually spreads all around the world. This can be reduced massively if people choose organic fibres that don't require toxic chemicals. Textile dyeing is also one of the biggest polluters to clean water across the globe.

Another huge reason the fashion industry is ruining our planet is because of the amount of water consumption. So much fresh water is being used for the process and creation of the clothes that we all wear. This is because cotton needs a lot of water to grow properly. 'Up to 20,000 litres of water is needed to produce just 1kg of cotton. This can also be cut down massively if people wear less cotton and start to buy other materials such as linen that do not require as much water consumption.


CHEMICALS: Many different chemicals are needed and used during fibre production, dyeing, bleaching, and wet processing in all of our clothes. The amount of chemicals that are being used within the fashion industry is starting to cause disease and other problems in our environment. This can also be avoided by using organic fibres and buying products from sustainable brands.

GREENHOUSE GASES: The fashion industry has to use and generate so many greenhouse gases when producing, manufacturing and transporting garments. The way forward to cut down on greenhouse gases is to 'buy less, buy better quality and mend clothes'.

Many fashion retailers are starting to realise the affect that fast fashion is having on our environment and are now doing something about sustainability. For example, Stella McCartney teamed up with the Ellen MacArthur foundation to launch a report on redesigning fashions future. This gave people an understanding to the importance of sustainability and how it needs to change for the sake of the environment and the planet.

I believe it is so important that brands are becoming more sustainable across the globe, and the more advertising and promotion there is about sustainability, the quicker people across the world will realise how fast fashion is really ruining and affecting our planet. Levi's for example, is a perfect brand example that have strong values and beliefs about sustainability, however not many people know that it is a complete sustainable brand. Levi's don't feel the need to brag and advertise that they are sustainable. I believe that they should put the word out more, not only for their brand sales to increase but to help the planet and make people really understand and believe the importance of sustainability.

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