The decline in garment pricing over the last two decades has enabled us to acquire an increasing number of garments. We now own five times as many garments as previous generations. As a result, enormous quantities of clothing must be created each year. As a result, significant harm is done to our health, the environment, and the lives of garment workers.
Given that clothing is one of the three fundamental needs for the majority of us, the fast-fashion statistics are nothing short of remarkable. Consider the following:
Fast Fashion Industry Facts
Production of inexpensive, throwaway garments on a large scale
- The global apparel and textile sector has surpassed $2,560 trillion in value.
- The global market for children’s clothing exceeds $186 billion.
- In the United Kingdom, consumers own an estimated £30 billion ($46.7 billion) worth of unworn clothing.
- Instead of two seasons, brands offer 52 micro-collections per year.
- The apparel business currently produces 400% more clothing than it did 20 years ago.
- On average, people wear their garments seven times before discarding them.
- The majority of women wear no more than 30% of their clothing.
- In 2010, the average American household spent $1,700 on clothing, footwear, and related products and services.
- According to fashion industry statistics, Manhattanites spend the most on clothing at $362 per month. Tucson, Arizona residents spend the least on apparel: $131 per month.
Related article: What Is Fast Fashion?
Toxic compounds contained in our clothing
- One kilogram of chemicals is required to manufacture one kilogram of textiles.
- 11. 11 of the chemicals commonly used to produce clothes are hazardous.
- Chromium is used in 80 percent of the world’s leather manufacture.
Related article: The Most Sustainable Fabrics
Celebrating fast fashion
- Each year, New York Fashion Week attracts 232,000 attendees (116,000 each fashion week).
- Fashion week injects $20 million into the New York City economy.
Impact of fast fashion on humans
- According to fast fashion facts, chemicals sprayed on cotton cause 20,000 deaths from cancer and miscarriages each year.
- Exposure to formaldehyde, which is used to prevent mildewing and wrinkles in garments, can result in serious allergic responses.
- Women account for 80% of textile workers worldwide. The majority of these individuals work numerous hours of overtime and earn five times less than what an individual requires to live in dignity.
- Child labor accounts for 60% of those employed in the global fashion business, making it one of the primary fast fashion issues.
The environmental impact of fast fashion
- The fashion business consumes 1.5 trillion gallons of water every year.
- According to pollution figures from the fashion sector, textile treatments and dyes account for 20% of industrial water pollution.
- Tanneries in Bangladesh pour 22,000 liters of poisonous waste into waterways each day.
- Each year, approximately 19,000 tons of textile microplastic fibers end up in our oceans.
- Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck’s worth of textile is thrown away.
Emissions of greenhouse gases by the fashion industry
- According to industry data, the fashion industry accounts for 10% of worldwide carbon emissions.
- 70 million barrels of oil are consumed to manufacture polyester. Polyester releases up to three times the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by other fibers like cotton.
These fast fashion statistics are a clear indication of the troubles that the fashion industry is generating throughout the world. Without a buyer, there would be no need for such a large number of garments. Therefore, if we say no to rapid fashion and opt for slow fashion, we may help to reduce the figures!
If you can cut back on your consumption and support firms that manufacture solely sustainable apparel, you can make a significant difference in the health of our planet.
