Fast fashion is the modern-day term coined by fashion retailers to describe how the latest designs and trends on the runway make their way into large retail shops. The volumes of clothing produced in the fast fashion industry are unimaginable – tons of garments are manufactured every day, and nearly the same amount of both finished product and raw materials, including fabrics, dyes, and threads, are thrown away. A recent study found that one garbage truck of textiles is wasted every second and around 92 million tons of solid waste are dumped in landfills each year.
The result is that consumers now have an unending selection of affordable, widely-available garments however the price for the environment is, in the long run, very high. The fashion industry has taken note of this and has begun to make an effort to reduce the amount of waste it produces. The market for eco-friendly materials and products grows every day.
The development of new synthetic biology-based technology, for example, is just one response from the fashion industry and budding new designers are embracing this up and coming environmentally-conscious technique. Innovative garments are being created by new designers, artists, scientists, engineers, and manufacturers.
An example of this would be Twine, an Israeli start-up with the goal of reducing the waste produced during the process of manufacturing thread.
A fair number of large retailers, such as Nike, H&M, Burberry, and GAP, have also made considerable strides in their clothing recycling programs. Their goal is clear – to reduce fast fashion waste on a global scale by recycling raw materials and products. However, if there is any hope for the fast fashion industry to lessen its waste, consumers should also claim responsibility for their choices and purchases. As well as dispose of their old clothing in a responsible manner.
To make it easier for our clients to find ethically produced garments, soon we will be adding environmentally-friendly Israeli shops to our store.