Wearing thin, has fast fashion has its day? - Global Issue 21
- ciaranbrodigan
- 13 minutes ago
- 1 min read
It's fun and profitable, but harming the planet. Has fast fashion had its day?
Global fashion is a capricious, complicated trillion-dollar machine, whose success hinges on both our desire to be different and our compulsion to conform. This paradox feeds the industry’s ingenuity and capacity for endless reinvention – a rich seam of creativity channelling identity, talent, artisanship and business flair. From haute couture to streetwear, fashion’s magic lies in reflecting and reimagining our cultural touchpoints to fuel ever hungry consumers.
Fashion’s economic power is immense. With a value of USD 1.3 trillion it employs over 300 million people along the value chain worldwide – agricultural workers, textile producers, garment workers, supply chain personnel, retailers, designers, tailors, models and marketers are all part of the engine.
But alongside its reputation as an economic and cultural dynamo sits fashion’s extractive and exploitative side. It’s estimated the industry is responsible for between 2-10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, nearly 10% of microplastics in the ocean come from textiles and it takes around 2,000 gallons of water to make a pair of jeans1. And that’s before we get to the human cost.
This article delves into the world of fast fashion, and how it is affecting the world.
Read the full article in the most recent UHY Global publication
