fashion It has become a form of expression. rise companies low cost, Taking over the commercial streets of cities for years Cabinets grow without restrictions. You can buy an entire outfit today for the same amount of money as a pair of trousers cost in 1990. Social networks have further increased this consumerism.
As soon as you open Instagram or TikTok, the video bombardment begins. transportEvents where young people (mostly women) open huge packages filled with clothing from Shein, Zara or Mango. Aim? Create needs that are met quickly: If you like this skirt, buying it is just a click away, so fast you won’t have time to think twice.
The result is devastating: Dozens of clothes pile up on hangers and drawers with just one or two uses. Even brand new. And from there to the container. The environmental problems this creates are many: Uncontrolled water consumption, use of toxic substances in fabrics, transportation of commercial goods, release of microplastics Washings going directly to the sea or tons of pollutant emissions created by its production are just a few of them.
You just need to look at the data to understand the implications of this phenomenon. According to the latest report published by the United Nations; Clothing production on the planet doubled between 2000 and 2015. Today, on average, every citizen buys 60 percent more clothes than 15 years ago. In general, its quality is questionable due to its low prices; So much so that, as the UN condemns, 60 percent of everything sold ends up in landfills in less than a year.
Clothing production on the planet doubled between 2000 and 2015, according to the latest United Nations report
“HE fast fashion causes them to be released Many collections on sale for a short time. It went from twice a year (spring/summer and fall/winter) to dozens. They are of such low quality that prices have fallen, so they are almost disposable garments,” says Greenpeace.
10,000 liters for jeans
You only have to look at the excessive amounts of water used in the factories where these clothes are made to find the first ecological consequence of this uncontrolled production. Although the numbers vary depending on the source, the following conclusion can be reached by taking the average. It takes up to 3,000 liters of water to make a cotton T-shirt.. Amount increases 10,000 when we’re talking about jeans.
It is not for nothing that the textile industry is the second most demanding industry of the precious liquid and is responsible for 20% of the world’s wastewater. It is also responsible for one in five liters wasted worldwide.
As stated in the report ‘Anonymous synthetics: fashion brands’ dependence on fossil fuels’ prepared by the ChangeMarkets foundation, Synthetic fibers still exist in the vast majority of clothing produced by industry fast fashion. “They represent 69 percent of all materials used in textiles; it is feared that this figure will increase by almost three-quarters by 2030. 85 percent will be polyester,” the text quotes.
The problem is polyester is derived from fossil fuels (mostly oil) are the great enemies of the climate. This means the fashion industry is responsible for 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is a higher percentage than all international flights and cruises represent annually.
Fashion industry responsible for 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions
The use of these ingredients has another consequence that is extremely harmful to ecosystems. When washed, fabrics release microplastics. These also mix with the seas and oceans because their very small size prevents them from getting stuck in the filters of wastewater treatment plants. According to Greenpeace, more than 500,000 tons of garbage are thrown away every year.
Likewise, we should not ignore the fact that numerous scientific studies confirm this. some clothes low cost Contains substances harmful to human health. The most common compounds include formaldehyde (used to prevent fabric from wrinkling), antimony, silver nanoparticles (used to neutralize odor), plasticizers, flame retardants or perfluorinated compounds. Although there is no surefire way to get rid of these particles, washing clothes before wearing will minimize the problem.
child abuse
Most of the factories of low-priced fashion brands are located in Asian countries, especially in China, Turkey, Vietnam, India, Cambodia or Bangladesh. Production costs there are infinitely low. Even if the clothes have to be transported thousands of kilometers, it is still profitable for those responsible. And certainly transportation is another cause of the enormous pollution caused by this industry, a factor that is rapidly increasing with the rise of online shopping. And returns.
Latest calculations show that these companies employ more than 300 million people. But under what conditions? Some spend more than 16 hours a day in factories for a pittance. Many are children. “Beaded and sequined decorations may indicate child labor is involved,” warns the Ministry of Ecological Transition in an information circular offering consumers “tips to avoid getting carried away by fast fashion.”
Is there a solution?
Experts from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which works to promote the circular economy, agree that the solution involves four axes: Eliminate fabrics that contain toxic substances or release microplastics, increase the durability of clothing, use resources more efficiently and improve textile recycling. Of course, we should not forget the importance of producing t-shirts, trousers and dresses with a single material in order to develop strategies that will encourage this reuse. Otherwise, it is very complicated and expensive to separate the components and give them a new life.
The path towards definitive implementation of recycling culture in Spain is contained in the Waste Law approved last year. This standard sets two clear targets for 2025: It completely prohibits the disposal of surpluses and requires the selective collection of textiles.
Companies must lead this. In this sense, at the beginning of 2023, seven multinational companies came together to promote this type of recycling in Spain. This is undoubtedly the first step on the long road towards sustainability of the textile industry.
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REPORT. Curra Rotondo. Founder and CEO of Lefrik:
“With free returns, you sometimes buy without thinking”
There is more than one Small companies committed to local and sustainable production, Those who produce their products with environmentally friendly fabrics and aim to leave a positive footprint on the planet. This is the situation with Lefrik. This brand, which aims to “extend the life cycle of plastic bottles by using them as raw materials in the construction of products”, was born in Madrid in 2012 and sells minimalist style backpacks, bags and accessories. Curra Rotondo, CEO and founder, talks about the commitment and values that drive his business. Every year they donate 1 percent of their income to social causes.
-How can a company like Lefrik compete with large multinationals?
-To know our customers, to provide personalized and close service, to be competitive in prices within the sustainable fashion industry and to be very accessible through different sales channels. Although it is expensive, we believe it is the only way to grow and compete with large companies.
-How is the consumer ‘educated’ about paying more for a sustainably produced garment?
-Being very transparent about processes and certification so that they know that being sustainable on a social and environmental level is expensive and takes longer. Transparency and traceability are part of our DNA.
-One of the biggest problems of the fashion industry is transportation. How to reduce this environmental footprint?
-Being consistent throughout our production chain is part of our sustainable process. To minimize our impact, we deliver directly from the origin to the end customer whenever possible. We work with shipping companies with whom we share our philosophy.
-What about the feedback?
-We make great efforts to reduce returns in this sector, which often have a huge impact on pollution from transportation. To do this, we produce high-quality products that are generally free of defects. We also educate the consumer out of pocket as we believe the ‘free returns’ strategy has done a lot of damage to the industry and has sometimes caused people to buy impulsively knowing that a refund can be made at no cost.
-The materials chosen are also of vital importance. Which ones do you bet on at Lefrik?
-We are committed to vegan fabrics because we understand that animal abuse is not consistent with our commitment to the environment. To encourage end-of-life recycling, we use single material options, no mixes and always use recycled or organic alternatives. We use recycled polyester from plastic bottles but do not mix it with anything. Next season, we will introduce a leather-like fabric made from pineapple fibers.
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Contact address of the environmental department:[email protected]