The fashion industry is the second biggest polluter of clean water globally and one of the most polluting industries in the world. Fast fashion companies like H&M, Zara and Forever 21 use textiles that are cheap and non-biodegradable.
The amount of clothes we consume is predicted to be 102 million tons by 2030 (Boston Consulting Group). The problem is just as quickly as the clothes are produced and purchased, they’re thrown away, leaving our planet with massive landfills of polyester textiles that can take anywhere from 20 to 200 years to decompose.
Thrift shopping, clothes swapping, and supporting eco-friendly clothing brands are all ways in which we can be more sustainable. We must do away with “throw away culture” by discovering a second and third life for garments, last seasons wide leg jeans can be this seasons cut-offs, remove the sleeves from that top you loved last fall and wear it in the spring, small changes can make a big difference.
The future of fashion is eco-fashion and wearable technology. The race is on to find innovative new materials that are better for us and the planet.
There’s a new wave of fashion meets tech, 3D printed fabrics and clothing that encourage cutting back on fast fashion and its deplorable effects on the environment.
Clothing that can monitor your health and wellness can radically change the relationship between consumers and clothing. Technology is how we shop, and purchase our clothing, soon it will be what we wear.
