Fast Fashion Pollution!

This is the time of year when us Americans are buying more, Consumption is peaked out & I feel the need to create this episode based on the truth of what's happening in the Fashion World, one of the top polluters of our lands, water, air, etc.  Join me as I release factually scary news(nothing new) as to what's happening on our planet that hopefully will change the way we think about our purchases.  This is a Serious issue & deserves more Awareness for Change to happen!!

Sources to Explore:
https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/
https://slowfashion.global/2024/11/06/synthetic-fabrics-and-the-environment-time-for-a-change/
https://one-more-tree.org/blog/2024/09/27/the-hidden-environmental-cost-of-fast-fashion/
https://www.dressember.org/
https://directory.goodonyou.eco/
https://ejfoundation.org/news-media/the-casualties-of-cotton
https://wearpact.com/article/3-ways-fast-fashion-is-killing-our-planet

Please stay in touch & check out these crucial links!!

There is such a thing as High Vibe Clothing, Conscious Eco-Fashion Designers & Manufacturers that care about our Health as well as Future Generations💚

Complete Blog Post: https://consciouschoicesforall.com/blog-conscious-wellbeing/https/consciouschoicesforallcom/blog-page-fast-fashion-pollution

One of my favorite Eco-Fashion Brands is Sweetskins, Women owned & operated for over 20 years in Oregon, USA made😌
https://sweetskins.com/fashion-is-deep-sht/

Thank You All so very much for listening today!  I genuinely hope you learned something & I invite you to join me each week, so you never miss a conscious wellness beat!  This podcast holds a special place in my heart, dedicated to my evolution here, my passionate mission to spread more consciousness for the much needed wellness on Earth.  Come join me as a guest as well, let’s collaborate making change for future generations.. 

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Transcript

1:26

Hello and welcome everybody. Today I am going to be talking about fast fashion pollution. This is a topic as I researched, has been out there for some time now. I'm so grateful for the community of people that care and that are getting information out there to y'all. I also wanted to do this. Clothing is one of the most foundational forms of self-expression in my opinion. No matter where someone lives, given the choice, they have a preference of what they want to wear. It's not just about looking good or attracting attention, it's about reflecting how we feel inside. We all know that frustrating feeling of being unable to decide what to wear or not feeling good about what we're wearing that day. We have an innate need to feel comfortable in whatever skin we wear, even our own bare body we want to feel comfortable in, right? If we're looking at ourself in the mirror or if we're out in public, say at a retreat where maybe there's a hot spring or people are at the river are going without their clothes, we want to feel comfortable in our own skin that we wear. So it is without words, it's a feeling that can either be unsettling, like being misunderstood before we've even left the house, or can be a feeling that brings confidence and even joy. Think about being forced to wear a uniform that you hate. Almost everyone can relate to the discomfort of wearing align with their identity. Even toddlers can express clothing preferences. I remember my own daughter, my younger daughter, when she was only about three years old, maybe suddenly not wanting me to dress her anymore, and I thought I was dressing her in the cutest clothes, and all of a sudden one day she was like, no. She wanted to pick out what she wanted to wear, and she had already found what she wanted from that day forward to be dressed in. So I had to just let her do it as much as it was hard for me probably at times being like, well, don't you want to wear this? Or maybe you need to maybe wear this, or, I was even concerned because most moms with kids that age, they're dressing them, and then you feel like almost like it's like what you're wearing because you go out and it's like if your kid's wearing something totally absurd. It is like a reflection on the parent. So in today's world, fast fashion giants like, I'm going to name a few. Zara Sheen, h and m and Forever 21, try to dominate the market with a hidden cost that they also make sure is not publicized and that mainstream media does not tell you about. So that means the majority of people are unaware of what is truly happening. They're just blindsided by this, almost like a psychology that's been put on our culture of media and advertising and just, it's sickening. It's maddening. It's not just fashion. It goes into other industries as well. Even do some research yourself. I'll put some links in the show notes of some great websites where you can learn more. Consumers don't see what's really happening, and the fashion industry will do everything in its contributing to. It's really quite disturbing and the awareness is essential to change this mass misconception, the environmental toll of fast fashion. Fast fashion caters to consumers demand for affordable, trendy clothing, but the environmental consequences are staggering. The fast fashion model thrives on rapid production and consumption cycles, encouraging consumers to buy new clothes frequently and dispose of them just as quickly. This throwaway culture results in an overwhelming amount of textile waste. Globally, an estimated 92 million tons of textiles end up in landfills every year. We don't have that much land, okay? There's just not enough land in this world on the planet to be a dumpy ground for textile waste. There's just not. According to the United Nations Environment Program, the UNAP, the fashion industry is the second largest consumer of water globally and accounts for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Unfortunately, this has been overlooked by consumers. More awareness must happen, which is why organizations like Slow Fashion Movement are being created. Films like the Netflix documentary that just came out barely two weeks ago called Buy Now are Being Made and Why I'm creating Content to Push Into the Future. I have long been wanting to do this, and some of you might know I ran an eco fashion clothing store for men, women, and children many years ago that I sold, and it's still in business in a small town in California, and I have been passionate about this for a very long time. It's just a disgrace to see what's happening. And I am going to put, actually can't really put a link to the Buy Now or maybe I can, but if you have Netflix or I'm sure there's another way to watch the film, it's a new film that's been made in the last few years that just came out, and so it's got some of the latest information on there. I'm just going to say, give a big shout out to the Adidas president who was on the documentary speaking about how he doesn't want to contribute anymore, and I think he actually is no longer, I think he stepped down as CEO of the company. He just didn't want to be part of what was happening, but he helped make changes within the company, and it goes beyond fashion, but it talks a lot about what's happening with the fashion industry. It also talks about electronics and food waste, and yeah, it's quite informing and I would highly suggest watching it. A significant factor in this environmental crisis is the widespread use of synthetic fabric such as nylon, polyester, acrylic, and spandex. These materials derived from petroleum-based chemicals and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, just like plastic. So we really should not be buying these fabrics, and I know there are companies that you think are sustainable like Patagonia, and I do love Patagonia as a company. They're using a lot of recycled content. Prana does the same thing. I think Pact is doing some of that, but I understand the use of some of these fabrics such as making fleece or workout wear, but it's time to just recycle and they can recycle these fabrics into new fashion and new garments. They've got your worn wear program, so that's been around a long time and that's great. So people can actually recycle their own garments through them. These materials are toxic, they're non biodegradable, and they will persist for hundreds of years just like plastic. Just remember that when discarded, the synthetic clothing contributes to overflowing landfills and the proliferation of microplastics in our ecosystems, which have devastating effects on wildlife and human health. On top of this, the facts are glowing. There is too much clothing on the planet on this by now, documentary. There are people in other countries that are dumping grounds for just like plastic is being dumped all over the planet. Places that don't have much say and just need money are desperate for money. So they're being paid to be dumping grounds, and it's really sad and it's polluting our ocean as well. And there are places that are speaking up and being like, look, this is not okay. I think it was Kenya or it was somewhere in Africa, and this woman was like, I think she made an organization to revolt against this happening in her community. She was like, stop dumping these textiles in my community. It's not okay. There's too much clothing on the planet. There's just way, way, way too much, and it's probably worse than any other industry really, of what's being manufactured out there. So this widespread waste of the fast fashion industry, I'll link the data in the show notes about this. It's very similar to plastic pollution that's happening out there. People really think that they're going to buy something plastic and then recycle it. It's like, okay, yeah, I can buy as much clothing as I want and then I just donate it to the thrift store, right? And it just gets recycled by somebody else. No, no, no, no, no. That's happening on a small scale, but it can't happen like you think it is happening because there's just too much of it. There's way, way, way, way more of it than there are people on the planet, and we only need so many pieces of clothing. So the same thing is happening with the mass protection of the clothing from the fast fashion brands. Thrift stores are burdened by too many donations in which they have to just toss out a large percentage of this inventory that's coming in. They can't even stock it all. It's just too much. The majority of discarded clothing isn't being recycled. Even donated clothes often end up in the landfills due to oversupply. Many developing countries where used clothing is exported are now struggling with waste. Waste management issues caused by the influx of unsold garments from wealthier nations like the us. This waste further strains the environment taking up valuable land and polluting the air and the soil and the water and everything. Okay, so let's look at the difference between synthetic versus natural fabrics. Synthetic fabrics are engineered through chemical processes to mimic natural fibers while they offer benefits like stretching and durability. In some cases, moisture resistance, their production relies heavily on non-renewable fossil fuels. In contrast, natural fibers such as cotton, wool and hemp are biodegradable and have a lower environmental footprint. Their production requires careful management to avoid excessive water use or pesticide pollution. I do want to say though, that organic is much better if you're thinking cotton as a natural fabric. Cotton really should be organic or it should be of the highest quality and standard because cotton uses a ton of water and conventional cotton, if it's not organic, is using a ton of pesticides. So it's contributing to that pollution in that way. So however, the problem with synthetic fabrics goes beyond their production. Every time we wash synthetic clothes, the tiny microfibers are released into the waterways contributing to the growing crisis of microplastic pollution, these microplastics and filtrate our oceans, rivers, and drinking water, and even now in the air that we are breathe posing a threat to marine life and has made way into the human food chain. More of this you can listen about on my podcast on microplastic pollution. So what is the human cost exploitation of garment workers? This is one of the main human costs, but I could go into more. So while fast fashion harms the environment, it's also paying a price with humans that is equally alarming. The people making this garbage, okay, I'm calling this fast fashion is just, it's just waste. The industry relies heavily on cheap labor from developing countries where millions of garment workers, predominantly women, and sometimes children, work in unsafe and exploitative conditions experiencing physical and emotional abuse. Countries like Bangladesh and India have textile factories that are linked to deforestation, water pollution and soil contamination. The communities living near these factories bear the and social harm. These areas often lack the resources to mitigate the damage, further perpetuating a cycle of poverty and environmental destruction. So it's also by buying these garments from these companies, you're contributing to this low wages and poverty. These garment workers in countries like Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and there's others, often earn wages far below a living standard. They're not getting even a living wage. Many are paid as little as two to $5 a day, barely enough to cover their basic needs for food, shelter, and healthcare. Despite working long hours, these workers remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and able to improve their living conditions. These workers do not receive a fair wage and endure inadequate working conditions. Working conditions are also unsafe, notorious for poor working conditions, including overcrowded facilities, inadequate ventilation, a lack of proper safety protocols. One of the most devastating examples is the RONA Plaza factory collapse in 2013, which killed over 1100 workers in Bangladesh. This tragedy highlighted the extreme risks that garment workers face daily, often with no legal protections or recourse. And I remember when that happened and it was so sad. It was just like nobody cared. It was just another type of war on the people, and I really, I don't know, I'd like to look into that more, but it's sickening, excessive working hours and exploitation. So these garment workers endure excessive working hours, often 10 to 12 hours a day, seven days a week with no overtime pay. They face constant pressure to meet unrealistic production targets leading to physical and mental exhaustion. Child labor is also a persistent issue in some regions where children are forced to work to help their families. So that's a lot of the sad stuff. Now the good news is that there's always an alternative. So let's enter into the slow fashion movement. In response to the environmental and ethical challenges of the fast fashion, the slow fashion movement has emerged as a powerful alternative. There's always alternatives, y'all. This movement aims to transform the fashion industry by slowing down consumption and production, encouraging consumers to buy fewer higher quality garments and discouraging the rapid turnover of trends that define fast fashion, making better, long lasting clothes, prioritizing durability, craftsmanship and timeless design over disposable fashion, ensuring fair treatment of garment workers, advocating for safe working conditions, fair wages and ethical labor practices in the global supply chain. Building a politically active community, providing a global platform where individuals, activists and organizations can collaborate to educate and advocate for systemic change in the fashion industry. The slow fashion movement not only addresses environmental concerns, but also highlights the social injustices faced by workers in the garment industry. By fostering a culture of sustainability, transparency and responsibility, it offers a holistic approach to redefining fashion. So what can we do to help? Well, we can join the slow fashion movement. We can read the links below to educate ourselves and feel comfortable in our own skin. If we are someone that maybe has contributed to this other type of movement that's been destructive, we can make change. So as consumers, we hold immense power to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry and support the slow fashion movement. Here are some of the ways that we can make a difference. Choose quality over quantity. Invest in, well-made timeless pieces that last longer rather than frequently buying cheap, trendy clothing. We don't need to be buying cheap clothing every couple of months that then it's like this vicious cycle. Then we just want to keep tossing it. And I totally get it. I really do. I've kind of been in some of that mentality. I own it. I love clothes and I'm glad that I have kind of upped my awareness a little bit the last couple of weeks, and I am always learning. I knew some of the things that I learned in doing this podcast, but I learned a few new things too, and I love to see the growing slow fashion movement. There's also a slow food movement. There's fast food, there's slow food. Slow food movement is healthier. It's whole food. It's made with love. It's intentional and it's better for you, right? So fashion, same thing. So supporting sustainable and ethical brands Look for brands that prioritize sustainability, fair wages, and safe working conditions for their employees. Embrace slow fashion principles. Adopt a mindset of mindful consumption by buying less and valuing the quality and longevity of your clothing. Opt for natural and sustainable fabrics. Whenever possible, choose natural fibers such as organically grown cotton, wool and hemp are biodegradable and have a lower environmental footprint. Their production requires careful management to avoid excessive water use or pesticide pollution. Fibers like tencel made from eucalyptus modal from Beachwood and bamboo may sound sustainable, and they are as long as the wood is sustainably harvested and the processing of these fibers are using a closed loop cycle, meaning that the chemicals used to break down the fibrous wood pulp are recycled again and again without being dumped into the watershed. 10 cell definitely gets more credit from this practice than many bamboo companies out there according to this so port guide on mod, it is up to individual manufacturers to follow the manufacturing processes that will result in environmentally friendly fabrics. Conventional cotton uses massive amounts of pesticides making cotton that is not certified organic. The second largest AG polluter conventional cotton is the world's dirtiest crop using more chemical pesticides than any other major crop. So I don't advocate cotton as being sustainable. If it's recycled cotton or something, or if it's got some other kind of O code. Techs got certification where it's been managed better as a crop, then it's better. But just cotton, it's just really not that sustainable. Cotton accounts for just 2.4% of the world's cultivated land uses 6% of the world's pesticides and 16% of its insecticides. The addiction to toxic chemicals leaves a trail of death and destruction in its wake. This is especially acute in India, the world's leading producer of cotton. Every year, a large number of India's 5.8 million cotton farmers are poisoned by their exposure to pesticides. Many have died while many more continue to suffer with chronic illnesses. So I'm putting a link about this if you want to read more. The World Wildlife Fund works to promote sustainable production, reduce damage to fresh water systems, and encourage the use of advanced irrigation technology and more ecologically sound growing methods for cotton. WWF is working with farmers, government agencies, buyers and investors at key stages of the market chain from the field to the closed shop in a joint effort to promote more ecologically and ethically sound cotton. It's just awesome. I love them. I've used to donate to them a lot back in the day, and that was really awesome to read what they're doing with that. So yes, those are, that's kind of my little tidbit about some alternative fabrics. I'm not going to go into huge detail about my love for hemp, but hemp is probably my favorite fabric and sustainably made wool if it's ethically produced in small amounts, is really great to have to keep warm because I have lived in some cold climates and I need to have my wool. Avoiding synthetic fabrics, remembering that they contribute to the microplastic pollution crisis. Wash smarter, reduce the frequency of washing synthetic clothes if you have them, and use a microfiber filter or bag to capture the plastic fibers. Participate in clothing swaps and thrifting. Extend the life of garments by buying secondhand and exchanging clothes with friends and community members. Repair, repurpose and recycle. Learn basic sewing skills to repair damaged clothing or repurpose old garments into new items, reducing the need to buy new advocate for change. Join or support organizations that promote ethical and sustainable fashion practices and use your voice to demand transparency and accountability from fashion brands. By making choices conscious, by making conscious choices and supporting the slow fashion movement, we can shift the industry toward a more sustainable and ethical future. Fashion should be a celebration of individuality and creativity, not a contributor to environmental destruction and social inequality. Together we can redefine what it means to be stylish while protecting the planet and our future generations life. Thank you all for listening. Please help support this podcast and future ones future episodes. I mean, coming each week. I did take last week off. I was going to try to put this out last week on Black Friday, but it was a holiday and my partner was with me, and we went to the Hot Springs instead, and we did not buy anything that day. We did not shop online or go shopping for Black Friday, and I am instead putting this out this week. And I have another podcast coming next week, probably in about a week or so that I'll be doing with my lovely older daughter who is on her way to South America in a few weeks. She's going to go down there for about six to 12 months with her partner, and we're going to be talking about some kind of environmental topic. I'm not sure we're going to go over it in a few days and hopefully record on Friday. And she is major. She has her master's in Environmental Sciences and Policy, and so she knows a lot about what's going on out there. And we're going to talk about, I don't know what, but it'll be something environmental and helping the environment and spread awareness. So I wanted to get this out before that, and I love you all. Thank you for listening. Please give me a five star review and I'll catch you next time. Thank you. Bye.