Anisha Sharar

Kubasaki High School

Abstract

Fast fashion is rapidly expanding due to media algorithms tailored to user preferences, dominating trends,

and widespread access to cheap garments globally. As a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions

and environmental degradation, it poses significant risks to ecosystems on land and in water. While recent

technological and scientific advances offer promising pathways toward sustainability in the fashion

industry, science alone may not suffice to resolve the complex issues fast fashion presents. This paper

explores the potential and limitations of science in combating fast fashion and highlights the critical role

of supportive policies, workers’ rights, and economic incentives in developing truly sustainable fashion

business models.

Introduction

According to the British Fashion Council, there are enough clothes on the planet currently to dress the

next six generations of the human race. Despite this, new garments, which are typically designed for

short-term use and are worn out easily, are manufactured every day. Grist, an organization dedicated to

climate solutions, states that a new Shein design can be created in as little as 10 days and that up to

10,000 new items are added to the site each day. Shein is a global e-commerce platform specializing in

fast fashion, with an estimated valuation of $45 billion in 2024. Essentially, fast fashion is clothes made

quickly and affordably that mimic the latest fashion trends, focusing on rapid turnaround, low costs, and

high-volume sales to meet customer demands. But why is fast fashion such a big issue?

Discussion

Environmental Impacts and Workers’ Rights

There are multiple layers to this, concerning both environmental and human justice. A March 2023 report

by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said that fashion was responsible for up to 10%

of annual global carbon emissions. Overusing oil-based textiles like polyester means that brands rely

heavily on fossil fuels, making production highly energy-intensive. Additionally, fast fashion’s rapid

turnover leads to overproduction, with unsold or barely worn clothes accumulating in landfills. In 2018,

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that landfills received 11.3 million tons of MSW

textiles.

Furthermore, donation systems in the United States and the United Kingdom are flawed. Many of the

unwanted clothes intended for charities are instead sold into second-hand markets in the Global South,

where unsold textiles end up in dumps or the ocean. Furthermore, the fashion industry accounts for about

35% of ocean microplastic pollution, harming both aquatic life in the water and humans on land, as

microplastics are introduced into the food chain. Moreover, the fashion industry contributes to about 20%

of global industrial clean water pollution, releasing hazardous chemicals from treatments and dyes into

waterways.

Fast fashion is not affordable only because of cheap materials, but also because of the unfair wages to

workers working full-time. Historically, workers around the globe were paid through a piece rate system,

resulting in extremely low wages. In Bangladesh, the second-largest exporter of garments in the world,

workers are paid a monthly minimum wage of $113. Due to the complexity of the fashion supply chain,

there is a lack of oversight on safety for workers, many of whom reported gender based violence,

harassment, and building safety issues. After the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh, killing

1,134 people, the country passed a law that legally binds brands and trade unions to improve safety in the

garment industry, requiring routine inspections.

Bioengineering for sustainability

Although laws are essential tools to protect the rights of workers, advancements in science can help us

combat fast fashion altogether. Bioengineering is emerging as a promising tool for materials innovation.

Small microorganisms, such as yeast or bacteria, can be used to engineer animal proteins, such as

collagen and keratin, which can be produced on a large scale to create textiles. The production of animal

proteins in this manner has the potential to significantly alter the textile supply chain and address some of

the more pressing concerns, including animal welfare, environmental impact, sustainability, and public

health. Some of the textiles that can be generated in this way include silk, leather, wool, and fur. Since the

materials are bioengineered, they have the potential to biodegrade, resulting in less waste being sent to

landfills. The current challenges to this innovative process are the bioprocess development, optimization,

scale-up for producing the desired protein, formulation optimization, creating the structure/architecture of

the final material, and ensuring a clean and sustainable manufacturing process. One such company that

has implemented bioengineering in manufacturing products, specifically cotton, is Galy, a Boston-based

startup that produces lab-scale cell-cultured cotton at ten times the agricultural production rate. Startups

like this encourage more innovation and brands to follow, promising a sustainable future.

Challenges to bioengineering

At present, employing biotechnology is more expensive than utilizing traditional methods in textile

production. The current successful start-ups, such as Galy, that build their brand with an environmental

mission are generally sustained by investors that see both a profit and a cause in their solution, and also

by awards from organizations for innovation and sustainability. Securing suitable investments and

partnerships to scale up biotechnological solutions is challenging. Furthermore, customer acceptance is

vital to the mission of these start-ups, and hence, people need to be informed about the benefits of

biotechnology and dispel any uncertainties for this practice to be embraced on a broader scale.

Policies affecting fast fashion

That said, is scientific innovation truly enough to end fast fashion? While science can mitigate the

environmental impacts of fast fashion, policymakers and fashion brands must work together to ensure

these sustainable practices are applied in the industry effectively. Beyond protecting the environment and

workers’ rights, policy plays a key role in several aspects of the fashion industry to promote sustainability.

Trade Policies Tariffs are trade agreements that influence the cost of imported textiles and garments,

impacting the competitiveness of fast fashion brands. Consumer Protection Laws Regulations related to

transparency, labelling, and product safety can empower consumers of fashion to make informed choices

when purchasing. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes hold producers responsible for the

end-of-life management of their products, prompting them to design for durability and recyclability.

International agreements and collaborations are also crucial for addressing the global challenges posed by

fast fashion. Agreements like the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs) provide a framework for countries to promote sustainable practices across industries,

including fashion, collaboratively. The “Bonus-Malus” system, introduced by France, which rewards

brands for producing eco-friendly clothing and penalizes those that don’t, is a promising example of the

possibility of policy to drive scientific innovation in fashion. Despite the potential of policy to transform

the fast fashion industry, several challenges hinder its effective implementation. The global and

fragmented nature of fast fashion supply chains makes it challenging to track and regulate labor and

environmental practices. Limited transparency in the industry makes it difficult to identify and address

unethical practices. Lobbying by powerful fast fashion brands can hinder the adoption and

implementation of stricter regulations. Overcoming these challenges requires a joint effort from

governments, industry stakeholders, and civil society organizations.

Consumer behaviour

Even so, science and policies do not address the root cause of fast fashion: overconsumption. The rapid

production and disposable cycle characteristic of fast fashion is fueled by the constant demand for new,

trendy, affordable clothing, often influenced by social media. The rise of social media, with engaging

platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Facebook, has transformed consumer behavior in the

fashion industry. These platforms have algorithms that curate feeds based on user preferences and

interactions, which can lead to increased exposure to fast fashion brands and styles according to the user’s

interests, further fueling consumption. Moreover, features such as Instagram Shopping and Pinterest Shop

enable users to buy directly from the post or pin, reducing barriers between inspiration and purchase,

which drives impulsive buying and conversion rates. The psychological aspects of excessive buying

include cognitive biases such as availability heuristic, flashy trends that frequently come to mind, and the

bandwagon effect, peer pressure that influences our purchasing decisions. Both of these are enhanced and

supported by social media trends and algorithms. Emotional factors such as stress, low self-esteem, or the

desire for social status can also contribute to retail therapy and overconsumption.

Conclusion

Ultimately, a fundamental shift in societal values towards valuing sustainability, ethical production, and

durability is needed. A culture that moves away from disposability can be open to cleaner business

models, such as the circular business that prioritizes retaining all resources and products in the system for

as long as possible to reduce end-of-life textile waste. Building such a culture requires collaboration

among scientific innovators, policymakers, brands, and consumers, with shared values and ethics

embedded across all sectors.

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