Become a Sustainability Trendsetter

Did you know fast fashion is a shocking contributor to climate change and water pollution? It's also something society is addicted to – not least because of the bargain prices in seasonal sales.

However as the world wakes up to the climate emergency smarter shopping and fashion choices are now essential to stop the damage we are creating.

If there is demand for fast fashion then big companies will supply - however if we choose more wisely and not buy into brands that are unethical and unsustainable then they will stop producing. So the power is in our hands!

Smart buying does not only save money in the long run – it can also help save the planet. It is an act of environmentalism to choose sustainable and ethical products.

So here's how you can become a sustainability trendsetter:

1. Buy far less - ask yourself do you really need it?

2. Spend a bit more on better quality garments

3. Support sustainable, ethical brands

4. Give old clothes new life by up cycling

5. Buy second hand from charity shops

6. Repair old clothes rather than throw away

7. Organise clothes swaps amongst friends

And if you're still not convinced here are nine shocking reasons (provided by GreenPeace) why you should quit fast fashion:

1. Fashion is the world's second largest polluter after the oil industry

Production of fabric is a huge carbon emitter, releasing the equivalent of 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere – more than international flights and shipping combined. (I know right?!).

2. People buy 80 billion garments around the world every year

Fast fashion is getting faster: US shoppers buy five times more clothing than they did in 1980, around 80 billion pieces. That’s on average 68 items per person per year. In the UK, we buy more clothes than any other country in Europe.

3. A rubbish truck of clothes is burned or landfilled every. single. second.

Every single second, 2,625 kilograms of clothing becomes waste that needs dealing with in some way. This is enough to fill the Empire State building one and a half times every day, and Sydney harbour every year.

4. Nearly 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make the world’s polyester

Polyester is essentially fabric that’s made from plastic fibres. It is now the most commonly used fibre in our clothing. As plastic is made from petroleum, it requires seriously enormous quantities of oil.

5. Polyester takes more than 200 years to decompose

Fast fashion is produced and consumed quickly – but hangs around in our environment for two centuries. So polyester is the source of serious plastic pollution especially considering the enormous amounts of fashion dumped or burned.

6. Polyester microfibres are released every time polyester clothes are washed

Tiny bits of polyester that shed from our clothes account for 85% of all human-made debris found on shorelines around the world. In 2017, Greenpeace even found micro plastics in the waters of the Antarctic.

7. It takes around 10–20,000 litres of water to produce a kilo of cotton

While cotton is biodegradable and not polluting to wash, it is one thirsty plant – using 10–20,000 litres of water, depending on where it’s grown. Producing a kilo of cotton, enough to create a t-shirt and jeans, sucks up as much water as one person drinks in 13 years, according to Oxfam.

8. Fabric production is responsible for 20% of all industrial water pollution annually

Textile production generally requires chemicals which need to be diluted through washing, and eventually disposed of – making water pollution another huge issue.

9. Growing cotton uses 18% of pesticide 25% of total insecticide worldwide

Over 90% of cotton is genetically modified (GM) – and because of this, can be sprayed with chemicals that kill insects and other pests. This means huge amounts of insects – a vital part of many ecosystems, including those that enable food production – are destroyed to feed our fashion frenzy.

I know scary right? So remember this... buying carefully, and only what you need, is a powerful act of environmentalism and just one of the many ways we can all help the planet