Every day, a new clothing style is introduced in the fashion industry. Due to the drop in the price of garments, people are buying more clothes. Such garments are manufactured with cheap clothing material, which is dangerous for the environment.
Every year, the bulk of clothes are manufactured, and there is no way to dispose of them.
Everyone wants to dress as per the latest trends and hence, it causes too much waste.
The production cost of cheap garments is comparatively less, and therefore, it is produced in bulk. The quality of clothes is declining rapidly. It is hard to save our environment from all the damage done in previous years.
But we have to think about several solutions that can save the environment from future damage. We have to think about eco-friendly clothing options instead of synthetic ones.
You can visit harathelabel.com.au to shop for eco-friendly clothes. In the following write-up, we will discuss how the fashion industry impacts the environment.
The Environmental Impact by Fashion Industry
Surprisingly, the fashion industry is the world’s second-most polluter after the oil industry. With time and changes in fashion trends, the environmental damage is constantly increasing. Let us discuss some common problems and their solutions or alternatives.
1. Water Pollution
During the garment manufacturing process, toxic waste is released. It is then left untreated and dumped into rivers. Toxic substances in the trash like lead, arsenic, mercury, etc., are pretty dangerous for aquatic animals and plants.
It is hard to stop this heavy contamination of water. While producing cotton, harmful fertilizers are used to contaminate the water resources. But now, there is a change in regulations in many countries. In many places, only natural fibers are used to produce clothes because they do not need harmful chemicals while manufacturing processes like synthetic materials.
2. Excess Water Consumption
The fashion industry requires loads of water for dyeing and other finishing processes. The dyeing process requires tons of freshwater, which means a lot of water wastage. The cotton crop also consumes more water as compared to other crops.
The demand for cotton production is increasing due to changing fashion trends. Cotton is a preferable choice for many people. But it is necessary to look out for a solution. Instead of using high water-consumption natural fiber, the fashion industry should use fabrics like recycled fabric, linen, etc.
3. Pollution Caused by Microfibers
There are microfibers in every synthetic fabric like nylon, polyester, etc. Whenever we wash them, these microfibers are released into the water bodies. The aquatic animals consume them. It keeps on accumulating in their bodies and introduces plastic. It can kill marine animals and human beings.
Therefore, it is pretty harmful to the environment. Instead of buying synthetic clothes, one should prefer clothes made up of natural fibers. You should wash your clothes only when you need them. Make sure that you keep the water temperature low to get rid of microfibers.
4. Land Pollution
Every year, the fashion industry dump tons of waste. Only a few percent of clothes are either donated or recycled. The mass waste is disposed of using the landfill process. It is hard to decompose non-biodegradable garments made up of synthetic materials like polyester or nylon.
Nowadays, clothing companies are manufacturing synthetic clothes in bulk. It means that every year, more production of garments is causing land pollution as well. The solution is to buy fewer clothes through the companies that will manufacture fewer clothes. It is essential to choose high-quality fabrics that can be recycled or decompose quickly.
5. Use of Harmful Chemicals
Many harmful chemicals are used in the fashion industry, like dyes, bleach, wet processing, and much more. Due to heavy and bulk use of chemicals, it is affecting the environment and human beings adversely. These chemicals are highly toxic, so it is hard to decompose, and they will harm everything that comes in contact. Excessive cotton farming with chemicals causes premature death and dangerous diseases among the farmers.
These chemicals are degrading the soil and causes water pollution. The solution to avoid using harmful chemicals is to use natural fibers. Before you wear new clothes, make sure that you wash them with a mild detergent to remove the layer of chemicals. While buying any garment, you should always check the certification label to ensure its quality.
6. Greenhouse Emissions
The fashion industry is one of the main reasons for greenhouse emissions. During the manufacturing process, a lot of harmful gases are released, which is quite dangerous for the environment. These gases cause greenhouse effects, which can be the main reason for ozone depletion.
During the manufacturing process of synthetic fibers, fossil fuels are used. In many countries, coal is used during manufacturing fabrics. It causes carbon emissions which also results in greenhouse emissions. It is necessary to buy high-quality clothes that are made up of renewable resources.
7. Soil Degradation
Soil is the main element for producing food, and the fashion industry is damaging the soil.
Due to the release of fabric waste, the soil absorbs carbon dioxide, which makes it infertile for growing crops. The fashion industry is one of the main reasons behind the global food security issue. It is also causing global warming, which is quite harmful to the environment.
Overgrazing pastures lose the soil and degrade its quality. It can cause deforestation, soil erosions, and many concerning problems. The excess use of chemicals is also affecting the quality of the soil. The solution is to choose eco-friendly natural fibers.
The Bottom Line
The fashion industry is affecting the environment adversely. You must know about all the mentioned problems due to changing fashion trends and bulk manufacturing of synthetic clothes. It is necessary to stop the over-production to save the environment.
The buyers must purchase fewer clothes, and they should prefer natural and high-quality fabrics instead of cheap and synthetic ones. The fashion industry needs to understand all the mentioned problems and develop practical solutions.
