by J. Faith Malicdem // Sept. 3, 2017
'a fashion movement slowly (get it?) gaining momentum'; slow fashion promotes the purchasing of well-made clothing produced in eco friendly and safe conditions. fast fashion, its antagonizing counterpart, is the mass production of clothing - style and trend ideas that are brought from pen and paper to a tangible piece of clothing ready for clothing displays within the span of weeks. the environmental effects of fast fashion are rapidly increasing, as 13 million tons of textile waste is being generated annually (2013) and not only has it affected our atmosphere, but it puts laborers in the developing world in harm's way. take two of the industry's latest disasters, the collapsing of a Bangladesh clothing factory in 2013, killing over 1,000 workers and 13 killed in a Dhaka garment factory just this july. going without saying, there are clearly unsafe working conditions and massive environmental effects due to factories involved in the mass production of all sorts of products- not just fashion. and yes, sometimes fast fashion clothing is all some of us can afford. it's not to say that the fast fashion industry isn't going to just fade away, either- if anything, it's here to stay. but what's crucial is to pay mind to the direct influence we have on our environment and on the lives of people trying to make a living in the third world. slow fashion is about making less, more and investing in quality pieces of clothing every once in a while. "Clothes are supposed to be personal, and that connection’s been lost... [slow fashion is] about everyday people who are learning to love and take care of what’s already hanging in their closet, instead of giving into the urge to buy more." - journalist Elizabeth Cline
Comments