Pressing Issues Of The Fashion Industry

The fashion industry employs millions around the world and is bigger than ever. However, they do not always use this power for good. In fact, we can see that the issues that the fashion industry brings about outweigh the benefits of having them around.

1. Pollution and waste generation

The textile system seems to operate only one way, with ninety-eight million tons of non-renewable resources used to make clothes per year, and they are used for only a short while before it is sent to the landfill or incinerator.

The industry produces a total of 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases per annum. This is almost as much as the Pentagon emits. Water consumption and chemical use exceed safety limits, especially with regards to cotton production. Less than a percent of the material used is recycled into new clothing, which means there is an annual loss of over a hundred USD.

2. The problem of over-production

Fashion industries tend to overproduce with regards to how many people actually buy clothes. It is true, in recent years it has become the norm to indulge in ‘fast fashion,’ which involves a bunch of new styles and trends and lowered prices for them. Half the produce is not used and is thrown away instead of being given to charity.

A lot of fashion technology companies, thankfully, are developing renewable resources, adjusting on-demand production and figuring out ways to recycle. There are a growing number of startups that experiment with biodegradable fabrics.

3. Lack of diversity and cultural appropriation

Even though American fashion companies have become progressive enough to include people of color in their photo-shoots and on their runways, people like Riccardo Tisci and Tom Ford, unfortunately, make up the smaller end of the percentage. In reality, many brands are non-inclusive and display a tactless disrespect for other cultures.

Stefano Gabbana’s racist social media rant towards the Chinese practically isolated their Chinese demographic, regardless of how globalized the fashion industry is. From Chanel’s printing of Quran verses onto their clothes to Prada’s recent keychains that appropriated sambo dolls of the past, over and over, fashion seems blissfully unaware of racial and cultural sensitivity. They are completely out of touch with their consumer base.

Everywhere and Nowhere, What It’s Really Like To Be Black and in Fashion, shows us an in-depth understanding of the black experience within the fashion industry, and addressing the topic of race boldly. It became an internet sensation so much so that it gave a powerful voice to the victims of the fashion industry.

4. Outsourcing work to children

Around 170 million children around the world are forced to do labor work, and about 5.5 million of them are trafficked. 50% of trafficked victims, including children, are sold into forced labor, which is where we run into issues with the fashion industry. Two and three tier suppliers consist mainly of forced and trafficked labor.

Invisible Hands, directed by journalist Shraysi Tandon, exposes the situation of the trade of human beings in manufacturing industries and uncovers the role this plays in fashion.

End note

Well, to conclude, exploitation does not just occur in fast fashion brands but also more luxury and exclusive brands have been known to have forced labor in their supply chains. Brands tend to leave out subcontracting to second and third tier suppliers while talking about manufacturing. As a result, the small hands that fit buttons and soles go unheard of.