We live in a world fixated on materialistic pleasure. The newest Iphone, the latest trends, the most clothes. As consumers, we have an overconsumption mindset on pretty much everything, especially fashion. 

Fast fashion is the business of quick and cheap mass production of clothes, perfectly designed to recreate the latest trends with minimal cost to the manufacturers. This cheap manufacturing process allows fast fashion companies to flourish, raking in millions of dollars a year. However, our planet is paying the price for cheap fashion. The fashion industry is the third most polluting industry in the world, accounting for 10% of the globe’s annual carbon footprint. This is more than the shipping and transport industries combined. Even worse, fast fashion is responsible for up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with this number threatening to increase by nearly 50% by 2030. The fast fashion industry is the second largest industrial consumer of water, with 2000 gallons of water required to produce a single pair of jeans. Even worse, textile dyeing, a necessary component of fashion manufacturing, is the world’s second largest polluter of water.

As our planet suffers for our entertainment, it is only right to be deeply concerned about the environmental impact of fast fashion companies. The aggressive marketing tactics and overproduction methods they use only fuels this overconsumption and waste, without consideration for the wellbeing of our planet or its people.

Climate change impacts everyone on Earth. It is not just an issue for future generations or distant countries. While consumers can make changes in their own lives, we cannot create significant change without large corporations taking a stand and shifting away from their current profit-focused marketing and production processes.

We are part of the problem; therefore, we must actively work to be a part of the solution. We are calling on fast fashion companies to cut down on water and textile waste, switch to more environmentally friendly practices and marketing schemes, and actively work towards achieving climate goals. We urge you to join us in calling for these companies to take responsibility for their role in climate change and adopt more sustainable practices. Your signature can help make a much needed difference for our planet.