So why is fast fashion a problem? The problems with fast fashion are far-reaching and complex and I will attempt to break them down. 

Environmental implications 

Firstly, the environment. Statistics by National Environmental Agency show that the total textile waste output in Singapore had an overall increase from 131,000 tonnes in 2011 to 218,000 tonnes in 2018 (NEA, 2018). The recycling rate of textile waste is only at 6% in 2018 (NEA, 2020). If we continue to purchase from fast-fashion retailers and throw clothes out so easily this will have greater environmental effects in the future. Our Pulau Semakau landfill will not be able to accommodate inflating textile waste as it is projected to run out of space by 2035 (MEWR,2020) . We will be heavily impacted by this prolonged waste culture in the future, having to face the consequences of our poor decisions.  

Ethical implications 

Young women between the ages of 18 and 24 make about 80% of the apparel on the market. And they’re often not paid a living wage because fast fashion companies hoard most of the profits for themselves. They’re forced to live in poverty, often unable to afford the bare minimum necessities for their families (Oxfam Australia, n.d). For fast-fashion companies, clothes are mostly produced in third-world countries, where the working conditions are extremely poor. An example of such would be the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013. The large power generators would shake the building when turned on, resulting in deep cracks appearing on the walls of the building, compromising the integrity of the structure. Despite this obvious hazard, managers still forced workers to return to work without any concern for their safety (Ethics Unwrapped, 2015). The building collapsed in a mere 90 seconds, killing 1,134 people, making it one of the worst work accidents of all time (The Guardian, 2018). 

What can you do? 

It is crucial to decrease the amount of textile wastes in Singapore. We can start by renting clothes instead from stores such as Style Rental. However, many Singaporeans may not know of this new initiative. Thus, we can promote this branding through social media to target youths and help raise awareness of the importance of this issue through Instagram postings and stories, thereby improving usage of this measure. 

Fast-fashion outlets like H&M are taking small steps in improving sustainability. They allow people to drop unwanted clothes off at any of their stores, which will be sorted and recycled. In addition, 

Textile reuse bins, known as “Green Wardrobes”, are placed at UTown and Prince George’s Park Residences for the NUS community to donate their pre-loved clothes and textiles. Clothes collected are sent to a local textile recycling company, Greensquare, to be sorted into wearable and non-wearable categories. Wearable clothes are shipped and sold in developing countries and non-wearable clothes are reused as industrial scrap cloth.  

We all have a part to play in reducing textile wastage. 

References 

Ethics Unwrapped (2015). Collapse at Rana Plaza. Retrieved from https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/video/collapse-at-rana-plaza 

National Environment Agency. (2020) Waste Statistics and Overall Recycling. Retrieved from https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling 

Oxfam Australia (n.d.) What she makes campaign. Retrieved from https://www.oxfam.org.au/what-she-makes/about-the-campaign/ 

 The Guardian. (2018). Bangladeshi Police Target Garment Workers Union Rana Plaza Five Years On. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/apr/24/bangladeshi-police-target-garment-workers-union-rana-plaza-five-years-on