Why Christians Must Take A Stand On Fast Fashion

My first introduction to “Fast Fashion” wasn’t at the shopping mall, it was while I was participating in mission work in Latin America. One of the people groups we were trying to reach for Christ was the people of the dump.  You know, those people you see featured on the cover of National Geographic magazine, that acquire their basic needs from the garbage of others.  Food, furniture, personal care items.  The one thing I saw the most, was clothing.  Regrettably, the destitute couldn’t wear the clothes, they were covered in mold and mildew.  It was rare that the clothing was wearable.  At the time, I had never even heard of the phrase “Fast Fashion”.  The scene I have described above is Why Christians Must Take A Stand On Fast Fashion.

My first misnomer was when I assumed that all the trash came from their own country.  Imagine my surprise when I found out that America ships its garbage, clothes included, to other countries for them to manage.  Granted we do pay them for this privilege. 

What exactly is fast fashion?

Why Christians Must Take A Stand On Fast Fashion

• In a Garment Worker Diaries study conducted in April 2020, only 3% of Bangladeshi garment workers said they were eating an adequate amount of food, and the median monthly work hours dropped from over 250 to 43.  
• One in three young women, the biggest segment of consumers, consider garments are worn once or twice to be old. (The Guardian, 2019)
• 93% of brands surveyed aren’t paying garment workers a living wage.  (Fashion Checker, 2020)
• Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. ( Matthew 25:40)
• More than $500 billion of value is lost every year due to clothing underutilization and the lack of recycling. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017)
• The textile sector still represents 10 to 20 percent of pesticide use. (The State of Fashion, McKinsey, 2020)
• In 2018, only 13% of clothing and footwear was recycled, based on information from the EPA and American Textile Recycling Service.
• The average American throws away around 81 pounds of clothing yearly. (Saturday Evening Post, 2018)
• Emerging markets take the biggest hit from the industry of fast fashion.  (Changing Markets, 2019)
• It is estimated that around the world, about 107 billion units of apparel and 14.5 billion pairs of shoes were purchased in 2016.  (Common Objective, 2018)
• Three out of five fast fashion items end up in a landfill.  (Clean Clothes Campaign, 2019)
• 1 in 6 people in the world works in a fashion-related job. (UNECE,2018)
• Washing, solvents, and dyes used in manufacturing are responsible for one-fifth of industrial water pollution.  (McKinsey, 2020)
• Nearly 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make the world’s polyester fiber, which is now the most commonly used fiber in our clothing. But it takes more than 200 years to decompose.  (Forbes, 2015)
• Nowadays, fast fashion brands produce about 52 “micro-seasons” a year, or one new “collection” a week.  (Elizabeth Cline)

What can we do about it? 

1. Understand that human lives, the ones that God created, and values are affected by your clothing purchases.
2. Line dry your clothes and they will last longer.  If you are worried about the fabric fading, hang dry inside your home. 
3. Purchase less and engage in the concept of ENOUGH. How many clothes and shoes do you really need?  Figure that number out and stick to it. 
4. Learn how to mend your shoes and clothing. 
5. Buy clothes from companies that take care of their workers.  Which includes a safe working environment, a living wage, and not allowing their workers to use toxic dyes, chemicals, and pesticides which cause cancer, birth defects, and serious health issues. 
6. Pray for the workers who may be trapped in the clothing industry.  Pray they will find new, life-giving jobs. 
7. Invest in better quality clothing and shoes that will last a long time.  Purchase from companies that don’t engage in fast fashion. 
8. Think twice before throwing out your clothes, give them away to family, friends, thrift stores, consignment shops, or even have a garage sale. 
9. Buy second-hand, swap clothing, rent clothing, and make the thrift store your best friend. 
10. Pray for missionaries that are actively helping individuals in the garment and shoe industry and for the people living in the dump.  Ultimately, only faith in Jesus Christ can help anyone.  Ask that God would continue to provide opportunities for missionaries to share the gospel with this unreached people group and that many families will be saved. 
11. Sew your own clothing from pre-owned sheets, fabric, and curtains which are readily available at thrift stores and garage sales. 

YOUR TURN…

Knowing these facts, how will you adjust your purchasing behavior?

Blessings,

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