Fast fashion refers to the rapid production of inexpensive clothing designed to meet the latest trends and consumer demands. Major brands like Zara, H&M, and Shein churn out new collections every few weeks, encouraging consumers to buy f...
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-07-23
Fast fashion refers to the rapid production of inexpensive clothing designed to meet the latest trends and consumer demands. Major brands like Zara, H&M, and Shein churn out new collections every few weeks, encouraging consumers to buy frequently and discard quickly. While fast fashion has made stylish clothing more affordable and accessible, it comes at a significant environmental and ethical cost. The industry is responsible for enormous waste, pollution, and exploitation of natural and human resources. This essay examines the environmental impact of fast fashion, from production to disposal, and explores what can be done to mitigate its damage.
Overproduction and Resource Depletion
At the heart of fast fashion is overproduction. The industry produces around 100 billion garments per year, far more than the global population needs. This overproduction requires vast amounts of resources. For example, producing a single cotton shirt uses about 2,700 liters of water—the equivalent of what one person drinks over two and a half years. The fashion industry consumes roughly 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, exacerbating water scarcity in already-stressed regions.
Cotton cultivation, especially in countries like India and Pakistan, relies heavily on water and pesticides, leading to soil degradation and health risks for farmers. Synthetic fibers like polyester, made from fossil fuels, are not biodegradable and contribute to microplastic pollution. The extraction, processing, and transportation of raw materials for fast fashion contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and ecological destruction. …