Gen-Z is changing the world of fashion, and identifying the environmentally harmful consequences of the Fashion world.
Fashion has become one of the world’s most environmentally harmful industries. As the production of Synthetic materials, clothes and landfills being made up of mostly old clothing items has accumulated to the disastrous impacts on our environment.
How high street brands, have been lethally killing our planet:
It’s not insiders knowledge that high street brands create clothing at cheap prices to increase profit margins, but with this, it means that it’s going to have an adverse effect on the environment.
Many high street brand have mass-produced garments in factories with synthetic materials. Which emits toxic gasses and pollution into the planet.
This is a practice that is used by many high street brands as the end goal isn’t about helping the planet but is to line the pockets of conglomerates.
Stores such as H&M have now tackled synthetic materials and have know began to create clothing that is environmentally ethical. In return, this has had a positive impact on the company and us, the consumers and people of this world.
High street brands are the main culprits when it comes to clothing ending up in landfills, in the US alone there are 13 million Tons thrown away. This staggering amount showcases that the fashion industry is blind sighting the impact on our environment.
There are many ways in which this could be tackled through reusing items of clothing or giving unwanted pieces to charities. TopShop was one of the main offenders in wrecking our environment, with factors such as harming our environment consumers have distanced themselves from the brand, leading to its bankruptcy.
Depop’s grip on consumerism while tackling throw-away culture:
Many of us are aware of Depop and the Huge importance it plays in making fashion sustainable. Creating a platform that allows for everyday people like you and me to sell anything which we don’t want anymore.
This creates the perfect opportunity to tackle the throwaway culture which is the idea that we buy something that we may or may not wear, and then bin the item. Because it may be too small or big, old in style or just not your taste.
This would lead to landfills being filled with items that we’ve thrown away. By Depop creating the perfect opportunity to sell and buy clothes, it tackles throw away culture and would have a knock-on effect, helping the environment to an extent.
Gen-Z adoption of thrifting and charity shopping:
For decades charity shopping and buying old used clothes had been looked down upon, with it holding the idea that it was for the less fortunate. But with Gen-Z taking the Thrifting world by storm, they’ve now been able to elevate what it means to thrift and use charity shops.
The demand for the ever changing styles of Gen-Z has risen to a new heights. However, second-hand clothing from the likes of charity and vintage shops has given consumers as new lease of life, with Gen-Z in particular buying more second-hand clothing than any other generation.
Being socially, economically and environmentally aware is on the forefront of most of Gen-Z. They have tried to take the stigma out of Buying second-hand clothing, showing it as a norm.
While huge clothing corporations make millions. Gen-Z would rather spend their money on a small business such as independent vintage shops.
The fashion industry is the most harmful factor which is poisoning our planet, with Gen-Z being aware of this, there is a consensus that we would be left with this planet. We have to take part in sustaining the environment we live in. With this, the use of shopping at second-hand stores has peaked. As they acknowledge that fact that many fashion brands have exploited this planet and its recourses.
The undisputed impact of Thrifting:
With Gen-Z taking the firm stance of rejecting high street brand and environmentally harmful brands. It’s forcing companies to be more mindful of the world we live in today. By doing so fashion conglomerates have to be environmentally conscious to simply survive.
Thrifting and Charity shopping may be a huge help for the environment but it has a negative impact socially, on certain groups in our societies. Charity shops have low prices for one reason - to give marginalised groups in society a chance to buy clothing items they cant afford. But with the huge surge in charity and vintage shoppers prices have increased due to the demand. With the gentrification of the charity shop it alienates people who once could afford clothing from such stores.