Abstract.
Clothes that are fast, cheap, and widely available have changed the way people buy and dispose of clothes. By selling clothing on a large scale at low prices, fast fashion became a business model and clothing consumption exploded. Although this transition is sometimes referred to as the 'democratization' of fashion in which modern styles are accessible to all types of consumers, the dangers to human health and the environment associated with cheap clothing remain hidden throughout. of life. From the rapid development of water-repellent cotton in every garment, the release of colorless dyes into local water sources, low wages for workers and poor working conditions; The environmental and social costs involved in making textiles are enormous.
In this article, we understand that negative foreigners have created global environmental justice intoxication with every move from China. While fast fashion allows consumers to purchase more and more clothing, those who work or live near textile manufacturing facilities bear a disproportionate burden of environmental health risks. Additionally, increasing consumer habits have resulted in millions of tons of clothing being lost in landfills and irregular environments. This is especially true for low and middle income countries (LMICs), as most of this waste ends up in second-hand clothing markets. These LMICs often lack the support and resources to promote and implement environmental and occupational safety measures to protect human health. We discuss the role of industry, policy makers, consumers and scientists in promoting sustainable production and ethical consumption.
Context.
Fast fashion is a term used to describe the readily available and inexpensive fashion of today. The word "fast" describes how quickly retailers can move from design and catwalks to stores, adapting to the constant demand for more and different styles. With the rise of globalization and the growth of the world economy, the supply chain has become international, causing changes in the growth of fibers, textile manufacturing and textile manufacturing in low-wage areas. Increased consumption leads to cheaper clothing, less outsourcing, and lower prices to Middle Income Countries (LMICs).
Globally, 80 billion new clothes are purchased each year, which represents 1.2 trillion per year for the global fashion industry. The majority of these products are collected in China and Bangladesh, while the United States uses more textiles and textiles than any other country in the world [1]. Americans use about 85 American clothes per year, or about 3.8 billion pounds per year, which goes to shore as solid waste, which is about 80 per 80 per American per year.
The global health costs associated with the production of inexpensive clothing are considerable. While industrial disasters such as the Triangle Shirt Waste factory fire of 1911 improved workplace safety and the quality of work in the United States, the same cannot be said for PRFIs. The harmful working conditions that have regularly received attention in the United States and the European Union have not been eliminated, but simply relocated abroad. The social costs associated with the global textile and clothing industry are also significant. Described as "all direct and indirect losses suffered by third parties or the general public as a result of indirect economic activity", the social costs associated with the manufacture of ready-to-wear products include at every stage the environment, human health and human rights. Including damages. With the production line [4].
Main text.
Fast-paced fashion as an issue of global environmental justice
Environmental justice is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, "regardless of race, color, national origin or income, in relation to environmental laws and regulations and their application," race , color race, Or fair treatment and meaningful involvement with all people, regardless of income. Policies "[5]. In the United States, the concept is based primarily on the scientific literature and in practice on the disproportionate placement of shallow sites (hazardous waste sites) in or near communities of color. However, as explained, Environmental justice is not limited to the United States and does not need to be limited by geopolitical boundaries. Textile and clothing industries, for example, the environmental and occupational burden associated with production and Large-scale elimination associated with mass production and elimination in low-income countries (such as low-income workers, low-wage workers, women) in LMICs. Expanding the production framework and elimination of our clothing has made our disproportionate impact necessary to understand the scale of global injustice caused by the consumption of cheap clothing. 'Development Goal (SDG) 12, which national and sector projects, sustainable business practices Consumer attitudes and demands for sustainable consumption and production in the context of the rapid reduction and elimination of fashion should all be the goal of global environmental justice. Advocacy.
Environmental hazards during production.
The first step in the global textile supply chain is the production of textiles, the process by which natural and synthetic fibers are made. About 90% of clothing sold in the United States is made of cotton or polyester, both of which are linked to significant health effects of manufacturing and production processes. Polyester, a synthetic textile, is derived from oil, while cotton needs large amounts of water and pesticides. Dyeing textiles poses additional risks as untreated wastewater is often discharged into the local aquifer, releasing heavy metals and other toxic substances that can harm the health of nearby residents as well as animals. May have side effects [[].
Occupational risks during production.
Apparel assembly, the next phase in the global textile supply chain, employs 40 million workers worldwide [7]. PRFIs represent 90% of clothing in the world. Trade and security standards in these LMICs are often not implemented due to poor political infrastructure and organizational governance [8]. This has resulted in a number of occupational hazards, including respiratory hazards from poor ventilation like cotton dust and an artificial air component, and muscle damage from repetitive tasks. The health risks that led to the formation of textile unions in the United States and the United Kingdom in the early 1900s have now shifted to the workplaces of LMICs. At LMIC, health-related health outcomes include lung disease and cancer, endocrine function disorders, reproductive and fetal problems, accidental injury, excessive injury and death. [9,10,11]. Intermittent reports of international disasters, such as the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013 that killed 1,134 Bangladeshi workers, are a major reminder of the health risks facing garment workers. However, these disasters did not demonstrate safety standards for PRFI workers [12].
Textile waste.
Although consumer clothing in high-income countries is seen as a threat to the fashion industry, environmental injustice persists even after the clothing is sold. The fast fashion model encourages consumers to turn to disposable clothing. In fact, the average American throws away about 80 to 80 pounds of clothing and textiles each year, which is landfill. Clothing that is not shipped directly to the landfill often ends up in the used clothing business. About 500,000 tonnes of used clothing is exported from the United States each year, most to LMICs. In 2015, the United States exported over 700,700 million used clothing items [13]. Second-hand clothing that is not sold in the US market is compressed into 1000 pound bales and subcontracted to PRFI by low-wage workers for "classification" (sorting, sorting and re-invoicing). The country is exported and sold in second hand markets. Fabrics that are not sold in markets become a barrier to solid waste, rivers, greenways and parks and pose additional risks to the environmental health of LMICs, which do not have a waste disposal system. municipal waste.
Solutions, innovation and social justice
Ensuring environmental justice at every step of the global supply chain is a challenge. Global environmental justice will depend on innovation in textile development, business stability, trade policy and consumer habits.
Sustainable fibers.
Fiber sustainability refers to practices and policies that reduce environmental pollution and reduce the exploitation of people or natural resources to meet lifestyle needs. Overall, natural cellulose and protein fibers are considered better for the environment and human health, but in some cases, finished fibers are considered more durable. Fabrics such as bamboo cellulose-based lysocell are made in a closed-loop production cycle in which 99% of the chemicals used to make the fiber are recycled. The use of sustainable fibers will be important in reducing the environmental impact of textile production.
Company stability.
Supervision and certification organizations such as Fair Trade America and the
National Council of Textile Organizations offer fair assessment and audit tools for fair trade and product quality. While some companies choose to be certified in one or more of these independent certification programs, others are in the process of “greenwashing”. Investing in the emotional appeal of environmentally friendly and fair trade products, companies market their products under the name "Green" without adhering to any standards. [14] To deal with these practices, environmentally friendly practices recognized for health and safety in the supply chain should be encouraged to adopt quality standards.
Exchange policy
While fair trade companies may try to compete
Results.
In the two decades since the fast fashion business model became the norm for big fashion brands, the demand for very inexpensive clothing has increased, leading to environmental and social degradation at every step of the chain. supply. The fast-fashion results of environmental and human health are largely devoid of debate around scientific literature, research, and environmental justice. The scale and depth of social and environmental abuses at a rapid pace ensure its classification as a matter of global environmental justice.
Environmental health scientists play a key role in supporting evidence-based public health. Like historical cases of environmental injustice in the United States, the uneven distribution of environmental exposure has disproportionately affected communities in LMICs. There is an emerging need for research that examines the pernicious health consequences of fast fashion at every stage of the supply chain and post-consumer processes, particularly in LMICs. Going forward, research in this area will provide insight into research findings on public health policies and practices that have led to sustainable production and ethical consumption.
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