Fashioned for Extinction

 It's me again -- planet earth. 

Still spinning, still breathing (barely), and still covered in crop tops. I survived mass extinctions, drifting continents and the dinosaurs' dramatic exit -- but now I'm drowning in denim. You humans and your numerous clothes have only added to my existing difficulties. 

Don’t get me wrong — I love creativity. I’ve seen your cave paintings. I’ve hosted your renaissance. I even tolerated shoulder pads. But somewhere between 'outfit of the day' and 'new clothes drop' fashion stopped being an artform and became a full-blown crisis. 

Let's be clear, although the term fast fashion refers to "the quick turnover of fashion trends and the move towards cheap, mass-produced clothing - with new lines constantly released" which sounds convenient for low to middle income consumers influenced by trends and 'hauls', the impact it causes is far from convenient. 

Fast fashion isn't only about cute clothes at terrifyingly low prices, it's also about water waste, toxic dyes, microplastics, and carbon emissions —wrapped together with exploitation and entangled in a trend you’ll forget by next month.

And guess who’s cleaning it up?

(Make a wild guess. It’s me.)

So sit back, unbutton your Zara jacket, and let me walk you through the reality behind those cheap, trendy clothes.

SPOILER ALERT: they cost a lot more then you think. Just not to you.

Let's start from the beginning, to simply put it, fast fashion is when, clothes are made cheap, and fast--and fall apart just as quickly. 

Synthetic fibers such as polyester are used in the manufacturing, these synthetic fabrics shed 700,000 microplastics every wash. Now, these tiny particles make their way into waterways, oceans and even our food chain. Microplastics accumulate in marine environments harming aquatic life, these fish and agricultural crops absorb the microplastics, which humans consume. Polyester also emits 3times more CO2 than cotton and requires the use of fossil fuels for production. 

If you are wearing climate change and plastic pollution, don't act shocked when it wears you down.

Fast fashion also contributes to water waste and toxic water pollution. The fast fashion industry consumes approximately 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, making it the second-largest consumer of water globally. Manufacturing a pair of jeans can take up to 8000 liters of water. You wore the jeans — I drank the cost

The textile industry is responsible for approximately 20% of global industrial wastewater, primarily due to dyeing and finishing processes that involve hazardous chemicals.

Let's look at the story of one of my own rivers, once a pristine beauty now rotting away. 

The Buriganga river in Bangladesh is one of the most polluted rivers in the world due to fast fashion and the textile industry. Once it was flowing clear, carrying life, cradling boats and laughter. Now? It reeks of bleach and rot. The river is now thick with dyes, acids, and human waste. 

You wear the clothes. I wear the consequences.

The fashion industry produces approximately 100 billion garments annually, with 92 million tons ending up in landfills each year. This equates to a garbage truck full of clothes being dumped every second. If current trends continue, this figure could rise to 134 million tons by the end of the decade.

Places like the Chile's Atacama Desert bear the repercussions of your actions. It has become a dumping ground for discarded clothing, receiving 65,000 tons of garments from Europe, Asia, and North America.

Are you seeing how much all of this is going to cost you? You may not know now but you will regret everything in the future. So, please style yourself with care, and I will dress your future in green. 

Now, let's come to the good stuff! Some alternatives and solutions that I can live with-

Slow Fashion: A movement focused on quality, longevity, and ethical production. We can buy fewer but better quality items, support local artisans and ethical brands, and embrace timeless styles instead of fast-moving trends.

Use of sustainable materials such as cotton, hemp, linen and bamboo.

Circular Fashion: Keeping clothes in use for as long as possible, by recycling old clothes into new materials (such as wash cloths, or in sewing projects) and by being a part of take back schemes.

Support transparent brands: Look for certification like fair trade certification, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and B corp (measures overall environmental impact).

Style doesn’t have to cost the planet. Walk gently, wear wisely, and I promise — I’ll keep blooming beneath your feet.

Tell me in the comments:
What’s your favorite way to dress sustainably—or one fast fashion habit you’re ready to break?

If you want to know more- 

Fast fashion: How clothes are linked to climate change

Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact in 2025 | Earth.Org

The Hidden Cost of Synthetic Textiles and How Brands Can Mitigate Microplastic Pollution - Fibre2Fashion

- The Voice of the Earth