The true cost of fast fashion

Millions of tonnes of clothes end up in landfill every year—it’s one of the fastest-growing categories of waste in the world. How can the fashion industry continue to grow while addressing the environmental need for people to buy fewer clothes? Film supported by @TheWoolmarkCompany

[jaridkeen]

And yet here i am 25 and I still have shirts from high school...

[kkktkaten]

So is changing your phone EVERY SINGLE YEAR!

[G]

Patagonia's business model isn't about innovation, it is actually a renaissance of how humanity used to treat their clothing. This is how we are supposed to treat our clothes.

[TheAnuradha]

Minimalism. Yep. We all should practice that.

[ajeetalbert]

Modern day fashion is like modern relationship. Too many choices! You get bored so fast and dispose it with no sense of responsibility.

[victormaciel]

Throw away my clothes? Never! I still wear a pair of boots I bought at Zara in Mexico City back in 97 with my white shirt from Gap that I bought back in maybe 88 which I pair with a pair of trousers that I bought at Uniqlo just recently. Laundry with care and wear all of your wardrobe in a cycle plus buy classic pieces with a twist and they will never go out of fashion. if it has a hole I am on trend with the distressed look I wore back in my 20s.

[bellatrixevans]

I never understood the whole 'new closet every season' idea. I'll buy new clothes maybe a once, or a couple of times a year, and even then, it'll never be 'haul' worthy, it'll just be one or two pieces that I actually need. Clothes don't get bad THAT fast, there's really no reason to toss them after a couple of months unless you're an athlete using heavy-duty attire or something

[revaddict]

I used to wear cheap clothes which didn't last long.. Since the past couple of years I started shifting to expensive good quality clothing.. In the long run, I see that I am not buying much these days.. I seriously don't get the stupid continuously buying trend..

[PtolemyXVII]

I like the Patagonia repair model, instead of selling products, they are shifting towards service.

[natalier]

Shop secondhand 💛🌍
There are lots of great clothing in thrift stores. Don't be afraid to shop there!

[awaisb]

Good job Economist! worth watching this 6 mins short doc.

[singha]

But Rent the Runway is running the world's biggest dry cleaners which can't be good for the environment. So the solution is always to buy less, buy better

[vijaydevaraj]

Less is more for Need, More is less for Greed

[samcreates]

We need more companies like this in this world

[cos]

Same goes for cars and other electronics like phones and televisions. I think that the world just has enough of it for now and will need more in a longish while. However, the companies, business models, advertisers, factory workers, etc. need everyone to continue buying every short while. Not really sustainable in my opinion but it seems they're making it work.

[mjenks]

I have worn the same 5 pairs of Jean's since I graduated 13 years ago. How can people afford new clothes with such a high cost of living? I work fulltime and make good money.

[anunaykumar]

Now i can feel good about wearing same 3 shirts in all year long

[vectoredthrust]

And my fiancé continues to badger me about updating my wardrobe that hasn't been majorly updated in 7 years. This is exactly why I balk at the idea of buying new clothes and gradually demote their use from clothes good enough to go out in, to clothes worn at home, to pyjamas, to finally heading for a clothing recycling bin

[SuperGT]

I remember when i use to buy clothes rarely.
Now, fast fashion is not just a matter of getting the latest, but the quality of clothes a have dropped significantly to an extent where we feel like we need constant change.
I have bought several tshirts, shirts and jeans from zara and they all shrink and start to lose quality just a few washes...

[AmandaFrelke]

My high school sophomore English watched this as part of a research unit we're doing focused on the '"fast fashion industry." We are in northern Wisconsin and I think most of us were surprised and appalled at the expanse of waste involved in the industry of fashion. But we were impressed Patagonia's concept and integrity.