700 gallons of water are consumed, on average, to produce a cotton t-shirt. For reference, this is equal to all the water you use to shower daily for 40 days. It sounds excessive… and it is.
Unfortunately, most fast fashion brands’ strategy (selling heavily at deep discounts) only makes things worse. This is one of the reasons why the fashion industry is one of the least sustainable on the planet.
It would be naive to think that fast fashion brands, altruistically, are going to change a profitable business model for the care of the environment; however, it would also be naive to think that we can continue like this without long-term repercussions.
And what can you do?
The answer is not to stop buying clothes, but when you do:
- Think if you really need it
- Look for good quality and long lasting clothes
- Prefer clothes made with sustainable and biodegradable materials
- Encourages fashion made in small and non-industrial productions
This is a reaction to the damage caused by the traditional fashion industry and is part of a movement called slow fashion. Our goal is to contribute a small grain of sand by raising awareness of the impact of fashion and offering garments that are an alternative with a purpose.
Sources: World Wildlife Fund (Water Scarcity), The World Bank, Global Fashion Agenda and The Boston Consulting Group.