“The fact remains, however, that innovation in the way clothes are made has not kept pace with the acceleration of how they are designed and marketed.”

Fast fashion is gobbling up resources and producing waste faster than we can keep up. The quote above, from a report by McKinsey, details the juxtaposition between a booming, mass consumption industry and its low-tech, unsustainable manufacturing practices. Can fast fashion ever be sustainable?

I think the industry is inherently unsustainable, largely in part to the sheer volume of output. Additionally, the notorious poor treatment of the workers making the clothing must be completely revamped, probably driving costs up.

The issues surrounding fast fashion continue after a consumer picks up a t-shirt at the local H&M. How a consumer washes their garment or whether they throw it out or donate to a local Goodwill affects the environment too.

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition created the Higg Index, a self-assessment tool to identify a brand’s impact on the earth. I thought this was an interesting, easy way for a retailer to assess its true impact. By realistically gauging the impacts made, further steps can be taken to reduce them/

Historically, women bear the role of caregiver- especially to their children. This results in years and years of women dropping out of the labor force, many to never enter again. For some, its a choice happily made. For others, its a pressured decision based on decades of male-centered socialization.

I pulled some great quotes to summarize a report on the relationship between gender and sustainability based on the 3 pillars of sustainability. Let me know what you think in the comments!

This course has made me think more critically, more creatively, and more often. Often, our class discussions leave me unsettled. There is always more to do. At times, its overwhelming.

I came into this class with an “all or nothing” mentality. You either live sustainably or you don’t. In essence, this is true. Yet, we have to pick and choose our battles (probably my biggest lesson from university thus far). Understanding that I can’t snap my fingers, change every behavior and bad habit, and fix the world’s problems made me think more long-term and solution-focused.

“I change myself, I change the world.” -Gloria Anzuldua

Changing the world is a big task. At times, I feel like my actions don’t matter. But that’s not true! It’s a ripple effect. If I make composting the norm at home, that’s 3 more people who will catch on. Little actions soon turn into sweeping changes that have the power to change the world. As a consumer, I make conscious choices about who I give my money to and why. Supporting local, sustainable businesses instead of saving a few bucks speaks volumes when money talks. Taking the extra few minutes to learn where my food and clothing are coming from- especially who it impacted to end up in my fridge or closet- is worth it.

Sustainability must be the norm. Soon it cannot be a point of difference, it has to be automatic. I’m excited to see where we, as a society, are in a few years. I hope we make big strides toward saving the earth from complete destruction. We have the power, after all!