Fast fashion’s rapid production cycles and inexpensive garments lead to excessive resource consumption and waste. Traditional fashion production methods are heavily reliant on virgin materials such as petroleum-based polyester and conventionally grown cotton, which require significant water, energy, and chemical inputs.

This model generates enormous textile waste, with a large volume of garments discarded after minimal use, often ending up in landfills or incineration.

Zara, a fast fashion giant, has implemented their ‘Join Life’ initiative that focuses on sustainable materials and production methods. They incorporate recycled materials such as polyester and organic cotton into their garments, reducing the use of virgin resources.

Additionally, Zara offers a garment collection programme where customers can donate their used clothing at stores for recycling or reuse.

Virgin polyester production, often derived from fossil fuels, contributes to high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Without the shift to recycled polyester, the fashion industry would exacerbate damages to planetary boundaries such as climate change due to the carbon-intensive processes involved in producing and transporting virgin materials. Traditional cotton farming also has a large carbon footprint due to energy use in irrigation, fertilisation, and processing. Without the use of organic cotton, this would worsen climate change.

By replacing virgin materials with recycled polyester and organic cotton, Zara reduces the environmental strain caused by the extraction and processing of raw materials. Additionally, the garment collection programme diverts a significant volume of used clothing from landfills, promoting reuse and recycling.

Photo by Karl Wiggers on Unsplash