Fast Fashion Speech

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get discarded after only a few wears. It forms a key part of the toxic system of overproduction and consumption that has made fashion one of the world's largest polluters. What impact does fast fashion have on the environment? The negative impact of fast fashion includes use of cheap and toxic textile dyes, for example polyester. It is one of the most most popular fabrics. However it is derived from fossil fuels, contributes to global warming as well as sheds micro fibers that add to the plastic in the ocean when washed. Even "natural fabrics" can be a problem. Conventional cotton takes enormous amounts of water and pesticides. The result of that are drought risks. What's the impact on the workers? Workers work in dangerous environments, with low wages and without fundamental rights. A good example for that is the collapse of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in the year of 2013. More than 1100 people died and and over 2000 people injured. The reason for the collapse? A number of engineering and administrative failures. Parts of the building were constructed without proper permits, the fifth through eight floor were added onto the building without supporting walls and the heavy equipment from the garment factories was more than the structure could support. The foundation was built on a swamp land and as the cracks deepened the building was meant to cave in. Although, experts concluded that the garment factory collapse was entirely preventable. Further down the supply chain are the farmers, who work with toxic chemicals and brutal practices that can have devastating impacts on their physical and mental health. What can we do against fast fashion? In my opinion we should start to avoid stores like H&M, Zara and Primark as much as possible. Additionally we could start choosing the brands we buy from more carefully, by looking for eco-friendly fabrics and choosing sustainable brands. Furthermore, we should make our clothes last longer by following the care instructions, mending them wherever possible and wearing them until worn out. In conclusion fast fashion is cheap and affordable but it is a negative phenomenon that has changed the fashion industry for the worst. It makes fashion more accessible and affordable but at what cost? It is an industry that can't be sustained in an ethical or environmental manner. After completing my research I learned about the environmental effects, that I already addressed for example the micro plastic in the ocean. As well as the unhealthy working conditions that are damaging the workers not only physically but also mentally. Additionally, fast fashion gets over-consumed and ends up in thrift stores. A good example would be Shein. During quarantine a lot of teenagers and young adults bought clothing from Shein and posted hauls of their clothes worth hundreds on social media. Not long after a lot of thrift stores started having clothes from Shein in their range. Sustainable brands Affordable: Yes friends - https://yesfriends.co.uk/ Nikin - https://nikinclothing.com/ nu in - https://nu-in.com/ On the more expensive side: Whimsy + Row - https://whimsyandrow.com/ Outland denim - https://www.outlanddenim.co.uk/ Reference list https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion 2021. Web https://growensemble.com/rana-plaza/ 2021. Web https://rampages.us/celineabellouniv200/conclusion/ Web https://www.coursehero.com/file/58152312/Speech-Fast-fashion/ Web https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/bd99783ca40d4f1c839f3e49395f5140 2021. Web https://thesustainablelivingguide.com/fast-fashion-brands/2021. Web