It's no secret that the fashion business seems not to be the most environmentally friendly. In fact, the fashion industry contributes for 2% of global GDP and is currently regarded one of the world's largest pollutants.

Although fast fashion makes clothing purchasing more affordable, it does so at a cost. Fast fashion is very often referred to as "landfill fashion" since the mass manufacture of low-cost apparel encourages more people to discard their clothes rather than recycle them. Harmful colours from textiles can leak into groundwater in inadequately sealed landfills, causing extensive environmental damage.

The fashion industry is known as one of the most polluting industries in the world and emits a hefty amount of greenhouse gases. In fact, the industry is second only to oil when it comes to pollution, responsible for 20% of global industrial water pollution. On top of that, the chemicals used by textile mills are highly carcinogenic. Making a conscious decision to shop with sustainable and ethical brands will make a huge difference to the planet and the people within it. Sustainable fashion creates longer-lasting clothes of a higher quality, meaning that while they are more expensive initially, they will stay in your wardrobe for years.

How fashion industry can be more eco-friendly

In the last three years alone, the hashtag “sustainablefashion” has gone off the charts on social media sites. These are some ways in which sustainability can be maintained in fashion industry

1. Consumers should invest in garments that will last long: The first, and most evident, shift comes from us, the consumers. The fashion business is formed and driven by the buyer's demand.

2. Producing less garments to avoid a hefty amount of surplus: Change must begin at the top, with major brands and designers reducing their collections in order for this reduction to be mirrored on the high street.  There will be fewer trends imitated on the high street, resulting in less apparel being created. However, production should be relocated to the location where the clients and audience reside. Save money on shipping and improve the quality of your work.

3. Going vintage/ thrift more often:  Make a retro statement! The simplest and most successful method to make the apparel business more sustainable is to do so this way. You'll soon discover that a large range of high-end, high-quality fashion vintage pieces can still be available thanks to excellent manufacturing, in addition to being ageless, still in style, and inexpensive, it checks all the boxes.

4. Shop more from small businesses and sustainable brands: It's impossible to completely give up on fast fashion brands because they create a wide range of runway fashion at a very affordable price. But we can take baby steps.