In the words of the authors of the Planet Politics manifesto, Earth has “long been that space which bears the scar of human will” with fast fashion one of the most brutal assertions of such will.
The use of synthetic fibres has increased deforestation as dissolved and bleached wood pulp is used to make viscose and rayan. This has left ecologies ravaged with over 150 million trees used to produce fibres annually.
Yet this is not all: garments are abandoned in landfills with fossil fuel origins of synthetic fibres meaning hundreds of garments cannot decay. With over 60% fabric fibres made of synthetics, cruelly unconscious consumption and discarding of fashionable goods is scarring the planet: around 65% of over 100 billion produced goods are thrown into landfills every year.
Donating clothing to charity shops is one of many possible solutions; however, it has been reported that the vast volume of donations means landfills are still increasing. Such landfills are damaging to the environment and debilitating for communities, polluting water sources and overtaking land used for farming and communal spaces.
The slow fashion movement combats this by encouraging small-scale production using locally grown materials and garments free from synthetics. It is crucial we break toxic cycles of consumption that adds more garments to looming landfills.
At CAZ we push for change in fashion ending the rapacious use and abuse of resources - abuse damaging the livability of our planet - presenting one solution, recycled cashmere and stopping the constant cycle of consumption. Rather than scarring our planet with fashion’s will, we protect Earth through sustainability.