Fashion industry & environmental implications

Abid Hussain Rather
Beauty has always attracted the human soul, so everybody tries to look beautiful. It is human nature that everybody tries to look different from others by wearing fashionable clothes and following latest fashion trends. Though female folk is famous for following latest fashions and lifestyles but males are not behind the race. Fashion trends are changing swiftly and this change has direct impact on our society. As per research, fashion is going to be one of the main reason for changing socio-economic and political scenario. Though some people are of the opinion that fashions are proceleusmatic in thriving the creative capabilities of a society but it has also many negative impacts on our society. Every segment of society is trying to follow latest fashion trends and those who fail feel inferiority complex. The youths, who are supposed to be the main asset of a nation, are more obsessed towards fashions and their ultimate goal of life has become to follow the unwinnable race of fashions. The latest fashions are diverting the minds of youth. They are focusing more on fashion than their career and livelihood. God has set a limit on every process of the universe. The secret of beauty lies within fixed limits and anything which surpasses the limits, faces the destruction. When we adopt the unacceptable fashions and cross the limits, we are going to face ruination, because these fashion, do not only have direct impact on our lifestyles and socio-economic system but they also affect our environment and climate.
Like all other industries, fashion industry is also one of the reasons for environmental havoc. During the last year, a special report was issued by United Nations in one of its conferences stating that fashion industry is one of the main culprits responsible for climatic change. According to the report, two thousand gallons of water are wasted for preparing just one jeans, which is sufficient for seven years need of an individual, while as fashion industry uses 93 billion gallons of water yearly which can fulfill need of 50 lakh people. World over, fashion industries contribute a total of 20 per cent effluents which are harmful to water bodies. As per reports, 8 per cent of green house gases are contributed to atmosphere by cloth and shoes industry and if the situation will remain the same the percentage may go as high as 50 per cent in next ten years. According to the reports of United Nations, one truck of wastes is either burnt or thrown on earth in every second.
Besides fabric and shoes industries, all the industries associated with manufacturing of beautifying and decorative items are equally responsible for environmental degradation and climate changes. In ancient times, natural ingredients were used to beauty face and skin but nowadays different companies manufacture different types of face washes, shampoos, body lotions, shaving creams and shaving lotions for the same purpose. David Suzuki, a Japanese politician, has written extensively on environmental degradation. He writes in his articles that face washes contain minute plastic particles which are non recyclable and these particles are very harmful for aquatic life on a large scale.
According to one of the reports, 90 per cent wastes from kitchens can be recycled but 50 per cent wastes from washrooms can’t be recycled which flows with water through drains and rivers and ultimately finds its place in oceans. Further, 27 billion plastic bottles reach to oceans yearly while as more than 120 billion plastic products are manufactured by industries. To our surprise, 85 per cent of plastic in the world is used by fashion industries. One lac ninety thousands tons of plastic are used by fashion industry yearly and it is expected that 12 billion tons of waste will be thrown on earth by fashion industries till 2050. According to the statistical numbers of world leading environmental institutions, more than 10 thousand chemicals are used in preparation of different beautifying items but only 11 per cent among them are certified. It is surprising to know that 20 per cent water pollutants have their origin from textile industries. Textile industries produce 1.5 trillion wastes yearly. According to reports of United Nations, 20 tons of fresh water is used in manufacturing one ton of cotton while 750 million people in world are without availability of portable water.