The Real Cost of Fast Fashion

Juliet27

Callistemon
Yes, I watched the Simon Reeve programme too. Unbelievable piles of discarded clothes that stretched so far. Upsetting wasn’t it.

I've seen cliffs of plastic in Spain (discarded greenhouses), mountains of rubbish in 3rd World countries sent from the UK and other countries, islands of plastic floating down the Ganges but I'd never seen layers of clothes forming sand dunes in the desert.

Just horrendous.

JaneJudge

it isn't just cheap brands

Youre absolutely right.

Callistemon
Yes, I watched the Simon Reeve programme too. Unbelievable piles of discarded clothes that stretched so far. Upsetting wasn’t it.

it isn't just cheap brands

Schein is a Chinese company and the items they sell will include many items produced from enslaved Uighurs and cheap overworked labout elsewhere in the country.

At the moment I am trying to avoid buying anything made in China. Complete avoidance is impossible, but clothe, which most of the time are bought on a want rather than need basis, should be easy to avoid. I mean how much of your clothes buying is done because you need a garment and I would be fairly lax in defining need, and how often could that need be met from garments already in your wardrobe, and there are many other stores stocking clothes made elsewhere.

Me too Blossoming. What also concerns me is the material used for manufacturing clothing, much of which originates from petro chemicals like polyester, which is not recyclable, and is toxic in landfill. Micro beads from plastic in clothing are shed during washing, finishing up in water courses, fish, and eventually humans.

I don’t blame young people, we’re all involved in some way. I’ve certainly changed my shopping habits in the last 2 years after a very shaming wardrobe de-clutter. I have bought only one new dress this past 2 years and one pair of jeggings to replace a pair that had to be thrown out. I used to buy a new dress for every wedding, christening, Christmas party, etc. etc. Expensive and wasteful.

MerylStreep

Callistemon
Last week while sorting donations I came across 3 dresses with the price label still on. All over £50.

DD bought a pair of brand new boots from a local charity shop (possibly worn once and uncomfortable) - checked the online price, £150.
That was years ago, I think she's still got them.

Callistemon
Last week while sorting donations I came across 3 dresses with the price label still on. All over £50.

I think Abercrombie and Fitch come out badly, too, in terms of their standards.

It isn't just cheap clothing companies who are at fault.

The answer is, if you can afford it, to not accept ANY company just because it has a better ethical stance than the worst companies.

Very few people are doing that, from what I've seen.

Juliet27

Perhaps if clothing wasn’t so cheap we wouldn’t have this problem
^Every year, some 59,000 tons of used and unsold clothing end up in Chile from all over the world. In the Atacama Desert, entire landscapes are now covered by new and old garments.^

I've just caught up with the Simon Reeve programme which shows this.

Layers and layers of clothing, barely covered up in the desert.
Not all of it is cheap clothing, Simon found an expensive cashmere jacket buried there. Nike, Adidas etc clothing and footwear etc.
The clothing is sent to Chile from other countries for re-distribution but there is far too much being discarded, in fact most of it.

www.ecowatch.com/chile-desert-fast-fashion-2655551898.html

I think you’ll find similar ratings on many clothing companies I’ve seen recommended by posters MissA.

BlueBell
Well said. How many times have we read on here where posters tell us that they have clothes in their many wardrobes that they never worn.

MissAdventure
Thank you for that.

Seasalt comes out fractionally better, though it's workers have no right to complain about conditions granted.

Blossoming

Should I expect a ban from GN then MerylStreep?

Ooh no, Blossoming
You have to be far more scathing and rude ( as I was) towards these &*£#@#£ Can’t write the words as you never no how far Mr Zuckerbergs tentacles reach. ?

Journal

Lands' End
RATED: We avoid

PRICE: $$$$

LOCATION: United States

RANGE
Kids,Menswear,Womenswear,Plus Size
CATEGORIES
ShirtsTops & BlousesDressesPantsShortsDenimJackets & BlazersSweatersSwimwearActivewearSleepwearMaternityPlus Size
Lands' End is not taking adequate steps to manage its greenhouse gas emissions.
Lands' End sustainability rating
Planet
1 out of 5
People
1 out of 5
Animals
2 out of 5
Overall rating: We avoid
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We avoid) to 5 (Great)How we rate

Lands' End's environment rating is 'very poor'. It uses few eco-friendly materials. There is no evidence it reduces its carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain. There is no evidence it has taken meaningful action to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals. There is no evidence it minimises textile waste.

Its labour rating is 'very poor'. None of its supply chain is certified by labour standards which ensure worker health and safety, living wages or other labour rights. It received a score of 11-20% in the 2021 Fashion Transparency Index. There is no evidence it implements practices to encourage diversity and inclusion in its direct operations or supply chain. There is no evidence it ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain. It has been linked with sourcing cotton from the Xinjiang region in China at risk of using Uyghur forced labour and has taken insufficient steps to remediate.

Its animal rating is 'not good enough'. There is no evidence it has a policy to minimise the suffering of animals.

Why is it always young peoples fault ?
Marks and Spencer’s has 245 factories in China and 100+ in India and young don’t buy from Marks
I ve been surprised when I look on labels of so called expensive stuff as to where they are made
Perhaps Gransnet should stop their adverts for these cheap sites like Shein that could be a start
I work with a 70 year old who regularly buys off Shein
I ve never bought off Shein but I have two or three items from another cheap site simply because they were so stylish and beautiful and it’s only more recently that I ve even had an idea about the conditions so however stylish they are I won’t buy again but stop blaming young we re all to blame if only for ignorance

Yes, Farzanah. I’m wary of anything so cheap. I don’t shop in *Primark for a number of reasons and suspicion of their supply chain is part of that,

I don’t think you can watch the documentary on All4 until after it’s been broadcast on terrestrial TV,

Should I expect a ban from GN then MerylStreep?

So depressing that most don’t care. There is always a reason why something is cheap, either people, the planet, or both are being exploited.

Described in my What’s On in the Sat Guardian as a wildly depressing documentary, and I quote Capitalism at it’s rock-bottom worst.

Blossoming
I know all about Shein ( and all his other companies)
A while back I was part of a group on FB who told the truth about these companies. We would put up everything we found out. I was banned and so were the others.
I now realise I was wasting my time and energy because the vast majority of people don’t care.

It’s on All4 Blossoming so available any time.