This translates into 2700 litres of water to make one cotton T-shirt – enough water for one person to drink for nearly two and a half years. “But it’s not only landfill, globally the fashion industry produces about 20 per cent of the world’s wastewater. That’s an extraordinary 6000kg every 10 minutes – or the equivalent of the weight of an African elephant.
Every year, Australians each consume more than 27kgs of textiles, discarding 23 kg of this into landfill. “But keeping up with the latest trends comes at a price. “Fast fashion is all about demand-driven clothing, where buyers snap up the newest fashion styles at the height of their popularity, only to discard them after a few wears,” Skinner says. With Australians overrepresented as one of the largest consumers of textiles globally, UniSA researchers say government and the fashion industry have an obligation to better educate consumers about the impact of fast fashion and provide alternative options and models. In a new study led by UniSA PhD candidate Erin Skinner, researchers explored Australians’ knowledge of fast and slow fashion, finding that general consumers not only lacked an understanding of the issues, but were also averse or unable to change their buying habits to support more sustainable options. From balaclavas to cowgirl hats - and even the return of low-rise jeans - whatever the latest trends, they’re sure to fly from catwalks to consumers the moment that models leave the stage at the Australian Fashion Week next week.īut before fashionistas spend up big, University of South Australia researchers are encouraging buyers to reconsider flighty purchases and take a moment to better understand trending of ‘fast’ fashion and its impact on the environment.