Fast fashion, fragile planet.

Hana Sodawala

April 8, 2025

The environmental cost of fast fashion

I’ll admit it: I’ve been part of the problem. In the age of convenience, it's easy to get caught up in the cycle of fast fashion and overnight deliveries. Despite being a lover of shopping vintage or second hand, the convenience of online retail has been a difficult trap not to fall into. Trendy clothes that are cheap and arrive at my door the next day? Holiday packing left until the last minute? Social media-influenced impulse buys? It’s difficult to get away from it. But I’ve always known that there must be environmental costs to my purchasing habits. Fast fashion, combined with overnight deliveries, and immense returns, has a hidden toll on the planet that we can’t ignore.

The appeal of fast fashion

First emerging as a known quantity in the early 1990s, fast fashion was supercharged in the 2000s by the rise of online retail. The low prices, constant new arrivals and instant gratification of fast fashion couldn’t be more tempting, and this has only accelerated in recent years with the rise of influencer culture. Fast fashion is built on speed, how quickly clothes are designed, produced and shipped to consumers and, ultimately, how quickly they end up in landfills.^1–4

But what has it got to do with our planet?

The amount of clothing bought each minute in the UK is more than any other country in Europe⁴
Fast fashion brands use synthetic fibres like polyester, nylon and acrylic, which take hundreds of years to biodegrade^2,5
The fashion industry produces 20% of global wastewater^2,3,6
It produces nearly 50 tonnes of carbon emissions per year, which is the same as driving 162,000 miles in a car^5,6
Around 300,000 tonnes of clothes end up in household bins per year, of which around 20% goes to landfill and 80% is incinerated, leaking harmful microfibres into the environment^7,8
20-35% of primary source microplastics in the marine environment are from synthetic clothing^3,6

With all this considered, the fashion industry is responsible for 9-10% of global emissions, which is more than the emissions of the aviation sector. I would say it’s clear the impact fast fashion is having on the world around us.^2,7

Overnight shipping – convenient but costly

On top of fast fashion, I have also been entrapped with the offering of overnight shipping. The idea of receiving my order the next day without having to have left my house screams convenience. However, what seemed like a small convenience has a much larger environmental impact. Expedited shipping relies on air freight, trucks and warehouses that burn more fuel and energy, all of which contribute to carbon emissions. Not to mention orders being split across multiple deliveries, meaning tiny packages stuffed into boxes triple their size, wrapped in plastic bubble wrap.

Despite courier companies making efforts to reduce their emissions, the increase in popularity of fast fashion only means the demand of shipping is to increase.^3,5

The impact of returns

The average return rate for 2025 online fashion retailers is 26%. The ease of online returns makes it easy to buy with the intention to return a chunk of your order. I myself have done just this. A wedding or a party? “I’m not too sure what size I’ll need so I’ll order a few different styles in different sizes and return what just isn’t right” But what actually happens to the items we return and what is the environmental impact? Items when returned lose their value, meaning there is a chance for your returns to be written off and never sold on. The monetary equivalent of £5 billion of returned items end up in landfill annually, which translates to approximately 15 million metric tonnes of C02 emissions globally.^3,5,6

Taking responsibility and making changes

It’s been eye-opening to recognise my role in contributing to these issues, but I’m committed to making changes. If the number of times a garment is worn were doubled on average, greenhouse gas emissions would be 44% lower.^3,5

Here are a few ways we can all reduce the effects of fast fashion on the environment.

Prioritising quality over quantity: Instead of buying multiple cheap, trend-driven items, focus on fewer, higher-quality pieces. I’ve been learning about sustainable brands that use eco-friendly materials and ethical production practices
Choosing slower shipping: While it’s tempting to click ‘next-day delivery’, opt for slower shipping options. Even though it requires waiting, it significantly reduces the environmental impact. Some companies even offer carbon-neutral shipping, which is a step in the right direction. Alternatively, I’ll be delivering to parcel shops or communal collection boxes
Choose your courier wisely: As of this year, Royal Mail is the most sustainable courier, with the most ‘on foot’ postal workers and largest investments in electric vehicles
Shopping second hand: Embrace secondhand shopping, which helps extend the life of garments and reduces the demand for new production. It’s also a great way to find amazing items without the guilt! The resale market is expected to grow significantly by 2028, indicating a positive shift towards more sustainable habits, not to mention a possible cost-saving alternative to buying new⁸
Supporting sustainable brands: Support brands that prioritise sustainability, whether it’s through better materials, ethical manufacturing or carbon-neutral shipping options. Supporting companies that prioritise these values encourages the industry to change
Rethink when clearing out: Recycle, donate or sell on any clothing rather than throwing it out

A fast-paced industry

We can take valuable lessons from the impact of fast fashion and implement similar changes in our day-to-day lives in the creative advertising industry. In a field where new ideas lead to new purchases, and tight deadlines often push us to work quickly, it’s easy to overlook the environmental impact of our actions. But where can we reduce waste, and how can we make meaningful changes to become more sustainable?

Embrace sustainable digital advertising: Adopt eco-friendly web design principles, such as optimising website loading speed to reduce energy consumption
Sustainable print materials: Whenever print materials are necessary, choose sustainable options like recycled paper or eco-friendly inks
Repurpose and recycle: For photo shoots and congress booths, consider which materials can be reused or recycled. Props and sets used in campaigns could be considered based on their potential to be repurposed or upcycled for future projects
Bringing sustainability to proposals: Bringing environmental impact to the forefront of our minds for proposals and project planning ensures that sustainability is part of the conversation from the start

By taking these small steps, we can collectively drive big changes in our own industry. Even in a fast-paced world, a focus on sustainability can lead to significant positive impact.

Conclusion

An interesting question I have been thinking about: How much of the solution to reduce emissions sits with us as consumers, and how much actually sits with retailers and industries like advertising? Online retail, overnight shipping and returns - let’s face it – aren’t going anywhere. However, three-quarters of consumers do believe sustainability is important and a third are willing to choose brands that help environmental and social improvement.⁷

I’ve realised that my fast fashion habits come with a heavy environmental cost. The fast-paced nature of these industries has led to massive waste, pollution and carbon emissions. But as consumers and industry professionals we have the power to change the game. By making more thoughtful decisions – buying less, choosing slower shipping, supporting sustainable brands and adopting eco-conscious practices – we can help shift the industry toward a more responsible and eco-friendly future.

It’s a process, and I know I won’t be perfect, but I’m ready to be part of the solution rather than continue contributing to the problem. Are you?

References

Britannica. Fast fashion. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/art/fast-fashion (last accessed April 2025).
BBC News. Fast Fashion: How clothes are linked to climate change. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60382624 (last accessed April 2025).
Earth.org. The environmental impact of fast fashion, explained. Available at: https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/ (last accessed April 2025).
Leaf. All you need to know about fast fashion. Available at: https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/industries/all-you-need-to-know-about-fast-fashion (last accessed April 2025).
EC Group. How green is your parcel? Impact of home delivery on climate change. Available at: https://ecgroup.co.uk/impact-of-delivery-on-climate-change (last accessed April 2025).
Orderwise. Returns and ecommerce – 5 facts and figures for 2025. Available at: https://orderwise.co.uk/en/blog/returns-and-ecommerce-five-facts-and-figures (last accessed April 2025).
Oxfam. New shocking facts about the impact of fast fashion on our climate. Available at https://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam-in-action/oxfam-blog/new-shocking-facts-about-the-impact-of-fast-fashion-on-our-climate/ (last accessed April 2025).
CleanHub. What is fast fashion and how can we avoid it. Available at: https://blog.cleanhub.com/fast-fashion (last accessed April 2025).

‍