Civic Action

An issue I an particularly focused on is that of fast fashion and, specifically, the unethical and unsustainable ways in which clothing is mass-produced to fit current trends and fads and not made to last for very long. This is a wide-branching issue, as not only do these companies outsource labor to developing countries in very exploitative ways, the low cost of the clothing insinuates that the workers are being payed next to nothing for their work. On top of that, production of these clothes causes a ton of pollution, and because they are not made to last, the fabrics get thrown away more often than not because they wear down and tear or otherwise fall apart, and contribute to landfill pollution as well. Especially due to COVID, people have been shopping for clothes online more than ever, so these companies have a very accessible market and many people do not realize how unethical and unsustainable the practices are. Combating this issue would involve not only promoting local clothing stores and boutiques, but also providing access to second-hand clothing through thrift stores for people who need low-cost clothing. On an individual level, as well, I have found that learning fundamental sewing techniques has helped me keep clothing for much longer, as I can mend it easily and wear it for possibly twice as long as I otherwise would have.