Ultra-fast fashion is projected to be one of the leading contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years, potentially pushing global warming to reach the 2-degree Celsius limit by 2050.

The emergence of fast fashion stores in the 1990s, which continue to populate the wardrobes of many, created an incredible buzz. However, their reign could soon be a thing of the past, with ultra-fast fashion gaining ground, a pace even these brands can't keep up with.

While fast fashion has enabled everyday people to afford apparel resembling those adorned by models and celebrities on the runways, it seems this is no longer sufficient. The competition intensifies with the proliferation of items reaching even more consumers at far lower prices.

Our accelerated lifestyle is something even fast fashion brands can no longer keep pace with. The success of ultra-fast fashion not only stems from its affordability but from not following but generating its own trends.

The term "ultra-fast fashion" might still be relatively new, but brands and online stores like Shein or Temu are already familiar names in our country. These brands have turbocharged trendsetting, quickly introducing new products instead of releasing collections in batches - Shein, for example, lists about 50,000 new items weekly, equating to approximately 7-8000 new clothes, shoes, accessories, or other consumer goods every day.

However, this artificially inflated consumption raises significant environmental concerns, exacerbating the already contentious issue of the fashion industry's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Rather than aiding in reducing these emissions, the increasingly rapid sector is pushing the industry in a worse direction.

By 2050, the fashion industry could be responsible for 26% of the world's carbon emissions, heightening fears that global warming could reach the critical 2-degree Celsius threshold as highlighted by The Conversation. This aligns with remarks made by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, who emphasized that “according to the latest report on the global climate situation, our planet is on the brink of the abyss.”

Cheap Clothes: The 21st Century's "Blood Diamonds"

The COVID-19 pandemic seemed poised to aid in combatting global warming, yet sustainability in the fashion industry is becoming increasingly elusive with these new darlings on the scene. While market players rake in significant profits, without substantial regulation, urgency for change remains low.

Most ultra-fast fashion brands emerged in the late 2010s, following the model of Shein, established in 2008. These direct-to-consumer online brands became explosively popular during restrictions, with Shein even earning the title of the world’s most popular brand in 2020. Gap introduces roughly 12,000 new items annually, and H&M around 25,000, but Shein overwhelmingly surpasses these well-known fast fashion brands by launching 1.3 million pieces in the same timeframe.

The success of ultra-fast fashion is primarily due to addictive social media marketing, creating an insatiable consumer demand. However, Shein's incredibly low prices come at the expense of its workers, who often labor under inhumane conditions for far longer hours due to a lack of proper regulations. According to the company's own 2021 sustainability and social impact report (later removed from their website), only 2% of their factories and warehouses comply with their safety standards for workers, necessitating corrections.

Employees in Shein's clothing division reportedly work 75-hour weeks, with warehouses operating 24/7, akin to the inhuman conditions of African diamond mines of the 21st century.

Significant Water and Fuel Consumption Issues

An analysis by Business Insider indicates that fashion manufacturing accounts for at least 10% of global carbon emissions, on par with the entire European Union. This is problematic as it depletes water sources, pollutes rivers and streams, while 85% of textiles end up discarded annually. Moreover, washing clothes annually contributes 500,000 tons of microfibers to the ocean, equivalent to 50 billion plastic bottles.

A 2018 report by Quantis International identified the three main drivers of the industry's global pollution impact: dyeing (36%), yarn preparation (28%), and fiber production (15%). The report also found that cotton farming significantly impacts water withdrawal and ecosystem quality, while the stages of dyeing, yarn preparation, and fiber production are energy-intensive processes reliant on fossil fuels. According to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, emissions from textile production are expected to rise by 60% by 2030.