The dark secrets of the fashion industry are slowly beginning to reach the public eye. Consumers are becoming increasingly educated on the health hazards and harmful environmental practices that ensue during the production process of our favorite brands. The exploitation of labor and dangerous working conditions in developing countries have become a public talking point as companies such as Nike battle lawsuits over labor abuses. Despite this surfacing of the fashion industry’s practices, a secret that has gained little traction is what happens to our unbought merchandise. Companies have desperately tried to hide the common practice of burning clothing.
Over the past few decades, the fashion industry has been catering to heavy consumer demand and producing more clothes than ever before in response to the societal shift toward fast fashion. Because of this shift, waste has become the defining issue of the fashion industry as companies are overproducing and left with massive amounts of deadstock (inventory that doesn’t sell) at the end of each ever-shortening fashion season. A study done by Georgia State University found that of 100 billion garments made every year worldwide, 92 million tons become waste. Since fast fashion creates shorter fashion cycles due to the pressure to constantly put out new merchandise, we are left with exorbitant amounts of deadstock with nowhere for it to go.
With the interests of cost and brand exclusivity in mind, many companies turn to incinerating their deadstock. As a result, the flames multiply the climate impact of the product by generating further emissions and air pollutants that can harm human health. The synthetic fibers, dyes, and chemicals in the fabric release plastic microfibers into the atmosphere and can have adverse effects on our health as well as the environment.
This senseless waste has been tied to many companies. Two of the most infamous examples include Burberry, which has destroyed $36.8 million worth of its own merchandise, and H&M, which has burned 60 tons of new and unsold clothes since 2013. In addition to these cases, the destructive practice exists all throughout the fashion industry, with companies like Urban Outfitters, Eddie Bauer, Michael Kors, Victoria’s Secret, and J.C. Penny all playing a role.
Since these companies are left unregulated, they often act in the interest of profit alone. This means they avoid sustainable options such as donating, recycling, repurposing, and cutting back production. To practice sustainability at the consumer level, we can limit impulse purchases, shop second-hand, and unlearn the “more is better” mentality that is ingrained into our brains under capitalist standards. By raising awareness about the fashion industry’s wasteful actions, we can hold companies accountable and act in the interest of the people and climate, instead of corporate pockets.