Fast fashion and sustainable fashion

Fast fashion and circular fashion: what is their impact on the environment?
Attention to the environment and sustainability has been growing steadily in recent years, and this trend has undoubtedly also affected the fashion industry. Today, we should all be committed to more conscious consumption models, even where fashion is concerned. However, with the frenetic succession of new trends and huge number of purchases made every year, especially during the sales, it is unfortunate but true that we often forget the environmental consequences of the fast fashion industry and excessive consumerism.

But what is meant by fast fashion?
Quite literally, it means what it says: clothing companies that continuously offer new trends, maintaining low sales prices and recording truly staggering sales figures!

Environmental damage
The clothing industry is currently one of the industries with the greatest impact on the planet, in terms of both pollution and the production of waste materials destined for landfill or incineration. A few figures? It is estimated that in 2022, over 1.92 million tonnes of toxic waste was due to textile waste and materials, and that 20% of water pollution was from dyeing and fabric processing. But that’s not all! The situation doesn't seem to be improving. In fact, experts say that emissions from the fashion industry will increase by 50% by 2030.

Circular fashion
The first step to help the environment and avoid contributing to pollution in the clothing industry is to act responsibly. Sustainable dressing means choosing clothing and accessories that have a minimal impact on the environment: clothes made from recycled or organically grown materials are the best allies in the fight against the consequences of fast fashion, making it possible to avoid damaging the environment while protecting natural resources. In fact, in circular fashion, the recycling of fabrics is a truly fundamental step in reducing the environmental impact of the textile industry. Let us dispel a myth here: a garment made from recycled fabrics is not a low-quality garment. The quality is actually equal to a garment made from virgin fabrics.

Today, the circular economy model represents an essential point in the fight against pollution and climate change, in the fashion industry as well as in all production sectors. We are well aware of this at Lucart Professional, and our EcoNatural project has been giving new life to drink cartons since 2012.

Today, more than ever, companies wishing to swim against the tide to make the production chain more sustainable and move towards the concept of circular fashion, should urgently:

• shift their production towards environmentally sustainable garments that last for a long time, cutting down on waste
• use renewable energy sources, helping the environment and limiting harmful and polluting gas emissions
• try to minimise plastic packaging and wrapping. This last point especially applies to any type of industry that wants to protect the planet. At Lucart Professional, for example, we are committed to reducing the impact of our packaging on the environment, favouring packaging made of recycled paper or plastic and embracing the circular economy model.

In conclusion, companies need to rethink their production priorities to ensure greater protection of the environment and human resources, and consumers should favour increasingly environmentally friendly conduct. How? By choosing circular fashion and starting with the assumption that each individual can and must make a difference.