WHAT ABOUT FASHION? An example of groundbreaking innovation or a major polluter?

The fashion industry is huge. Fuelled by social media, influencer culture, and powerful marketing, we’re constantly tempted to buy new clothes at low prices. But behind these bargains lie devastating consequences for the environment and poor conditions for garment workers.

In this episode, James and Daisy dive into our obsession with fast fashion and its hidden costs. What are the environmental impacts of the fashion industry? Do different generations approach fashion differently? What can we do to change our consumption habits?

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Less – A book by Patrick Grant considering the crisis of consumption and quality in fashion, and how we might make ourselves happier by rediscovering the joy of living with fewer, better-quality things.
• Let My People Go Surfing – A memoir by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of outdoor clothing company Patagonia.

OTHER ADVOCATES, FACTS, AND RESOURCES:

• The Fashion Pact – A non-profit organization forging a nature-positive, net-zero future for fashion, through CEO-led collaboration.
• WRAP – A global environmental action NGO focused on creating a circular economy for textiles and other industries.
• Fashion for Good – A global platform for collaborative innovation in the fashion industry.
• The Australian Wool Industry Insetting Program has recently been launched by Woolmark, Pollination, and Landcare Australia and will connect apparel brands with Australian woolgrowers looking to reduce emissions through nature-based solutions.
• Mina Guli – CEO of the Thirst Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to increasing awareness, driving stakeholder urgency and delivering meaningful action on fresh water.
• The Aral Sea was once the world’s fourth largest body of inland water but it has shrunk to a tenth of its size over the past fifty years due to human interference, causing severe environmental and social consequences.
• SAGES is a textile industry start-up that offers a sustainable alternative to the synthetic fabric dyes currently on the market, by turning food waste into natural dyes. They are supported by Undaunted, a hub for the UK’s climate innovation community.
• Grist (2024) – “Shein is officially the biggest polluter in fast fashion. AI is making things worse.” – An article about fast fashion giant, Shein, with some shocking statistics.
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation – “Every second, the equivalent of a rubbish truck load of clothes is burnt or buried in landfill.” “…in the last 15 years, clothing production has approximately doubled.”
• thredUP (2022) – “1 in 3 Gen Z say they feel addicted to fast fashion.”
• UNEP – “About 60 per cent of material made into clothing is plastic, which includes polyester, acrylic and nylon textiles.”
• Earth.Org (2025) – “The the industry is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.”
• McKinsey (2025) – “The fashion industry is worth around $1.7 trillion and over 300 million people work across its global supply chains.” McKinsey research also indicates that most fashion brands could reduce their emissions by more than 60 percent for less thatn 1 to 2 percent of their revenues.

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Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3

Producer: Podshop Studios

Huge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.

Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.