End of Fossil Fuel Fashion?
Photo credit @CallumShaw
Fashion. It can be beautiful, stunning and inspiring. The creation, the craftsmanship, and the talent that takes an illustration and turns it into reality is an art I have been obsessed with since I was a child. But doesn’t it seem strange that clothing made from damaging, non-renewable, political materials such as oil, is part of this celebration of beauty?
And this isn’t just fast fashion, it’s also luxury fashion. Polyester blended linings in £2000 jackets, and polyester stretch dresses with price tags of £1000+ is now common on luxury clothing rails. Why would a group of clever and creative people choose to produce and market something so harmful?
Regardless of luxury or fast fashion, why would these brands purposely make fabric out of oil and coal that would have direct contact to our skin? fabric that would never disappear, causing serious environment issues for generations to come. It doesn’t make sense, does it?
Profit margins across the fashion supply chains are getting smaller. Rising cost of goods across the globe, and the impact of political decisions filter down into all supply chains. Fragile supplier relationships (especially since covid) results in lack of trust which then results in complicated payment terms and higher prices. This can mean an increase in corner cutting, sourcing from cheaper places, and using cheaper fabrics. Polyester has always been cheap but is this now changing? The cost of oil is on the rise. The war in Ukraine will have an impact on the world and on industry, but maybe finally an awareness to what profits of fossil fuel pays for. And yes, that polyester dress in your wardrobe is probably sourced from Russian oil.
There’s a lot of talk since Misguided went into administration that it marks the end of fast fashion. The truth is companies like Misguided were not created to carry a legacy for generations to come. Their business model is short game, high risk with a high financial reward. Make a lot of clothing quickly, resulting in a lot of money quickly. And they used consumers vulnerability and struggling wages as pray.
Clothing is a need, regardless of what it looks like, we need clothes to cover our bodies and to keep us warm. This added with our appearance being a symbol of status is a business opportunity dream. Consumers have been convinced they need to look like the billionaires on TV to be happy, and they can do it at a fraction of the price. Unethical and exploitive marketing have tricked consumers into a lifestyle which is now part of our environment’s destruction. Tonnes of fossil fuel clothing waste will sit in our landfills for decades. The bosses who cashed in their bonuses in the good years are not upset now, they knew their business wasn’t going to last long, because It wasn’t designed that way.
I call for an end to fossil fuel fashion, an increase in quality for affordable fashion and a new respect for second hand clothing. Cheaper clothing cannot go away, for the reason most people cannot afford £100 let alone £1000 on clothing. However, the way fast fashion is produced and how consumers are targeted can change. This exploitation model which businesses such as Shein, Boohoo and Misguided have been built on, should be illegal. This industry finally needs to be held accountable.
Frankie Hewitson
