#104: Fashion Kills
To mark New York Fashion Week, longtime style reporter Dana Thomas is ripping the veil off the industry. Her new book, Fashionopolis, is an indictment of the true costs of fashion\u2014like poisoned water, crushed workers, and overflowing landfills\u2014that never make it onto the price tag of a dress or pair of jeans. Between 2000 and 2014, the annual number of garments produced doubled to 100 billion: 14 new garments per person per year for every person on the planet. The average garment is only worn seven times before being tossed\u2014assuming it\u2019s not one of the 20 billion clothing items that go unsold and unworn. It\u2019s no surprise, then, that the fashion industry accounts for at least 10 percent of global carbon emissions and 20 percent of all industrial water pollution. Though the industry employs one out of every six people globally, fewer than two percent of them earn a living wage\u2014more than 98 percent of workers are not only underpaid, they also toil in unsafe, unsanitary conditions. But change is underfoot: retailers are shifting their supply models, circular and slow fashion are on the rise, and new technology is making the manufacture of new and recycled fabrics cleaner. Dana Thomas joins the podcast to explain what will be required to fix a broken system.Go beyond the episode: - Dana Thomas\u2019s Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes - Why donating secondhand clothes to developing countries can actually prevent development\u2014and kill local textile industries - What is \u201cslow fashion\u201d? The New York Times explains - Some of our host\u2019s favorite sustainable fashion Instagram accounts to follow: @aboubakarfofana, @ajabarber, @notbuyingnew, @tomofholland, @katrinarodabaugh, @little_kotos_closet - Martha Stewart teaches Clothing Repair 101What can you do? Dana Thomas\u2019s Tips - Launder your clothes less frequently: Try to break the habit of tossing a pair of jeans into the wash after wearing them once. Get several wears out of clothes before washing, spot-clean small stains, and use cold, short washing cycles. You\u2019ll reduce water usage, cut household expenses and elongate your clothes\u2019 lifespans\u2014a win for the planet, your wallet, and your laundry hamper. - Shop your closet: Before buying those new jeans or another black T-shirt, look inside your closet to see if you already have these pieces. Or try gathering some friends for a clothing swap party. - Rent your wardrobe: There\u2019s a growing number of websites and programs today that make it easy to rent high-quality fashion, tailored for your fit. Renting will keep your wardrobe fresh and ward off so much waste. You\u2019ll be more daring in your choices\u2014becoming more fashion forward\u2014since you aren\u2019t investing in the items and keeping them forever. If you do fall in love with a look, you can always buy it. - Take a Second Look at Secondhand: For a long time, consignment shops were filled with pass\xe9, dowdy clothes\u2014but no more. Over the past two decades, as Hollywood stars began walking red carpets in vintage clothing, there\u2019s been a revolution in the secondhand market. Today, you\u2019ll find great deals on stunning, quality garments in thrift shops and on consignment websites. - Consign Online: Have any gently worn garments lurking in your closet that you never seem to wear? Consider consigning them online. You\u2019ll make some money back, and your clothes will have a second life. Many online consignment sites will give you credit for other items, so you too can refresh your wardrobe. - Skip the plastic bags: You may be in the habit of taking your canvas tote on a grocery run\u2014but don\u2019t forget to take it along when shopping for clothes, as well. - Repair and re-wear: Rather than tossing out stained or torn garments, think about overdyeing, or camouflaging with cool embroideries. Such treatments personalize items\u2014making them one of a kind!\u2014and give them a longer life. - Pick up a needle yourself: The maker revolution has brought hom...
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