The Global Fashion Glut: Too Much Fast Fashion

Don’t be fooled – that sustainable paper bag full of fast fashion items you carry home from the store doesn’t make up for what these retailers do to the global environment. No matter how many recyclable paper bags are produced, there’s no getting away from it: the quicker the garment is manufactured, put on the shelf and sold, and the sooner it’s discarded because it’s not the latest fashion trend anymore, the more it is harming our planet.

The reality is a slap in the face: according to the United Nations, 92 million tons of clothes end in landfills annually. There’s too much clothing and very little time to rectify the problem. While savvy people on the African continent are finding new ways to recycle this discarded clothing, creating giant megamarkets that sell to needy buyers and make a reasonable profit in Ghana and other innovative countries, the rest of the world carries on regardless, buying, and buying and buying…

To understand the effect fast fashion has on our planet, read our comprehensive guide, How Fast Fashion is Damaging the Environment.

Fast Fashion – Cheap at the Price

How can we afford it? Sadly, brands like Shein, Temu, Forever 21 etc are so inexpensive that they usually cost less than food essentials, like a dozen eggs. No matter how much cred a top designer garment from a well-known fashion brand has, its price tag is only affordable to a privileged few. The rest of us need to buy what we can afford. And having a wardrobe full of new clothes is a dream come true for many.

Just over a year ago, in 2023, the global clothing market was estimated at US$1.710 billion, and it’s expected to grow by a minimum of 4.1% by 2030. Thanks to Chinese fast fashion mega-brands Shein and Temu, looked down upon for how much waste is created in producing their garments, not to mention their disgusting exploitation of labour, the excess will grow exponentially. There isn’t enough knowledge about what’s happening to make consumers sit up and notice. And those who hear the facts don’t realise the frightening truth. Thus, the fast fashion world booms, and very little is done about it.

Sustainability Takes a Back Seat

As the fashion industry continues to boom, competition gets tougher. And when the going gets tough, the tough worry about making ends meet, not about being sustainable. According to McKinsey & Co’s State of Fashion Report, sustainability is not manufacturers’ concern in 2025 – they are far more worried about their bottom line. With sustainability taking second place, consumption continues to increase at an alarming rate, and it’s anticipated that the fashion industry will make up more than a quarter of the world’s carbon emissions by 2050.

The demands for sustainability far outweigh the world’s current financial situation, which has dire consequences for the future. Yes, some people found a solution for that wasted clothing – they sent it to developing countries to give them employment plus clothing, in Chile and several African countries. The world’s largest secondhand clothing market to be created from this clothing glut is the Kantamanto Market in Ghana’s city of Accra, home to over 30,000 traders. Sadly, in January 2025, a fire destroyed two-thirds of the market, now closed.

We have written in depth about Why Sustainability in Fashion is an Environmental Necessity – take a look.

Hope for Sustainability

Some manufacturers that have the funds to continue with sustainability initiatives are carrying on the fight. Fashion giant H&M is financing an initiative in Bangladesh with fashion brands such as Bestseller, Gap and Mango. Their aim? Decarbonising. They are funding an offshore wind farm in Bangladesh to increase clean energy resources and support local suppliers so they use more eco-friendly energy resources.

Those who still insist on prioritising sustainability try to find sustainable pieces made from organic or recycled fabrics that won’t break the bank. But we’re human, and the array of cheap and cheerful stuff out there is hard to resist. Social media has made us fickle, trend-aware and constantly looking for a good deal. Sadly, most of those great deals aren’t good for the planet. So if you can resist the constant stream of remind yourself of the damage this excess is doing, all the better.

If you need assistance from being tempted by fast fashion garments, read this guide to combat fabric waste.

What Recycling Really Means

When you buy a quality item that costs a little more, you are more likely to take care of the garment to make it last. That’s what recycling is about – reducing your need to go out and purchase a replacement because you’ve cared for your clothing, and it’s lasting. It’s not falling apart. It’s classic enough to withstand style trends, and the quality is unmistakable. You bought something that you could wear more than a few times, and that extra money it cost has paid off.

Sure, recycling also means reusing differently. Perhaps it involves restyling the garment to be worn differently or reusing the fabric to make something else. Or maybe recycling means just that – reselling or giving the garment away so that someone else can enjoy it. Whichever way you recycle, remember: you’re doing your bit towards a greener future by not allowing your garment to end up in landfill.

We compiled a comprehensive guide on Fabric Recycling. Please read this.

Follow Our Lead & Save the Environment

Follow our lead and help be more sustainable in your business. This is what maake does to increase our sustainability:

·      We believe in sustainable innovation: maake works daily to have less impact on the environment in our fabric printing. We use 95% less energy when we print. We also use only 100% renewable energy resources, and our production process uses virtually no water.

·      Our fabric is ethically sourced: We purchase materials from trusted ethical UK mills that are REACH-accredited. Some also have SEDEX accreditation. This way, we assist the local economy, which is another sustainable innovation, and reduce our carbon footprint.

·      We follow a Zero Waste policy: In our production and printing processes, we have implemented a ‘zero waste’ policy, which involves sending excess textiles and cut-offs for reuse in local schools, charities and educational institutions. At our North London mill, our machines are all fitted with energy-saving cut-off switches to reduce consumption when not in use. We also recycle paper and ink waste to avoid these ending in landfills.

Read more about how maake minimises fabric and ink waste here.