The Global Fashion Glut: Fast Fashion Clothing

Don’t be fooled – that sustainable parcel stacked full of fast fashion items that arrives at your door doesn’t make up for what these retailers do to the global environment. No matter how many recyclable paper bags they wrap your garments in, there’s no getting away from it: the quicker the item 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 up 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, even 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.

In 2023, the global clothing market was estimated at US$1.710 billion, and it’s expected to increase by a minimum of 4.1% by 2030. Thanks to Chinese fast fashion mega-brands Shein and Temu, frowned upon for how much waste is created in producing their garments, not to mention their disgusting exploitation of labour, the excess has grown exponentially. We don’t seem to be focusing on what’s happening to make consumers sit up and notice. And those who do know 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 in 2025

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 a manufacturer’s concern in 2025 – brands 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 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 did find a solution for that wasted clothing – they sent it to developing countries to provide employment and 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, which is now closed.

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

Some More Good News

The French government is taking fast fashion seriously these days. According to an article by Reuters, this past June, members of the French Senate unanimously called for a revision of a law passed in 2024 regarding “the environmental impact of the textile industry”.  The bill enforced that, from the start of 2025, every ultra-fast fashion garment would incur a €5 tax (around £14.34), increasing to €10 (roughly £8.67) by 2030. 

If this revised law is implemented, which is likely, advertising for fast-fashion lines such as Shein and Temu would be banned. The law’s amendments include distinguishing between ‘ultra’ fast fashion and ‘classic’ fast fashion, described as “the European ready-to-wear sector”, which covers garments created by Zara and similar retailers, some of which have faced liquidation this year, like French brand NafNaf.

The law would introduce certain penalties to brands that don’t meet specific sustainable criteria. This would be in the form of the levy mentioned above by 2030, “or up to 50% of the product’s price excluding tax”.

 Most importantly, according to Sustainability Magazine, “Revenue generated from these taxes will be redirected to support sustainable fashion producers, including UK designer brand, Stella McCartney. 

If you need further assistance regarding temptation from inexpensive fast fashion garments, read our handy guide to combat fabric waste.

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 consumers 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 tempting clothing, remind yourself of the damage this excess is doing.

The demands for sustainability far outweigh the world’s current financial situation, which has dire consequences for the future. Yes, people found a solution for discarded clothes – they sent them to developing countries to give them employment plus clothes, in Chile and several African countries. The world’s largest secondhand clothing market to be created from these excess clothes 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 compiled in-depth data about Why Sustainability in the Fashion Industry is an Environmental Necessity – take a look.

Follow Our Lead & Make Less Waste

Follow our lead and be more sustainable in your business. This is what maake does to increase our sustainability and fight against the fast fashion industry:

·      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 (including polyester) 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 use recycled paper and ink to avoid these ending in landfills.

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

And find out Why Slow Fashion is the Only Choice for Sustainable Clothes!