The fashion industry is contributing to climate destroying global warming. According to The Center For Biological Diversity the fashion industry contributes around 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Why is fast fashion bad for the environment? How does it drive things like pollution and climate change? What can you do about it?
Western Washington University's Basic Needs Hub is hosting a clothing swap on June 6, 2025, from 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. at Flag Plaza allowing for a sustainable way to get rid of clothes as well as find new ones. This clothing swap is just one of many clothing resources on Western’s campus.
According to The Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental nonprofit, the fast fashion industry pollutes and contributes to global warming throughout the manufacturing process.
Manufacturing and transportation
A lot of clothing in fast fashion is now petroleum-based, said Grace Wang, a Western professor and the director of Western’s Sustainability Engagement Institute. Clothing made of polyester is made from petroleum, which is derived from oil.
Clothes made from petroleum are not compostable, and they do not use renewable resources. This adds another product derived from the oil industry. According to the International Energy Agency, as of May 2023 oil and gas operations generated around 5.1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Clothing manufacturers are a source of water pollution as well, especially with the dyes they use, said Wang.
Clothing factories are often based in low-income countries, according to The Center for Biological Diversity. Workers, usually young women, work in hazardous conditions creating garments while earning unlivable wages.
“The clothing industry could do a lot to help human rights by paying livable wages,” Wang said.
Wang noted the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse as an example of this — when a clothing factory in Bangladesh collapsed and killed over 1,000 people. The building did not meet safety codes, but people were allowed to work in the building anyway.
The amount of clothing made per year has nearly doubled over the past 20 years and clothing consumption has gone up by 400% in that time, according to the The Center For Biological Diversity. All of that clothing has to be transported. Transportation of goods in mass quantities, including clothing, contributes to carbon emissions. Transportation currently makes up 3% of global emissions, but it could rise to 10% by 2050 according to Transport & Environment, a European climate activist group.
The afterlife of clothes
What happens to clothing after people are done with them?
“There is just a bunch of clothes that get thrown away because people aren’t using them anymore,” said Pursha True, a former Value Village employee, when speaking about fast fashion and trends.
Landfills are a significant source of pollution and methane, said Wang. People should be mindful of the climate impact of landfills and try not to throw things away.
“Part of the problem with fast fashion is cheap clothing, both in terms of price and in terms of quality, is being produced so fast it may not sell out before they bring in a new line,” Wang said.
This often leads to clothing items getting thrown away because it’s not in style anymore or it’s made poorly and breaks.
Solutions
What are some things that you can do to reduce your environmental impact and clothing waste?
“Buying good quality clothes that will last a long time. That’s probably one of the more important things that people can do,” Wang said. “Take really good care of your clothes and spend a little bit more money on stuff that is going to last.”
There are lots of resources on campus and around Bellingham that take old clothing. Find a thrift store or donate your clothes to one of Western’s clothing closets.
The Sustainability and Engagement Institute hosts a free clothing closet in High Street Hall. Closets, among other Bellingham thrift stores, takes donations.
If you want to make some money from the clothes you don't wear anymore, clothing resale sites such as Depop offer an alternative to throwing away clothes.
“I see a ton of clothes, at least from my friends and myself that we would have otherwise thrown away if there wasn't a place to donate them,” True said.
Clothing is expensive and getting more expensive with tariffs, said Gina Ebbeling, Western’s basic needs resource navigator. Western’s clothing swap is a great way to save money and get rid of unwanted clothes in a sustainable way.
There will be a resource fair at the event relating to basic needs and information about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Ebbeling said they do not have all of their vendor slots filled at this time, but there will be lots of resources to help students save money.
You do not have to bring clothes to attend the clothing swap. The Basic Needs Hub will have more information coming out about dropping off clothing to the swap ahead of time, said Ebbeling.
“Bring clothing to the swap that is still in decent condition,” Ebbeling said. “Something that you would still wear.”
George Cox (he/him) is a campus news reporter for The Front this quarter. He is a third-year public relations pre-major. When he’s not reporting, you can find him enjoying coffee, playing basketball, or going on a hike. You can reach him at georgecox.thefront@gmail.com.
