The Clothing Overconsumption Crisis and What You Can Do About It

Savanna Symons, Environment Committee

When was the last time you purchased an item of clothing from Zara, Shein, Amazon or H&M? 

You may be surprised by the repercussions of shopping at these fast-fashion goliaths. 

Clothing overconsumption and overproduction is an urgent and yet overlooked issue. Our obsession with fast fashion can lead to overconsumption. I want to share what you as a community member can do to play a role in this issue and help protect the environment around you. 

First, it’s important to understand the environmental impact that the overconsumption of fast fashion has on our earth. A staggering 100 billion pieces of garment are produced each year, and up to 24 billion pairs of shoes are produced annually. The notorious fast-fashion e-commerce platform Shein alone produces 1.3 million new styles a year, while reports tell us that 85% of all textiles go to landfills every year. Fast fashion is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for 10% of global CO2 emissions. 

Not surprisingly, the repercussions of overconsuming clothing are dire, but there are actions we can take to help mitigate this crisis. 

These are simple ways you can make an impact on our environment by shopping consciously and combatting overconsumption: 

• Shop small, shop local: Buy clothing from local and Canadian-made producers and skip the fast-fashion behemoths that are pumping out new clothing on a daily basis.
• Avoid the trends: Make it a practice to purchase clothing that you’ll wear for several years instead of just several months. 
• Thrift! Buying second hand is a fantastic way to reuse clothing already in existence and reduce the amount of new clothing needing to be made. 
• Commit to repairing: Opt to fix clothing items rather than purchasing new.
• Use your local Buy Nothing: Are you a part of the Buy Nothing Orleans Wood/Convent Glen, Orleans, ON Facebook group? You can give and receive so many household and clothing items for free, right here in your neighborhood!
• Stay informed: Watch the Buy Now documentary on Netflix and dive deeper into the issue of shopping and overconsumption.

You can make simple, conscious clothing choices that improve the world we live in. It’s easy, and it matters! 

Protecting the Ottawa River and all its wildlife, in Orléans and beyond

Wednesday, March 5th

7:30 – 9 pm @ Roy Hobbs (109 Larch Crescent)

Join us for an exciting presentation and Q&A session with Laura Reinsborough, the Ottawa Riverkeeper! She’ll cover a range of topics, such as road salt, turtles, and what you can do to make a difference. Everyone is welcome to this free event, hosted by the CGOWCA’s Environment Committee. Doors open at 7pm.