Wasted: Fast fashion is fueling our ecological crisis

New season, new styles, buy more, buy cheap, move on, throw away: the pollution, waste, and emissions of fast fashion are fueling an ecological crisis. With the annual Black Friday sales due on 25 November, there is no better time to rethink what is bought, what is thrown away, and what it costs the planet.

Sustainable fashion and circularity in the textiles value chain is possible, yet this century the world’s consumers are buying more clothes and wearing them for less time than ever before, discarding garments as fast as trends shift.

UNEP is spearheading an initiative towards a zero waste world and, as part of this ambitious outlook, has partnered with Kenyan spoken word poet Beatrice Kariuki to shed light on high impact sectors where every individual can make a difference.

To fight the pervasive impact of pollution on society, UNEP launched #BeatPollution, a strategy for rapid, large-scale and coordinated action against air, land and water pollution. The strategy highlights the impact of pollution on climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and human health. Through science-based messaging, the campaign showcases how transitioning to a pollution-free planet is vital for future generations.

Get involved: www.unep.org/beatpollution/