Fast fashion and its chemical footprint

Fast fashion's business model depends on speed and cost — producing trendy garments as quickly and cheaply as possible. This creates strong incentives to use cheaper chemical processes, less thorough quality control, and suppliers in countries with weaker environmental regulations.

The chemical shortcuts in fast fashion include: cheaper synthetic dyes (which are more likely to contain heavy metals and aromatic amines), formaldehyde-based wrinkle treatments, antimicrobial finishes using triclosan or silver nanoparticles, and PFC-based water-repellent coatings.

A 2021 investigation by CBC Marketplace found that clothing from several fast fashion brands contained elevated levels of lead, PFAS, and phthalates. Some items exceeded Canadian safety guidelines by significant margins.

The volume problem compounds the chemical problem. The average consumer now buys 60% more clothing than in 2000, and keeps each garment for half as long. This means more chemical-intensive garments are being produced, worn briefly, and sent to landfills where their chemical contents can leach into soil and groundwater.

Choosing quality over quantity — fewer, better-made garments from brands with transparent supply chains — is the most effective individual action against fast fashion's chemical footprint.