Fashionable shoes might look nice on store shelves, but their manufacturing and distribution process is anything but pretty.
TikTok user Rae Rae (@racheirandazzo) posted a video walking through the streets of Istanbul, where she filmed countless piles of cardboard boxes and plastic strewn across sidewalks and in the road. "The part they don't show," she wrote grimly. "EVERY DAY. I can't even imagine the environmental impact. All for fake shoes."
@racheirandazzo #environment #fastfashion #environmentalawareness #istanbul #city #factory #pollution #yikes #environmentalimpact #dobetter #smh ♬ Gimme More - Britney Spears
Commenters were equally saddened and discouraged by the waste. "All so people can buy $4 shein T-shirts," one person lamented.
"Fast fashion makes me sick," another agreed. "So bad for the planet, and it's bad for the people who make them. A lot of chemicals go into making them."
The commenter is right; in July 2023, the Guardian reported on how many known toxic chemicals have been perfectly legal to include in manufactured clothing. These chemicals have been linked to rashes, infected wounds, respiratory illness, and even increased risks of cancer — both for the people who make the clothes and the people who wear them.
Another problem, Rae Rae pointed out in a second video, is our attitude toward consumption. Specifically, our tendency to overconsume is what's driving these industries, she argues.
"All this is not necessary!" she captioned the video, which showcased even more waste cascading over the sidewalks. "Our designer-obsessed world will catch up with us. I hope we can all be more conscious about what we buy (like if we NEED it) and how much of it, because we cannot go on like this. I hope people watch these videos and rethink that shopping spree."
@racheirandazzo #environment #fastfashion #environmentalawareness #istanbul #city #factory #pollution #yikes #environmentalimpact #smh ♬ High Fashion (feat. Mustard) - Roddy Ricch
"I will never understand how ppl will look at this and still buy from these brands," one person commented. "It's sad."
Fast fashion isn't the only industry prone to overconsumption and waste. Major manufacturers and retailers have been caught dumping perfectly good electronics and even potted plants, preferring to destroy rather than donate them.
Other TikTokers, distressed by the video, suggested more sustainable approaches to shopping.
"This is why I try my best to buy secondhand," one person said.
"Charity shops are just as cheap and way better for the environment," another agreed.
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