Modern Man and the Fast Lifestyle
We live in an era characterized by rapid technical and technological development that is still being re(thought) and still has large and numerous goals that have yet to be achieved; artificial intelligence is one of the most current topics on a global level; and of course, there is the modern way of life in today’s social, economic, political and cultural context. The modern way of life is, in the broadest sense, a fast way of life where many things are available to us in just a few seconds; with a few moments of “scrolling” or, even less, with just one “click”.
Such practices certainly greatly influence our consumer habits driven by large industries that seem to be the factors that profit the most from the modern fast lifestyle. This applies to a large extent to the textile industry; to the mass, dynamic production processes; mass consumerism that goes hand in hand with low prices and flashy advertising campaigns filled with numerous slogans about the importance of style, individuality, impressiveness, etc. People are surrounded by the motto: “live for today” and literally, live the principle: “take (grab) – wear – throw”, and this is one of the most harmful modern practices that greatly affect the well-being of our environment, as well as the future of our planet. Why? This principle is immediate, instant, short-term and does not think or care about the consequences of what comes after.
Why “circular fashion” instead of “fast fashion”?
What is, in fact, what is coming? In short, “fast fashion” means the rapid and mass production of clothing, most often made from synthetic materials in processes that involve toxic substances – clothing (let’s remember: take-wear-throw) that most often ends up as waste and whose biodegradation can last up to hundreds of thousands of years. In another case, millions of tons of clothing waste are taken to underdeveloped or underdeveloped countries where improper disposal leaves lasting and very dangerous consequences for water, soil and air, and this means for the health of a huge number of people in those countries. A completely different, but equally important problem in this regard is the cheap labor that large textile giants use by setting up their factories in underdeveloped countries.
It is here, as a direct opposition to consumerism (of the take-carry-throw type) and fast fashion, that the term and idea of ”circular fashion” appears. What does it mean? The main goal of circular fashion is to create a circular flow whose movements will lead to an increase in the lifespan of clothing but also to the minimization of textile waste at the same time.
What are the ways to achieve this?
Clothing would be produced from high-quality and eco-friendly materials. Thus, the duration of use of clothing would automatically increase, that is, the need for frequent and unnecessary replacements of specific pieces of clothing would be eliminated.
The use of recycled or reused materials in production directly prevents the irresponsible disposal of textile waste and extends the life of clothing through its re-creation and new use.
Other methods of “circular fashion” include renting, reselling (second-hand clothing), processing clothing and its further use, creating exchange platforms where clothing can be exchanged from one user to another and, again, extend its life.
Of course, the ultimate goal of “circular fashion” is recycling, raising awareness of textile waste recycling, facilitating the process itself and bringing recycling facilities closer to people.
What can I do?
“Circular fashion” is a grand vision that is not only necessary, but also natural on a long-term path for the future of our planet because life on our planet is circular and cyclical. It rotates, it is consumed, it is renewed, but it never moves in a straight line, it has no starting and ending point.
Finally, no collective endeavor, no grand idea like the idea of “circular fashion” would be possible without individual investment, one’s own initiative that should begin with the question: “What can I personally change?” And that is only the beginning of the arduous, yet extraordinary journey to improving our environment and extending the lifespan of our planet.
