Behind the cheap clothing we wear may lie enormous costs that the world must pay, affecting the environment, natural resources, and the quality of life of workers in developing countries. The warning from the UN Secretary-General on International Zero Waste Day reflects the urgency the world faces from the fashion industry, particularly Fast Fashion, which is becoming one of the major sources of the global environmental crisis. This article invites exploration of another side of clothing—the invisible side that has longer-lasting effects than we think. Because clothing is no longer just about style, but is a reflection of the economic system and sustainability of our world.
When Clothing Becomes Waste Faster Than We Think
Every second on this planet, an amount of clothing equivalent to one garbage truck is burned or buried. The question is: how many times were these clothes actually worn? In the era of Fast Fashion, we buy more clothes, wear them less, and discard them faster than ever before. We are trapped in a cycle of “newness, speed, and disposability.”
Mr. António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, warned that the waste crisis from the fashion industry is not just about old clothes, but reflects larger global structural problems. Currently, humans worldwide generate more than 2 billion tons of waste per year, which is enough to wrap around the world 25 times if packed in containers.
“Rich countries are filling developing nations with waste, from obsolete computers to single-use plastics.” This waste doesn’t disappear but spreads out to contaminate soil, water, and air. Moreover, much of this waste is transferred to developing countries that often lack the infrastructure to manage it properly and safely. These wealthy countries don’t just send “goods” to poor countries, but also send “burdens” that come with pollution, creating dangerous working conditions for waste collectors. This crisis is therefore not just an environmental issue, but a problem of inequality and injustice embedded in every step of the production and consumption system. Solutions must begin with reducing unnecessary consumption, making conscious purchasing choices, and pushing the fashion industry to take responsibility for the impacts of their products.
Environmental Crisis Woven into Our Clothing
The fashion industry is not merely about style or fashion trends, but is also one of the major sources of pollution in the world, emitting up to 8% of global greenhouse gases and using enormous water resources of up to 215 trillion liters per year, equivalent to 86 million Olympic swimming pools. It also relies on thousands of chemicals used in production processes, many of which are harmful to human health and ecosystems, from dyeing fibers to applying wrinkle-resistant coatings on favorite shirts. In the era of Fast Fashion, where clothes are not designed to last but to be worn and discarded, sustainability becomes a luxury.
On International Zero Waste Day, Mr. António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, warned of the serious impacts of the fashion industry, stating that “Looking good could kill the planet,” reflecting the impact of this industry that not only creates pollution but also accelerates the degradation of natural resources. Although the situation is concerning, there are opportunities within the crisis. Experts indicate that if we double the lifespan of clothing, we could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 44%. Meanwhile, positive changes are occurring. New generation designers are beginning to use recycled materials, the second-hand market is growing rapidly, and consumers are placing greater importance on sustainability and questioning the meaning of “fashion” more than before. Mr. António Guterres emphasized that “Everyone can participate in the fight against waste,” reflecting that everyone has a role on this stage. Change must come from the entire system: producers must be transparent, consumers must be mindful, and governments must dare to set new standards for the industry.
Message from the UN Secretary-General: The World Must Stop Fast Fashion
Amid criticism, many brands try to appear environmentally friendly, but in reality, terms like Eco-friendly or Sustainable on clothing labels may be merely marketing strategies that make consumers feel good without real change, known as Greenwashing.
“There is no room for greenwashing,” Mr. António Guterres emphasized that waste reduction, resource circulation, and responsible material use should not be merely options or advertisements, but must become the new standard for the industry.
Some clothing items worn may be cheap, but the true cost may be higher than imagined. Each year, the fashion industry produces billions of clothing items to meet demand following Fast Fashion trends, which emphasize speed, affordability, and constant newness replacing the old rapidly. What is overlooked is massive waste volumes, wasteful resource use, and severe environmental impacts. Cheap clothing bought and worn only a few times before being discarded creates enormous burdens on the world. Raw materials used, such as cotton, require massive water resources for cultivation. One t-shirt requires up to 2,700 liters of water, equivalent to what one person can drink for 2 years. Meanwhile, this industry is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, more than air and sea travel combined. Chemicals used in production processes contaminate rivers and streams, destroying ecosystems and affecting the health of populations living near factories.
It’s time to stop Fast Fashion. Whether producers, governments, or consumers, everyone has a role in this crisis in jointly transforming the fashion industry to be more sustainable, starting with producers who must design clothing with quality and long lifespan, use more recycled materials, and governments must seriously regulate, including waste management and promoting sustainable businesses, as well as consumers who must think carefully before buying, choose to support ethical brands, support second-hand markets, and reduce unnecessary consumption.
“Fashion should be a symbol of creativity, not a planetary catastrophe”
– António Guterres
Although clothing may seem like a small matter in daily life, if we trace the production path from upstream to downstream, we find that every step leaves traces on this planet. Whether it’s the massive use of water and energy, greenhouse gas emissions from factories, to chemical contamination in natural water sources, as well as unfair labor conditions in developing countries. All of this represents costs that the world and certain groups of people must bear instead of the convenience and lower prices for most consumers.
Fast Fashion is not merely a trend, but is one mechanism of an economic system that accelerates unnecessary consumption, making clothing become commodities that are bought and worn only a few times before becoming waste. This not only reflects environmental problems but also points to structural inequality between producers and consumers, as well as between rich and poor countries.
Solving this problem cannot come from any single party, but must come from all levels of society. The business sector must take responsibility for the entire supply chain, from raw material sources to post-sale impacts, must be transparent and aim for sustainable innovation. Governments must seriously regulate, enact laws controlling production and waste management, while promoting a circular economy that supports sustainable development. Consumers are a crucial force with a role in driving change, starting from awareness of the background of products, questioning every purchase, reducing unnecessary consumption, turning to second-hand clothing, repairing instead of discarding, and supporting ethical brands.
Because every purchasing choice is not just paying money, but is sending a voice and sparking change in the system. Although change won’t happen overnight, if we all start changing perspectives, changing behaviors, and jointly pushing for new standards that are more responsible to the world, the next piece of clothing we choose may not just be an outfit, but part of the answer in preserving this world for future generations.
Strategy and International Cooperation Coordination Division
Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council
References
United Nations. (2025). Fast fashion fuelling global waste crisis, UN chief warns. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161636
United Nations. (2025). Secretary-General’s remarks to the General Assembly on the International Day of Zero Waste. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-03-27/secretary-generals-remarks-the-general-assembly-the-international-day-of-zero-waste-delivered?_gl=1*1gkfgq1*_ga*MTIxMDMxMjE2OS4xNzMzMjEyODg3*_ga_TK9BQL5X7Z*MTc0MzM5MTE2MC44Ny4xLjE3NDMzOTExODYuMC4wLjA.*_ga_S5EKZKSB78*MTc0MzM5MTE4Ni41MC4wLjE3NDMzOTExOTcuNDkuMC4w
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