Sustainability and The European Fashion Industry: A Critical Analysis of Cooperation for a Greener Future

by Maria Grinavica & Diana Krasnova

For decades, Europe has been the epicenter of fashion, where innovation and style ruled the runways. But behind the glamor, a new reality is forcing the industry to rethink its future. The pressing challenge? Sustainability. With its rapidly changing trends and low- cost apparel, fast fashion has captured the attention of customers all over the world by providing the latest styles at the best prices. However, this constant need for new trends comes with serious environmental costs, including waste, using up natural resources, and causing pollution. Amid this growing challenge, Europe, a major player in the global fashion industry, is under increasing pressure to strike a balance between the urgent need for sustainable development to mitigate the harmful effects of fast fashion and the increasing demand for it. The complexity of global supply chains, shifting regulations, and growing consumer awareness of the industry's environmental impact make this balance even more difficult to achieve. Therefore, European businesses, governments, and regulatory bodies are joining forces to adopt sustainable practices through initiatives such as the Circular Economy Action Plan, the EU Textile Strategy, and the Digital Product Passport (DPP), positioning Europe as a leader in the shift toward a more environmentally conscious fashion industry. 

Fast fashion  has rapidly grown in popularity, driven by a culture of overconsumption where people are always looking for the latest trends at the lowest prices. The effects are dramatic: global textile production nearly doubled between 2000 and 2015 , and by 2030, the demand for clothing and footwear is expected to rise by 63%, from 62 million tonnes today to 102 million tonnes . Fast fashion retailers that sell inexpensive, low- quality apparel, such as Shein, Temu, Primark, and Zara, further exacerbate the problem by flooding the market with cheaply made clothing that encourages overconsumption. harm the environment. As consumption increases, so does the waste, driven by the fast fashion industry's rapid production cycle, which creates an enormous waste problem. 

This cycle not only accelerates waste but also deepens global inequalities. In the sweatshops of Bengal and Thailand, underpaid workers produce garments for fast fashion, which are then shipped to Europe. Once worn an average of just seven times, these garments are discarded, contributing to a massive cycle of waste. This wasteful cycle creates 92 million tonnes of textile waste annually , with only 1% recycled and 87% 6 burned or dumped in landfills. In regions like Peru and Chile, these landfills are overwhelmed with clothing that can take up to 200 years to decompose, turning these areas into fast fashion's dumping grounds. In these regions, mountains of discarded clothing — often imported as second-hand donations or unsold inventory — overwhelm local waste management systems. Similarly, countries like Bangladesh bear the brunt of fast fashion’s production, dealing with the pollution and poor labor conditions that come with mass manufacturing for global brands.

In 2019, 46% of used textiles from the European Union (EU) ended up in Africa, with large quantities arriving in Accra, Ghana. In Accra, the Kantamanto Market overflows with second-hand clothes, and unsold garments spill into landfills, clogging waterways and contributing to pollution. The fashion industry as a whole accounts for 20% of the world’s wastewater and is the second-largest consumer of water, using over 93 billion cubic meters annually . Furthermore, when clothes are washed, microplastic strands from synthetic fabrics — which comprise 60% of clothing — fall out. These fibers are responsible for 50 billion plastic bottles' worth of annual plastic pollution in the ocean, amounting to about 500,000 tons . Animals and people are in danger of developing health problems when these microplastics get into the food chain. The fast fashion industry's unsustainable practices not only pollute the environment and strain natural resources but also perpetuate a cycle of harm that affects both ecosystems and vulnerable communities, underscoring the urgent need for global change.

With a goal of influencing the planet's future rather than merely making clothes look good on the runway, the EU is stepping up its efforts to completely transform the fashion industry. The EU is revolutionizing the fashion industry from production to disposal with ambitious initiatives like the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). The objective? A circular economy in which clothing is produced to last, be repaired, and be reused as opposed to being thrown into landfills that are already overflowing. Can these initiatives, however, really have an impact on the world at large, particularly in the nations where fast fashion is manufactured in abusive conditions? 

The European Union is taking action to deal with the problem of fast fashion and its impact around the world, not just in Europe. One of the key parts of this plan is the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), which focuses on reducing waste and making products last longer. To help stop the huge amount of clothing waste being sent to countries like Ghana and Peru, the EU has introduced a new rule called the EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD). This rule will make sure that, by 2025, every EU country must collect unwanted clothing separately from other waste, so it can be recycled or reused within Europe instead of being shipped to other countries that are already struggling with too much waste. In doing so, the EU hopes to reduce the amount of textile waste dumped in other parts of the world.

Peru, in particular, has become a silent victim of Europe's fast fashion industry, as large shipments of unsold or discarded apparel from the U.S. and EU accumulate in landfills, such as those in the Atacama Desert. These clothes, many of which are composed of synthetic materials, not only take millennia to decompose, but while they do, they leak dangerous chemicals into the surrounding air. The once-pristine desert has turned into a wasteland of imported garments, and some residents have taken to burning the clothing to release poisonous vapors that threaten the nearby settlements. Thousands of tons of clothing are transported across oceans and dumped in one of the world's driest locations, overwhelming the fragile ecology. The sheer volume of the waste is mind-boggling. 

Is it possible for the EU to ultimately reverse this environmental disaster, which is destroying Europe and causing countries like Peru and others to drown under its waste? The EU's Textile Strategy, which builds on earlier initiatives like the Circular Economy Action Plan and the Waste Framework Directive, is a vital step in addressing the fast fashion crisis that its own sector has contributed to. The strategy intends to keep more used clothing within Europe's recycling systems, protecting vulnerable nations from bearing the brunt of Europe's discarded garments. It does this by focusing on increasing circularity, extending product lifespans, and reducing waste. 

Enacting stricter regulations on textile production and disposal, the EU is reshaping its own fashion industry while acknowledging its responsibility to lessen its influence on countries overwhelmed by waste, like Peru, Ghana, and others. These countries, compelled to shoulder the environmental cost of fast fashion, have turned into Europe's forgotten wastelands. Through encouraging innovation in sustainable materials and production techniques, the EU's plan paves the way for a more conscientious global fashion industry. This change portends a more significant one, in which Europe accepts responsibility for its actions and endeavors to undo the harm it has been exporting for far too long. 

There are many challenges ahead for the EU as it attempts to address the significant environmental harm that fast fashion causes. The EU has some bold and ambitious policies, such as the EU Textile Strategy, but the real question is: will they be sufficient? Claiming sustainability has become a popular marketing gimmick for many companies; this is sometimes referred to as “greenwashing” . This means that businesses only act environmentally conscious on the surface. Declaring yourself to be “green” is one thing; really putting your green credentials to use is quite another. 

Not only that, though. The fashion industry is global, with the majority of its production taking place in nations with lax labor laws and virtually nonexistent environmental protections, even if the EU upholds these regulations within Europe. While the European Union is leading by example and making a bold stand, this is only the beginning of a long journey. The ability of the EU to enforce its own laws as well as the cooperation of the entire international fashion industry are critical to the future success of these initiatives.

Will the sector accept the challenge and implement the significant changes that are required? Or will the destructive practices of fast fashion go unchecked? Although the road ahead is difficult and the stakes are high, Europe has the ability to guide the world toward a more sustainable future. Creating a better world is now more important than just creating fashion.