YOU HAVE TO WONDER WITH ALL THAT GOES INTO MAKING SOMETHING LIKE THIS HOW CAN A COMPANY BRING THIS
TO YOU FOR TWELVE DOLLARS AMERICANS BUY FIVE TIMES MORE CLOTHES TODAY THAN WE DID IN THE 1980S AND
WE WEAR EACH ITEM OF CLOTHES JUST SEVEN TIMES ON AVERAGE BEFORE TOSSING IT THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS
IN A RACE TO THE BOTTOM HOW CHEAP CAN OUR CLOTHES GET MADE IN INDIA MADE IN BANGLADESH MADE IN CHINA
IS A VERY BIG BEAST IT IS A HUGE ONLINE SHOPPING PLATFORM THAT HAS BECOME VERY FAMOUS FOR SELLING
PIECES AT THE LOWEST COST POSSIBLE THE INDUSTRY IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS AND THE BIGGEST CULPRIT FAST FASHION I MEAN WHY ACTUALLY TAKE CARE OF YOUR CLOTHES WHEN
YOU CAN JUST BUY A NEW SHIRT THE FASHION INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE IS 10 OF THE WORLD'S GLOBAL CARBON
EMISSION THAT'S MORE THAN ALL SHIPPING AND AIR TRAVEL COMBINED THE PRICE OF THIS T-SHIRT IS 4.90
IMAGINE BUYING A T-SHIRT FOR THE PRICE OF YOUR MORNING CUP OF COFFEE NEW YORK ONCE I HAD LIKE
LENGTH ON MY SHIRT THAT I WAS WEARING AND I WAS LIKE YOU KNOW LIKE I CAN GO TO H M 15 I CAN BUY
A NEW COLLARED SHIRT H M AND SHEEN MAKE OVER 40 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR AND ARE GROWING IF YOU'RE
BUYING AN ITEM THAT IS YOU KNOW LESS THAN THE PRICE OF A LOAF OF BREAD THERE'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE
THERE'S NO WAY IT COST THAT LITTLE TO MAKE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE AT THE CURRENT RATE THE EMISSIONS
FROM TEXTILE MANUFACTURING ARE GOING TO JUMP 60 PERCENT I THINK THAT PLACES LIKE H M ALL THIS
STUFF MASS PRODUCING BANGLADESH ALL THAT STUFF IS REALLY REALLY REALLY BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND
A LOT OF PEOPLE DIE BECAUSE OF IT THE CRITICISM HAS PROMPTED MANY OF THESE COMPANIES TO CHANGE
THEIR PRACTICES NOW THEY HAVE TO MAKE THESE GREEN TAGS VERY PROMINENT 100 RECYCLED POLYESTER BUT IS
IT ACTUALLY FIXING THE PROBLEM OR IS THIS JUST GREEN WASHING THAT'S THE TERM GIVEN TO COMPANIES
WHO BRAG ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY BUT AREN'T ACTUALLY DOING MUCH A LOT OF THE FAST FASHION BRANDS LIKE
H M ARE TRYING TO DO STUFF BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S A LITTLE BIT GREEN WASHING WE SHOULDN'T BE PRODUCING
ANYTHING ELSE THIS IS 100 RECYCLED POLYESTER OH AND IT'S ONLY EIGHT DOLLARS THIS SHIRT SAYS
100 TENSILE LYOCELL I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS BUT DESPITE ALL THIS THERE COULD BE SOME HOPE IT'S
FANTASTIC THAT WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE CONCEPT OF SHOPPING SECOND HAND THE BUSINESS MODEL HAS BECOME
SO HOT I THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF THE MILLENNIALS THE GEN Z'S ESPECIALLY THE GENESIS ARE SO INTO
PRE-OWNED GEN Z'S ARE THOSE BORN BETWEEN 1997 AND 2012 AND UNLIKE GENERATIONS BEFORE THEM THEY LOVE
GOING TO THRIFT STORES I LIKE TO GO FOR VINTAGE I'M THINKING QUITE A LOT OF STUFF THAT YOU CAN'T
FIND ANYWHERE ELSE AT A THRIFT STORE UH USUALLY FROM LIKE DEAD PEOPLE YES FOR GEN Z IF THEY ARE
SAYING YOU KNOW THIS IS A VINTAGE SHIRT MY DAD OWNED OR IF THIS IS A SECOND-HAND ITEM I PICKED
UP IN THIS THRIFT SHOP IN THIS COUNTRY ALTHOUGH THERE ARE STILL NEGATIVE ASSOCIATIONS WITH
MY PARENTS WERE LIKE WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU LIKE YOU'RE WEARING SOMEONE ELSE'S CLOTHES OLD CLOTHES
OR SECOND-HAND CLOTHES ARE USUALLY FROM PEOPLE WHO PASSED AWAY I'M MEETING SHOPPERS SUSTAINABLE
FASHION INFLUENCERS AND STORE OWNERS LIKE SARAH I DIDN'T REALIZE THE STIGMA WAS SO STRONG I GUESS
UNTIL I STARTED SPEAKING TO PEOPLE LIKE MY FAMILY WHO WERE LIKE WHY ARE YOU SELLING OLD
PEOPLE'S CLOTHES DURING MY JOURNEY I'M LEARNING THIS STORY IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST BUYING
TOO MUCH STUFF WE EVEN NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT FABRICS AND FIBERS WERE BUYING TOO IF
WE PAY THAT MUCH ATTENTION TO WHAT WE EAT AND THE LABELS IN OUR FOOD NOW WE SHOULD BE PAYING AS MUCH
ATTENTION TO WHAT WE ACTUALLY KEEP ON OUR SKIN FOR WELL THE WHOLE DAY 24 HOURS A DAY BECAUSE WE SLEEP
IN IT TOO SO I MEAN JUST LOOK AT THIS ENTRANCE RIGHT HERE IT'S A MASSIVE WIDE OPEN ENTRANCE VERY
INVITING THE LIGHTING YOU SEE THE RED COMING FROM THE H M YOU'RE JUST INCLINED TO COME IN AND ONCE
YOU COME IN YOU HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL HIGH CEILING THEY DEFINITELY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN IT
COMES TO MARKETING I SEE H M IN NEARLY EVERY COUNTRY I GO TO TODAY THERE ARE MORE THAN 5
000 STORES IT'S BECOME ALMOST AS PREVALENT IN MY TRAVELS AS SEEING A MCDONALD'S OR STARBUCKS AND
THAT'S WHAT THEY DO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE KNOWN FOR I MEAN THEY HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT COLORS AND WHEN
A SHIRT IS THAT CHEAP IT'S VERY TEMPTING TO JUST PICK THREE IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH COLOR YOU WANT
WHY WOULDN'T I JUST PICK THREE AND BUY ALL THREE RIGHT NOW I'M AT LESS THAN FIFTEEN DOLLARS IN THE
1970S MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF APPAREL PURCHASED BY AMERICANS WAS MADE IN THE U.S TODAY THAT'S LESS
THAN TWO PERCENT THIS HAS MADE OUR CLOTHES CHEAPER BUT HAS IT COME AT ANOTHER COST THE UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC COMMISSION ACTUALLY SUGGESTED THAT ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S WATER WASTE IS COMING
FROM THE FASHION INDUSTRY MAKING ONE COTTON SHIRT COTTON SO NATURAL FIBERS BUT IT TAKES 2 700 LITERS
OF WATER TO MANUFACTURE IT NOW THAT'S THE SAME AS YOU AND I WOULD DRINK IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS
THAT'S FOR ONE COTTON SHIRT AND IF YOU IMAGINE YOU'VE GOT THINGS LIKE DENIMS THAT TAKE A LOT
LOT OF DYES AND ACID WASHES BETWEEN 2000 AND 2014 CLOTHING PRODUCTION DOUBLED AND WITH THE
GLOBAL PRODUCTION RISING IT'S ONLY EXPECTED TO GET WORSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT HOW THE PRODUCTS ARE MADE
THE THE MATERIAL ITSELF YOU CAN GUARANTEE THAT THERE'S NOTHING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ABOUT
THEIR CHEMICALS THAT THEY'RE USING FOR THE DYES OR FOR THE PRODUCTION PROCESS AND THEN THE CARBON
FOOTPRINT ALONE ON THE SHIPPING THAT THEY DO IT'S PROBABLY I WOULD SAY THE WORST OFFENDER RIGHT NOW
IS SHE IN SHEEHAN RECENTLY EXPLODED IN POPULARITY IN THE U.S THE CHINESE ONLINE SELLER BECAME THE
WORLD'S BIGGEST FASHION RETAILER KNOWN FOR ITS CRAZY CHEAP PRODUCTS SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR DOOR
BUT THERE ARE THREE THINGS WRONG HERE FIRST MUCH OF ITS PRODUCTS ARE SYNTHETIC MATERIALS MEANING
THEY WILL NEVER LIKE BIODEGRADE SECOND WHEN IT'S SO CHEAP YOU'LL JUST BUY EVEN THOUGH YOU MIGHT NOT
REALLY NEED OR VALUE AN ITEM AND THIRD BECAUSE IT IS AN ONLINE SELLER IT TAKES A LOT OF RESOURCES TO
SHIP THE ITEMS STRAIGHT TO YOUR HOUSE INSTEAD OF TO A STORE MANY CRITICS CALL OUT SHEEN AS STRAIGHT
UP DESTROYING OUR PLANET AND EVEN BRANDS LIKE UNIQLO ARE MAKING IT A BIG PRIORITY TO TRY TO
PROVE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT HEY WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS STUFF THIS IS TWENTY FOUR DOLLARS
AND IT'S 81 RECYCLED POLYESTER BUT IT ALSO SAYS CONSCIOUS H M CHOICE 100 SOMETHING SOMETHING RIGHT
SO AGAIN IT'S AS A CONSUMER I SAY OOH CONSCIOUS I GUESS IT'S A OKAY THIS IS TWENTY FOUR DOLLARS
LET ME JUST BUY IT AND IT SAYS CONSCIOUS CHOICE I'M SURE IT'S FINE I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT ANY
OF THESE MEAN AND MAYBE THEY DON'T EVEN CARE FOR ME TO KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN IT JUST AGAIN IT'S ALL
ABOUT PLANTING THAT SEED I MEAN IT'S CRAZY THEY CAN SELL SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO YOU BRAND NEW
TWELVE DOLLARS BUT THEY SAY IT'S RECYCLED THIS IS MORE THAN 50 PERCENT RECYCLED POLYESTER WHETHER
OR NOT I ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS I FEEL A LITTLE LESS BAD MAYBE ABOUT MY CONSUMPTION IN
BUYING IT I PERSONALLY HAVEN'T SHOT FAST FASHION FOR MANY YEARS THIS BUSINESS KIND OF HELPED
PROPEL MY THOUGHTS AROUND THAT I DO FEEL LIKE WE SHOULDN'T BE PRODUCING ANYTHING ELSE ACCORDING TO
THE NORWEGIAN CONSUMER AUTHORITY H M IS LITERALLY MISLEADING CONSUMERS BECAUSE THEY'RE FAILING TO
ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN WHY THEIR GARMENTS ARE LESS POLLUTING THAN OTHER GARMENTS AS PART OF THIS
STORY I MEET AMANDA SHE'S A SUSTAINABLE FASHION INFLUENCER BASED IN DUBAI WITH SYNTHETICS AND
ALL THAT STUFF LET'S SEE IF THIS IS UH TO BUY SO THIS IS PURE SYNTHETIC SO THIS SAYS 53 VISCOSE AND
47 POLYESTER NOW ESSENTIALLY ANYTHING THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CHEMICAL IS A CHEMICAL IF IT SOUNDS NATURAL
LIKE BAMBOO FLAX HEMP LINEN COTTON SO WE ARE NOT WEARING ANYTHING THAT'S GOOD FOR OUR SKIN THERE
ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO YOU CAN PUT THINGS LIKE UM A CORAL BALL IN YOUR WASHING MACHINE AND IT IS
LIKE A CORAL PLASTIC DEVICE THAT ACTUALLY COLLECTS MICROFIBERS AMANDA TELLS ME SHE'S VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY SHE HERSELF WANTED TO BE A FASHION DESIGNER UNTIL SHE
REALIZED HOW MUCH WASTE IS IN THE INDUSTRY YOUR COST PER WEAR IS MUCH MORE ECONOMICAL IT'S GOING
TO LAST LONGER AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AFTER IT AS WELL WE VALUE THINGS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY MORE
EXPENSIVE TO US AND WE TAKE CARE OF THEM MORE SO WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT YOU WEAR WE BASICALLY
HAVE FOUR OPTIONS WE CAN BUY CHEAP CLOTHES FROM A PLACE LIKE H M OR SHEEN WE CAN BUY DESIGNER
CLOTHES WHICH MOST OF US JUST CAN'T AFFORD WE CAN BECOME A MINIMALIST AND OWNED TWO OR THREE SHIRTS
OR WE CAN BUY SECOND HAND CLOTHES YOU CANNOT BUILD A FIT LIKE THIS JUST GOING DOING THE FAST BATCH OR
SOMETHING I'M SURE YOU CAN BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME LIKE THIS IS ANTHONY AN AMERICAN GEN Z WHO HAS
BEEN THRIFTING MOST OF HIS WARDROBE FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS GEN Z LIKE PEOPLE ARE MORE AWARE NOW
LIKE THIS WHOLE GENERATION LIKE WITH WITH ACTUAL LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND CULTURAL IMPACTS AS
WELL LIKE GO TO ANY OF THOSE SWEATSHOP COUNTRIES LIKE IT'S A A PROBLEM LIKE A GENUINE PROBLEM IT'S
SCARY YOU START TO SEE THAT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE TRUSTING YOU KNOW GOING BACK TO I WOULD SAY
THE WAY WE GREW UP SHOPPING WHICH WAS CHARITY SHOPS AND THINGS LIKE THIS THERE WAS NO TABOO
AND IT BECAME SORT OF NOT AS COOL TO BE SEEN IN SOMETHING THAT WASN'T NEW OR BRANDED OR ON
TREND IN TERMS OF THE FAST FASHION IN DUBAI I SEE A DONATION BOX AND I BRING SOME OF MY OLD CLOTHES
HERE MOST OF THE STUFF I JUST DISCARDED WERE H M ZARA AND THEN THERE WAS INTERESTINGLY A LOT OF
LIKE T-SHIRTS THAT I GOT AT LIKE CONFERENCES FREE STUFF YOU KNOW FREEZE T-SHIRTS I GOT A CONFERENCE
OF TOTE BAGS THINGS THAT YOU JUST DON'T TEND TO VALUE AND IT WAS ALSO INTERESTING BECAUSE
THERE WAS TWO SHIRTS AND A PAIR OF SHORTS AND I WAS LIKE OH WAIT I AM NOT DONATING THAT HOW DID
THAT GET IN THERE I WANT TO ACTUALLY START REUSING THAT AGAIN I DON'T KNOW MAYBE I STARTED TO VALUE
IT MORE ONCE I WAS ABOUT TO LOSE IT OVERALL THAT BIN WAS OVERFLOWING IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FULL WHICH
IS GOOD AND BAD IT'S GOOD THAT PEOPLE ARE USING IT AND NOT THROWING STUFF AWAY IN THE GARBAGE BUT
IT'S ALSO BAD BECAUSE IT JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW MUCH STUFF WE BUY THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY REALLY
USE WELL ENOUGH THIS IS SARAH THE OWNER OF THIS STORE IN HONG KONG IT WAS LIKE EVERY SEASON THEY
WOULD LIKE HAVE A WHOLE NEW WARDROBE CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE TRENDS AND YOU WOULD LITERALLY
SEE AN ARMY OF PEOPLE WALK IN EVERY SEASON WITH LIKE A CERTAIN LOOK SHE USED TO WORK FOR A MAJOR
DEPARTMENT STORE IN HONG KONG AND THEN QUIT TO START HULA THEY SELL PRE-LOVED ITEMS AND
SHE CURATES DESIGNER ITEMS AND THEN RESELLS THEM IT'S LOCATED IN AN EXPENSIVE TRENDY PART OF HONG
KONG I THINK WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW PRE-OWNED BUSINESSES THAT ARE DOING THIS AT THIS SCALE
BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE 150 PRODUCTS THAT LAUNCH EVERY WEEK BUT IN HER CULTURE SHE TELLS ME
IT WAS BAD LUCK TO WEAR OLD CLOTHES BECAUSE IT MEANT THAT YOU WERE WEARING CLOTHES OF SOMEONE
WHO HAS DIED I DIDN'T REALIZE THE STIGMA WAS SO STRONG I GUESS UNTIL I STARTED SPEAKING TO PEOPLE
LIKE MY FAMILY WHO WERE LIKE WHY ARE YOU SELLING OLD PEOPLE'S CLOTHES NOW I'VE GOT LIKE INTERNS AND
PEOPLE SAYING I WANT TO WORK IN THIS BUSINESS OR I WANT TO DO SUSTAINABLE FASHION AND IT'S REALLY
IT'S A CHOICE IT'S THE NUMBER ONE CHOICE WHEN THEY'RE SHOPPING FOR SOMETHING NOWADAYS WHICH IS
AMAZING SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT YOU WANT TO KEEP CLOTHES LIKE THIS WITHIN A CIRCULAR ECONOMY
SO IT'S LOOK AFTER IT IT'S NOT THE FIBERS THAT ARE GOING TO LAST SO IT MIGHT NOT FIT THE SAME LOOK
THE SAME HAVE THE SAME SHINE AFTER FOUR OR FIVE WASHES THAT ARE A NATURAL FIBER SHIRT WOULD DO
BUT IF YOU CAN THRIFT IT OR DONATE IT AFTERWARDS AT LEAST YOU'RE KEEPING IT OUT OF LANDFILL IN 2015
A CLIMATE ACTIVIST STARTED THE 30 WEARS CHALLENGE THE IDEA WAS SIMPLE MAKE SURE YOU WEAR EACH ITEM
OF CLOTHING AT LEAST 30 TIMES AMANDA TELLS ME SHE WILL ONLY BUY A NEW ITEM AND SHE REALLY LOVES IT
AND SHE GIVES UP ONE OF HER EXISTING ITEMS AND PUTS IT IN THE SO-CALLED CIRCULAR ECONOMY AMANDA
ALSO SEES SOME OPTIMISM IN THIS INDUSTRY AND YOU HAVE BIG MAIN BRANDS LIKE PRADA AND TOM FORD AND
ALL OF THESE BRANDS WHOSE UMBRELLA COMPANIES ARE INVESTING IN ONLINE SECOND-HAND SITES LIKE BESTIER
AND THINGS LIKE THIS GLOBALLY SO WITH THAT WE CAN SEE THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A BIG DIRECTION TOWARDS
A CIRCULAR SHOPPING MODEL AMANDA ALSO WANTS US TO BUY NATURAL FIBERS LIKE COTTON INSTEAD
OF SYNTHETIC ONES CIRCULAR ECONOMY IS THE ONLY SOLUTION CURRENTLY TO KEEP FASHION MORE
SUSTAINABLE BUT WE NEED TO BE MORE CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING FOR MEANWHILE SARAH TELLS ME SHE ISN'T AGAINST FASHION DESIGNERS AND NEW FASHION BRANDS
I DON'T WANT TO STAMP DOWN OBVIOUSLY A YOUNG DESIGNERS WHO WANT TO BE FASHION DESIGNERS AND
CREATE BRANDS AND ALL OF THAT THAT'S AMAZING BUT JUST MAKE SURE IT'S GOOD PLEASE THERE'S A LOT OF
STUFF OUT THERE THAT ISN'T GOOD AND IT'S JUST YOU KNOW BAD QUALITY BUT WHAT CAN PEOPLE LIKE ME AND
YOU DO DIFFERENTLY BUYING SECOND HAND IS ACTUALLY THE QUICKEST WAY TO RESOLVE FASHION SUSTAINABILITY
RIGHT NOW WITHIN LIKE 50 YEARS OUR FRESH WATER WILL BE COMPLETELY DEPLETED LIKE THAT THAT'S
LIKE WE'RE ON TRACK FOR THAT UNLESS WE CHANGE THINGS NOW SO LIKE OH THAT'S THE CORRECT PEOPLE
THAT ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THAT STUFF JUST BE SMART WE NEED TO BE THE ONES THAT ARE SELF-AWARE AND
TO TRY EVEN JUST A LITTLE BIT TO HELP OURSELVES AND ULTIMATELY HELP THE ENVIRONMENT AS A RESULT