Photo: James Rojas / WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A sculpture that appears to be a pile of toppling clothes is a monument to the anti-fast fashion movement, and the fight to cut down on rapid production and consumption in the textile industry.
'Aftermath' Creator Julia DeVoy of Boston College tells WBZ's James Rojas that fast fashion is a practice that's common among those who are fashion forward, and dedicated to staying up to date with their threads.
"[It's] fashion that has emphasizes the rapid production of clothes very cheaply, very much about keeping up with trends and fads," DeVoy said.
According to the Boston University School of Public Health, over 34 billion pounds of textiles are thrown out each year, though it was noted that wealthier residents produce an average of 76 percent more clothing waste than those with lower incomes.
The waste not only fills up landfills, but can cause health concerns for other countries like Ghana, which has seen pollution tied to the overflow of clothing in the air, soil, and groundwater, the report said.
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"Everything that gets donated to these different organizations and thrift stores— only about half of that is even potentially sold," DeVoy said.
DeVoy says the way to combat the constant flow is to upcycle and reuse outfits, shopping with the item longevity in mind. Some Bostonians say that's a difficult thing to put into practice, especially with the recent inflated costs.
"It's hard to buy clothes that are very expensive to keep for a long time instead of cheap clothes," one resident said.
"I try not to because a lot of the clothes are lower quality anyways," said another.
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) reports.
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