Questão 35 - UNISA Prova 2 2024

 The term fast fashion has become more prominent in conversations surrounding fashion, sustainability, and environmental consciousness. The term refers to cheaply produced and priced garments¹ that copy the latest catwalk² styles and get pumped quickly through stores in order to maximize on current trends.

 The fast fashion model is so-called because it involves the rapid design, production, distribution and marketing of clothing, which means that retailers are able to pull large quantities of greater product variety and allow consumers to get more fashion and product differentiation at a low price.

 Fashion production comprises 10% of total global carbon emissions, as much as the European Union. It dries up water sources and pollutes rivers and streams, while 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year. Even washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibres into the ocean each year, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles.

 Fast fashion does not only have a huge environmental impact. In fact, the industry also poses societal problems, especially in developing economies. According to a nonprofit organization, 80% of apparel³ is made by young women between the ages of 18 and 24. A 2018 report found evidence of forced and child labour in the fashion industry in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Turkey, Vietnam and others. Rapid production means that sales and profits supersede human welfare.

(Rashmila Maiti. https://earth.org, 05.01.2024. Adaptado.)

¹ garment: a piece of clothing.
² catwalk: the long, narrow stage that models walk along in a fashion show.
³ apparel: clothes of a particular type when they are being sold in a shop.

 

 

According to the fourth paragraph, the fast fashion market