The Hidden Cost of our Fashion Choices

Clothing Store (📷: Unpslash)

How familiar are you with the ebb and flow of fashion trends?

Y2K, cottagecore, grunge, streetwear, gorpcore…

Take your attention away from social media for a week and you might return to an entirely new fashion vocabulary.

Fashion today has become a recipe for self-expression, and of course it can be all fun and creativity.

Except, the real harm may lurk quietly behind our consumption habits.

From pricetags to hashtags, the real cost of fashion isn’t just monetary. It might lie in our constant desire to consume.

Fast fashion: From purchase to waste

Fast fashion is a term used to describe inexpensive and widely-available “in the moment” garments (NLB, 2021).

Among Singaporean consumers, affordability may take precedence over sustainability.

A 2024 YouGov survey revealed 56% of respondents have not purchased any sustainable fashion products because they are too expensive.

Meanwhile, fast-fashion brands leverage on frequent discount drives and incredibly low prices to fuel consumers to want to keep buying.

It’s hard to resist a good deal. But how often do we pause to consider whether that outfit you’re eyeing is a sustainable staple, not just another impulse to keep up?

Each year, an estimated 100 billion garments are purchased globally, and some 92 million tonnes are thrown out, a figure which has been on the rise (CNA, 2023).

With fast-fashion brands rolling out new trends every month, consumers risk growing desensitised to a culture of mindless consumption and disposability.

Out of sight, but it shouldn’t be out of mind

The life of a piece of clothing spans many stages: from production and processing to eventual disposal.

When we purchase or dispose of a piece of clothing, how often do we think about where it comes from, or where it will go?

To produce one cotton shirt, a staggering volume of 700 gallons of water is consumed. A pair of jeans meanwhile requires 2,000 gallons of water to produce (Earth.Org, 2025).

Textile production alone generates as much as 8 per cent of global carbon emissions, exceeding the impact of maritime shipping and international flights combined (ST, 2024).

Next, fabric is typically treated with synthetic dyes.

Synthetic dyes often contain harsh chemicals, which leach into nearby soil and water bodies.

In major textile-manufacturing countries, textile wastewater from synthetic dyeing pollutes rivers, endangering local communities and ecosystems.

Finally, when clothes leave our wardrobes, most end up incinerated or dumped in landfills.

Synthetic fabrics never truly disappear– they contaminate the soil with harmful chemicals, and release greenhouse gases when burnt, contributing to global warming.

The fate of every garment we own is often more complex than it appears.

While much of it may be hidden in our daily view, it absolutely shouldn’t be out of mind.

Change starts by recognising that culture shapes the way we consume, just as it is also sustained by it.

It can begin with how and what we choose to buy.

The answer lies in everyday habits

Build a sustainable attitude

A sustainable attitude begins with awareness.

When buying a new piece of clothing, it helps to pause to consider:

1. Will I still wear it when the trend fades?
2. Can I see myself wearing it multiple times?
3. Do I truly need it?

A mindful consumer is conscious of where their clothing may come from and where it may go.

We should buy with sustainable intention, and resist being swept away by short-lived fashion trends.

Choose slow fashion

Fashion is expression, but why not make it second-hand?

Across Singapore, sustainable fashion initiatives are on the rise.

Support thrifting, shop for second-hand, and participate in clothing-swap drives to give your preloved clothes a new lease of life.

Or, pick up a new hobby in upcycling– find ways to transform old clothes into new fashion pieces!

Rewear, recycle

Don’t just buy clothes you think you would wear, actually rewear them!

Build a habit of wearing your wardrobe sustainably. It influences your consumption habits more than you think.

Once you realise you don’t need that many clothes, you naturally curb unnecessary purchases.

And when you outgrow your clothes, bin them right!

Keep an eye out for Cloop’s yellow bins.

New or used, these bins accept most textile pieces in clean, dry and reusable condition.

Binned items will go through a recovery process where they are upcycled or refurbished for other purposes.

Check out the full list of items that Cloop bins accept here.

Unsure where the nearest textile bin is, or whether your item can be recycled?

We are here to help!

Visit recycle.gov.sg/locations to find a nearby collection point and learn what items are accepted.

Find your bin, and know what goes in. Let’s start recycling right today!