Carbon Footprints, Fast Fashion & Landfills: What We Wear Matters

We live in a world where clothes are cheap, closets are crowded, and landfills are overflowing. Fast fashion has redefined what it means to “stay on trend,” pushing out micro-seasons and mass production at lightning speed. But behind the bargain racks and influencer hauls lies a much more uncomfortable truth: our wardrobes are costing the planet.

The Real Cost of Fast Fashion

Fast fashion thrives on volume — both in how much is produced and how quickly it’s discarded. The average person today buys 60% more clothing than they did 20 years ago, but keeps those items for half as long. Most of it ends up in landfills, where synthetic fibers like polyester can take hundreds of years to decompose.

It’s not just the waste. It’s the carbon.

Fashion is now one of the top five most polluting industries on Earth. From the fossil fuels used to produce synthetic fabrics, to the toxic dyes that seep into waterways, to the sheer amount of energy required to ship cheap garments across continents — every step of the process leaves a carbon footprint. A single cotton shirt can require over 700 gallons of water to produce. A pair of jeans? Up to 2,000 gallons.

Now multiply that by billions.

The Landfill Loop

Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of textiles is dumped into a landfill or incinerated. And here’s the kicker: the majority of these clothes are barely worn, often tossed after just a handful of uses. What we don’t realize when we “declutter” is that most donated clothing doesn’t make it onto someone else’s back — it’s either shipped overseas, shredded into rags, or thrown away altogether.

We are quite literally wearing waste.

Thrifting as Resistance

There is another way. Thrifting disrupts the loop. When you shop secondhand, you extend the life of a garment, reduce demand for new production, and keep valuable materials out of landfills. It’s not just about finding unique pieces or saving money — it’s about conscious consumption.

Choosing thrift is choosing sustainability.

Why Thriftmoor Exists

At Thriftmoor, we believe in the power of second chances — for clothes, for objects, for people. Our platform lets you shop, sell, and connect in real-time, expanding access to preloved treasures without the geographic limits of traditional thrift stores. We’re reimagining resale as a community-driven movement that honors craftsmanship, celebrates individuality, and actively reduces waste.

Because if we want different outcomes, we need different habits.

Let’s move beyond the trend cycles and make sustainability more than a buzzword. Let’s slow the scroll and ask better questions about how things are made, how they’re used, and where they’ll end up.

Say less. Thriftmoor.