The Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion: Lifecycle Assessment and Policy Implications

Abstract

The rapid expansion of fast fashion has transformed global apparel consumption patterns by accelerating production cycles, lowering prices, and increasing product turnover. While this model has enhanced accessibility and economic growth within the fashion sector, it has also generated significant environmental consequences. High resource consumption, chemical-intensive processing, greenhouse gas emissions, and large volumes of textile waste have intensified concerns regarding the sustainability of contemporary fashion systems. the environmental impact of fast fashion through a lifecycle assessment (LCA) framework, evaluating resource use and emissions across raw material extraction, textile manufacturing, transportation, retail distribution, consumer use, and end-of-life disposal. The findings highlight substantial water and energy consumption in fiber production, particularly cotton and synthetic materials, as well as carbon emissions associated with globalized supply chains. Short product lifespans and limited recycling infrastructure further contribute to landfill accumulation and microplastic pollution.