Fast fashion clothing brands such as Boohoo, ASOS and Primark may soon be taxed for their impact on the environment.
MPs are pushing for a fast fashion tax, which would see brands and retailers charged a penny per garment they sell.
This would then fund a £35 million government recycling scheme to collect and recycle clothing.
The recommendations come from a report published today by the Environmental Audit Committee.
“The Government should make fashion retailers take responsibility for the waste they create and reward companies that take positive action to reduce waste,” the report concludes.
What is ‘fast fashion’?
Fast fashion is affordable clothing produced rapidly in response to current trends.
It is often criticised for its disposable nature, with UK shoppers reportedly buying twice as many clothing items of clothing compared to a decade ago – but £235 million worth of clothing ending up in landfills last year alone.
The same report found 26.7 kilograms of new clothing is produced per head in the UK – the highest in the whole of Europe.
Why sustainability is big news
Sustainable fashion is a pressing concern in the UK industry today.
Initiatives such as the British Fashion Council’s Positive Fashion platform – which encourages the industry to perform best practice – and Olivia Firth’s Eco-Age, a sustainability consultancy firm, are pushing sustainability to the front of the agenda.
Many British high streets brands have also launched sustainable fashion lines, such as H&M Conscious, Zara’s #JoinLife range and ASOS Africa.
London Fashion Week, which ends today, has seen a number of brands pushing sustainable fashion.
Initiatives included Mother of Pearl’s ‘ball pit’ from recycled pearl-style balls, meant to mimic the effect of plastics in the ocean, created in collaboration with BBC Earth.
The brand also showcased a short film in collaboration with BBC Studio’s Natural History Unit, which highlighted the issues and solutions the fashion industry needs to employ for a more sustainable planet.
While the Global Recycling Council has as of late praised some companies such as Adidas for their efforts to use recycled polyester in their products, others such as Amazon UK are said to have given an inadequate response.
Last October, Boohoo’s student ‘meal deal’ campaign – allowing shoppers to basket three items for £30 – led many to question if fast fashion has gone too far.
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