Fast fashion has been sweeping the whole world for its accessibility and price. However, these quick and easily accessible clothing brands aren’t as safe as they appear. As fast fashion grows, so does the environmental influence it leaves behind. Fast fashion brands search for the cheapest and fastest way to keep up with the latest trends, and many clothing items require large amounts of cotton, nylon and polyester (聚酯纤维). These materials may appear safe to the eye, but they have a greater impact on the environment than most people believe.
Cotton is the most profitable non-food crop in the world. The cotton industry makes up 7% of all labor in developing countries. Cotton, however, is not very safe for the environment once it’s mass-produced for clothing. Cotton planting, the process of putting the leaves of the cotton plants under the soil to grow new cotton, actually destroys the quality of the soil in which it is grown. Cotton production usually includes the use of fertilizers and pesticides, which not only pollute the soil, but also the water through polluted runoff.
Nylon, unlike cotton, is a fully synthetic (合成的) material. It is the first fabric (布料) to be made fully in a laboratory. Nylon is not biodegradable (可自然降解的) and its production is an energy-wasting process that creates unsafe gases and sends them into the atmosphere.
Polyester is made out of petroleum. This fabric is one of the world’s most popular and cheapest fabrics to make. Its whole production process sends unsafe gases into the air. Besides, once the polyester clothing is made, washing it sends microfibers into the environment, specifically in waterways. So polyester is considered one of the most perilous materials to the environment.
Despite various companies making clothing out of unsafe materials, it’s up to you to put a stop to it. Try shopping for more environmentally friendly materials. And when it’s time to get rid of old clothes, don’t throw them away. Instead of having your clothes become landfill, sell them, or even donate them to somebody else.
【小题1】What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Fast fashion is popular because of its high quality. |
| B．Fast fashion has a negative effect on the environment. |
| C．The materials of fast fashion brands are environmentally-friendly. |
| D．Despite the expensive price, the materials of fast fashion brands are safe. |
| A．A large quantity of water is wasted. | B．Harmful gases are sent into the air. |
| C．The soil environment is damaged. | D．Great profits are gained by farmers. |
| A．Safe. | B．Important. | C．Useful. | D．Dangerous. |
| A．Call on people to take action. | B．Give a warning to the public. |
| C．Offer some shopping advice. | D．Raise some questions of fast fashion. |
