1500 - 2000 / Henry David Thoreau / Social and Environmental

The Negative Environmental and Personal Effects of Fashion [Thoreau]

By Effluo | Published March 17, 2023 | No Comments

The fashion industry has become a massive part of modern life, and with it comes to both negative environmental and personal effects. 

The fashion industry controls our personal choices of fashion and results in an overflow of textile waste.  

In this article, we will review the negative effects the fashion industry has on the environment and us personally.  We will further focus on personal responsibility when it comes to the impact of fashion on environmental health and our personal self-development.

Let us look at the impact consumerism has on our personal life balance.

What is Life Balance?

Life balance is a concept that encompasses all the different elements that go into making up your life.

It means striving for success and well-being in the following six areas:

•   Family and relationships
•   Physical and mental health
•   Spiritual growth and emotional intelligence
•   Intellectual development, hobbies, and creativity
•   Financial independence and career development
•   Social and environmental responsibility

Each of these contributes to your overall quality of life.

Finding a proper balance between focusing on these areas and preserving your mental and physical energy requires effort, but it is worth it.

It often requires you to prioritize your goals carefully in order to ensure you are able to devote appropriate time to each component of life areas.  This is so you can maximize your potential for personal satisfaction and meaningful relationships with others.

At Effluo, we study the teachings of great historical figures to get inspired by the lives of history’s greatest minds.  As we look to focus on the often neglected social and environmental area of the life balance wheel, we turn to the life and works of Henry David Thoreau.

For additional information and to complete the exercise to find your personal life balance download the Free Life Balance Wheel exercise. 

Who is Henry David Thoreau?

I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes.  If there is not a new man, how can the new clothes be made to fit? – Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau was a 19th-century American philosopher, naturalist, and author. He wrote his seminal book Walden, which advocates minimalism, simplicity, and self-sufficiency.

He advocated for a life that centered around simplicity, deeply appreciating nature, and one’s own individual and creative potential.  Through his writings, he has inspired countless people to embrace minimalism and discover how rewarding a simple life can be.  Thoreau reminds us of the importance of living in harmony with nature, as well as trusting in our ability to observe the world around us with clarity.

It’s easy to forget the importance of simplicity in our fast-paced, consumer-driven lives.  The words of Henry David Thoreau, however, help remind us of the important truth. This truth is that acquiring new clothes will not make us better people.  In other words – be mindful of creating new attitudes, for only then can you make sure ‘the new clothes fit.’

In a way, he’s like a sage teacher, offering us insight into the joys of being just ourselves. Peacefully exploring inner satisfaction through personal experimentation.

Negative Environmental and Personal Effects of Fashion Overview

We worship not the Graces, nor the Parcae, but Fashion. – Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau cogently observed that our current world is filled with misplaced worship – instead of revering and respecting the natural environment and its beauty, we too often turn to Fashion.

His observation rings painfully true in our society today.  We not only worship fashion, but we do so to the detriment of our planet.

Many are guilty of buying clothing, using it once or twice, then disposing of it and rushing out to purchase the newest trend from a fast-fashion label. This vicious cycle has negative environmental impacts, from excessive water and energy usage for production all the way to creating mountains of textile waste in landfills.

The negative environmental and personal effects of fashion are outlined in Thoreau’s work, Walden, in the following points:

1.   Environmental – Lost Purpose of Clothing Leads to Overflowing Landfills
2.   Environmental – Energy and Time is Drained
3.   Personal – Fashion Removes The Freedom of Self Expression
4.   Personal – Fashion Enriches Corporations and Impoverishes People
5.   Personal – Fashion Controls Your Personal Choices

Environmental – Lost Purpose of Clothing Leads to Overflowing Landfills

As for Clothing, to come at once to the practical part of the question, perhaps we are led oftener by the love of novelty and a regard for the opinions of men, in procuring it, than by a true utility. – Henry David Thoreau

Taking a serious look at the environmental consequences of our relationship to clothing, it is easy to see why Henry David Thoreau so wisely pointed out just how often we are led by the opinions of others in choosing clothing that has no real purpose for us.

Without mindful selection, this not only leads to overcrowded closets but huge amounts of unworn clothing. This clothing will eventually find their way into landfills and other illegal dumping sites, adversely affecting our environment.

Learning from the wisdom of Thoreau, we can start by changing our own attitude when it comes to fashion. Recognizing its true utility, and embracing the incredible opportunity continuously available through upcycling.

Clothing Utility Vs. Fashion

Kings and queens who wear a suit but once, though made by some tailor or dressmaker to their majesties, cannot know the comfort of wearing a suit that fits.  They are no better than wooden horses to hang the clean clothes on.  Every day our garments become more assimilated to ourselves, receiving the impress of the wearer’s character, until we hesitate to lay them aside without such delay and medical appliances and some such solemnity even as our bodies. – Henry David Thoreau

Clothing is an important aspect of our lives. Therefore, we must use it carefully and with a greater purpose than just being fashionable.

Our wardrobes reflect our identity, culture, and status in society.  Clothing has great utility for us in the form of protection from the elements and giving us warmth when needed.

Taking care of our garments instead of buying new ones each season can reduce the amount of discarded clothing ended up in landfills.  We must stop the overconsumption of trendy clothes without considering their utility or longevity.

Clothing should be seen as something to be treasured and enjoyed rather than a disposable fashion statement that contributes to overflowing landfills.

Henry David Thoreau said it best when he noted, “Our garments become more assimilated to ourselves, receiving the impress of the wearer’s character until we hesitate to lay them aside.”  Let’s reclaim our clothing apparel by investing time into finding quality pieces that are worth wearing more than once.

Clothing should be used for what it was originally intended for, bringing us joy and enhancing our lives with quality materials.  If we keep that in mind when making decisions about Fashion, then the world will start looking much brighter!

Environmental – Energy and Time are Drained

Beside, clothes introduced sewing, a kind of work which you may call endless; a woman’s dress, at least, is never done. – Henry David Thoreau

It’s no surprise that fashion is a never-ending endeavor. Yet what we often forget to recognize is the immense amount of energy and precious time that fashion drains away.

With fashion’s fast-paced, ever-changing trends, industries are continually in demand for new fabrics and materials to create designs.  These efforts take up energy from fossil fuels while producing pollution along with its fashion creations.

Increasing our fashion knowledge and buying fewer items with higher quality can greatly reduce the environmental damage fashion is causing.  When we’re in search of fashion pieces, let’s be mindful that fashion does not just consume energy but also time.  Often design professionals labor tirelessly while creating high fashion pieces to cascade down every season’s runways.

To reduce these negative environmental effects, fashion producers need to be conscious of their process’s impacts. They need to ensure they are creating products in the most efficient way possible. That means strictly adhering to sustainable practices for every step in the process.  We may never reach an end with fashion, but together we can help fashion evolve in a greener direction.

Personal – Fashion Removes The Freedom of Self Expression

Often if an accident happens to a gentleman’s legs, they can be mended; but if a similar accident happens to the legs of his pantaloons, there is no help for it; for he considers not what is truly respectable, but what is respected.  We know but few men, a great many coats and breeches.  Dress a scarecrow in your last shift, you standing shiftless by, who would not soonest salute the scarecrow? – Henry David Thoreau

From knits to ripped jeans, we all fit into a certain subset of fashion trends. Making fashion an integral part of how we present ourselves and creating an impression before we even utter a word.

Unfortunately, the reality is that we are often enslaved to the styles that may be popular at the moment and do not think twice about the impact they can have on our environment or personal sense of self-expression.

The buying process becomes driven by the need to fit in instead of the desire to be yourself.  We lose freedom of self-expression when our only priority is following fashion trends.

However, there is hope in understanding that we have the power to use these moments of self-expression for something positive.  Instead of disregarding trends altogether, shifting our focus towards sustainability can greatly increase our ability to express our authentic selves.

Thoreau was spot on when he said we tend to put our value in a pair of pants instead of in what we have to say.  It is hard to remember that fashion only makes us look good — it doesn’t make us good people.  We need to focus on re-establishing what we truly respect. Which is finding ways to express ourselves without sacrificing our values or losing sight of the things that really matter.

Fashion is Like Costumes

All costume off a man is pitiful or grotesque.  It is only the serious eye peering from, and the sincere life passed within it which restrain laughter and consecrate the costume of any people. – Henry David Thoreau

Fashion is a way for people to express themselves and tell a story, just like costumes.  In fashion, just as in costume, clothing items are selected or created by people to signify something about themselves and the values they uphold.  However, unlike the temporary nature of costumes worn during celebrations or events, fashion carries with it an element of universality and often has serious negative environmental impacts.

The fashion industry has been part of our lives for centuries, and Fashion has always been strongly linked to individual identity, setting aside one group from the other.

However, Fashion is more than mere trends and must be seen as a necessary costume because it allows us to express ourselves differently.  Moreover, Fashion typically drives consumption habits that have an impact on the environment and resources at large.

Henry David Thoreau said it best “All costume off a man is pitiful or grotesque” no matter how fashionable something is, it can never be truly applauded if it hurts our planet.

We must come together as a community of fashion lovers and create sustainable alternatives which allow us to keep up with modern trends while keeping nature afar from any potential harm.

Amidst all this, let’s also remember that Fashion should bring joy, build community and encourage expression just like costuming does – but with an eye toward sustainable fashion practices!

Personal – Fashion Enriches Corporations and Impoverishes People

As far as I have heard or observed, the principal object is not that mankind may be well and honestly clad but unquestionably, that corporations may be enriched. – Henry David Thoreau

No doubt fashion and fashion trends catch the eye of millions, but it is often overlooked or not given a thought why Fashion does not always benefit people.

Henry David Thoreau said Fashion was intended to enrich corporations and impoverish people, meaning Fashion might enrich big fashion companies’ profits at the cost of people’s time, income, and health.

Fashion has been used for centuries to express oneself, be unique, and stand out from the crowd.  However, in recent years, fashion has become monopolized by corporations controlling its availability and pricing.  Unfortunately, this makes fashion inaccessible to many people due to the prices they must pay.

At the same time, fashion enriches corporations by effectively turning people’s self-expression into a profitable industry.  The consequences of Fashion being controlled by corporations are evident – Fashion is not for the people anymore but instead is an avenue for corporate success.  As Henry David Thoreau stated, Fashion should enable humanity to be well and honestly clad and enable individuals to access Fashion with ease and in a cost-effective manner.

Personal – Fashion Controls Your Personal Choices

If you have any enterprise before you, try it in your old clothes.  All men want, not something to do with, but something to do, or rather something to be. – Henry David Thoreau

Your clothes are not the most important element of your identity—it is who you are as a person that really makes you stand out.

Despite this, Fashion can have tremendous influence on your personal choices, whether conscious or unconscious.  While clothes may influence some of the choices you make and how you think about yourself, if Fashion truly controls you, it means you’re allowing external factors to shape who you are rather than discovering those answers from within.

In other words, clothes don’t define who we are– what really matters is what tasks and activities we focus on and take ownership of in our life.

As Henry David Thoreau said: “If you have any enterprise before you, try it in your old clothes.  All men want rather something to do or rather something to be.”

It’s only when we concentrate our energy on that which truly matters that we can find fulfillment and uncover our true identities; Fashion won’t provide those answers.

Fashion Is Always Changing

Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new. – Henry David Thoreau

It is easy to get consumed by Fashion and trends, especially when the fashion industry presents us with so many tempting options.  However, it’s important to remember that Fashion is fleeting and temporary; what’s popular on the runway today won’t necessarily be trendy next season.

While Fashion can be a great way for people to express themselves and look sensational, too much attention to Fashion can result in negative outcomes, such as feeling poorly about one’s own looks or spending too much money on clothes that will soon go out of Fashion.

The negative effects of Fashion can admittedly be concerning–body image and self-confidence, among other things–but Fashion also offers us an opportunity to express ourselves and try something new.

As Henry David Thoreau once said: “Every generation laughs at the old fashions but follows religiously the new.” Embrace fashion and use it as a tool to enhance your unique style – after all, fashion should be fun!

Negative Environmental and Personal Effects of Fashion Summary

Fashion has become a big business, and it is draining our environment and ourselves in many ways.

Thoreau discussed the following negative environmental and personal effects of the fashion industry:

1.   Environmental – Lost Purpose of Clothing Leads to Overflowing Landfills
2.   Environmental – Energy and Time is Drained
3.   Personal – Fashion Removes The Freedom of Self Expression
4.   Personal – Fashion Enriches Corporations and Impoverishes People
5.   Personal – Fashion Controls Your Personal Choices

On the environmental side, clothing production has been misused to create cheap items that lose their purpose quickly, resulting in overflowing landfills with unnecessary waste.  This immense production also drains a lot of energy and time to sustain this disposable trend while providing little value over the long term.

We have also lost our freedom of expression.  Fashion becomes an arbiter of personal choices instead, exercising an oversized influence on our lives based on trends that are driven by corporate interests.  This focus on arbitrary desires further perpetuates inequality; for as corporations get richer due to this approach, people remain impoverished.  No matter how you look at it, Fashion can have a significant negative impact on us all – so we need to think deeply about our relationship with clothing now to ensure a better future.  We must once more reclaim our power of expression by breaking free from corporate chains.

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