Western Washington University is encouraging its students to think more eco-friendly regarding their wardrobes. Surrounded by a city with dozens of thrift stores and small businesses, WWU is bringing the mentality of Bellingham, Washington, onto campus with clothing swaps.
What's happening?
Western Washington University's Basic Needs Hub held a free clothing swap on June 6, 2025. Students were encouraged to only bring clothes still in wearable condition, but did not need to bring clothes to attend or benefit from the swap.
Why is the waste from fast fashion important?
"A lot of clothing in fast fashion is now petroleum-based," Grace Wang told the on-campus paper, the Front. Wang is a professor and the director of Western's Sustainability Engagement Institute.
When clothes are made of polyester, they are really made of petroleum, which means they cannot decompose and are not renewable resources. These discarded clothes are not made to last, are worn less than 10 times on average, and end up in a landfill, as does 85% of all clothes produced every year. After calculating the textile waste, pollution, and shipping, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon dioxide pollution.
Another big issue with the fast fashion industry is that the production timeline is vastly shortened in order to meet the demand for new styles in a matter of weeks. This greatly affects the quality, availability of renewable textiles, and waste produced. When companies like Shein and Temu know the average consumer will switch out their wardrobe with every new microtrend, part of their business strategy becomes planned obsolescence.
"Part of the problem with fast fashion is cheap clothing, both in terms of price and in terms of quality, is being produced so fast it may not sell out before they bring in a new line," Wang said to the Front.
What can I do about waste from fast fashion?
Breaking up with fast fashion makes a big difference for the environment, as the average American tosses 81.5 pounds of clothing every year. Instead, you can recycle your clothing properly with programs like Trashie or switch to thrifting.
Thrift shops offer higher-quality clothes at a similar cost, with no extra shipping fees, and no further damage to the environment.
"Buying good quality clothes that will last a long time [is] one of the more important things that people can do," Wang shared. "Take really good care of your clothes and spend a little bit more money on stuff that is going to last."
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