IT is the latest form in convenience shopping - clothes so cheap they can be worn only once and then discarded without impacting on household budgets.
Fast fashion has become a byword in the industry for sparkly dresses, smart shirts and t-shirts which sell for buttons up and down the high street.
Yet now there is a growing weight of evidence the prevalence of clothing so cheap it can be easily disposed of is harming the environment - and adding to the dangers of global warming.
And experts and campaigners are warning shoppers not to add to the pile as Scotland gets into the swing of the party season and the rush of last-minute Christmas gift-giving.
Recent research on the textile industry has found that it accounts for 8 per cent - 1.2bn tonnes - of global greenhouse gas emissions.
READ MORE: Fast-fashion can be just as durable as designer brands, says academic
The UK play a large part in this, consuming almost 27kg of new clothing per head per year compared to only 9 kg in France.
Global clothing production has doubled since 2000, and it takes 700 gallons of water to make 1 t shirt, the equivalent of 3 years’ drinking water for your average person.
Politicians are now urging people to think of more sustainable options for their wardrobes, to help cut down on waste.
Labour's Environment spokesperson Claudia Beamish said: “The festive season is the time to get your glad rags on and you may look to fashion for presents for loved ones.
“Many of us are used to being mindful about recycling Christmas cards and wrapping paper – but we are more blasé about fast fashion and textile waste. But we should all consider more sustainable options when planning partywear and gifts this winter.
“Scottish Labour has set the ambitious target for Scotland of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and a shift to a more circular economy will be an important step."
READ MORE: Fast-fashion can be just as durable as designer brands, says academic
She said that around 95 per cent of the clothes that are thrown away could be recycled or reused and highlighted the work of the ‘Miixer’ Zero Waste Hub in Dunbar, East Lothian, which diverts more than 30 tonnes of material from landfill every month to reuse for community benefit through donations to charities and its shop.
Susan Guy, a Director of Miixer CIC, said: “Miixer CIC’s ‘Big Pick’ initiatives aim to alleviate local clothing poverty, create jobs and significantly reduce CO2 emissions by keeping textile waste local. Our waste is our resource.”
Last month, U.K. lawmakers wrote to the heads of online retailers including Amazon.com Inc. and Asos to seek evidence about the environmental and social impacts of selling cheap clothes.
Stella McCartney
Fashion designer Stella McCartney has also criticised the trend, saying that people needed to be more aware of the impact the clothing industry has on the planet.
She said: “People wear, on average, fast fashion about three times before it’s thrown away. We need to educate.
“Big industry leaders have a much bigger impact than I do. Business leaders have to man-up.”
At Westminster the Commons environmental audit committee (EAC) has been examining the impact of clothes production, especially those items produced cheaply and quickly.
READ MORE: Plastics industry under pressure on pollution
Last month Labour MP Mary Creagh, chair of the committee, grilled representatives at fashion retailers, asking Primark's head of ethical trade and environmental sustainability Paul Lister on how the firm can justify selling T-shirts for as little as £2 or £3.
Mr Lister said: "Primark has never done any significant advertising at all, and that can save us in any year £100m to £150m, compared to some of our larger rivals. That goes straight into price. That keeps our pricing low."
"It's our business model that takes us to a £2 T-shirt."
Carol Kane, joint CEO of online fashion house Boohoo, said a small number of dresses intentionally sold at a loss, to drive more traffic to the site.
Ms Kane, asked if consumers were now too accustomed to cheap, disposable clothes, said: "I believe this all comes back to consumer demand. I've been in the industry for 32 years, and in that time I've seen prices decline."
Jamie Beck, from the Arcadia group, which includes Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burton, said that people should not throw away clothes which can still be used, adding: "These garments aren't designed to be a disposable item, to be bought for [just] a holiday. They're designed to be long-lasting."
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