Fast fashion

The textile industry is known to be one of the most environmentally damaging sectors globally, accounting for 10% of carbon emissions and 20% of drinking water pollution. According to Karina Bolin, CEO of Humana People to People Bulgaria, the use of reusable items can significantly mitigate this impact, reducing environmental harm by as much as 70 times.

Consumers in Athens, as well as Patra and Agrinio, are left aghast by the emergence of brick-and-mortar shops supposedly by popular Chinese fast-fashion online platform Shein. However the parent company reportedly knows nothing about them and considers taking measures, while the emergence of the news has apparently made those stores' operators rather nervous.

Shein and Temu, two Chinese e-commerce giants, are the targets of a proposed investigation by the United States government into the sale of “deadly products for babies and toddlers.”

France's parliament has backed a string of measures making low-cost fast fashion, especially from Chinese mass producers, less attractive to buyers.

The vote makes France the first country in the world "legislating to limit the excesses of ultra fast fashion", said Christophe Bechu, minister for the ecological transition.

Spanish fashion retailer Zara is expanding its used apparel scheme to Greece and another 13 European countries from December 12, Reuters reported the company as saying on Tuesday. Their 'Pre-Owned' service will sell, repair and donate second-hand clothes.

Chinese cut-price fast-fashion giant Shein defended its business model, saying demand-based production accounted for its low prices and not forced or cheap labour.     

Founded in China in 2008, Shein has swiftly claimed a top place in the global fast-fashion marketplace, offering young social-media-savvy customers low-priced collections that turn over at a steady clip.    

In a palm grove north of Baghdad, bemused Iraqi shepherds looked on as models paraded second-hand garments down an improvised catwalk, seeking to raise awareness of the fashion industry's environmental impact.