On a Zara store shelf, a 500-rupee shirt just looks like a small, harmless piece of the latest trend that is affordable to most people. But somewhere in South Asia, that shirt might have been the cause of someone's loss of health, water or even life.

Fast fashion is a business model which aims at changing fashion trends from the runway or social media to the retail floor in a very short time. Being fast and cheap are the main pillars of this industry, which allows brands to produce enormous quantities of fashionable clothes at such low prices that consumers even throw them away after a few uses. However, this "throw-away" way of life is based on the exploitation of human beings and nature in the Global South within the supply chain.

South Asian Supply Chain 

The countries of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka have turned into the main manufacturing source for the world fashion giants. South Asia is the biggest fast-fashion supply chain center globally because it provides a "perfect storm" for brands. Low production costs, a large pool of cheap workers, and often a lack of efficient legal or environmental controls. Besides bringing industrial development to the region, this system's overwhelming dominance is causing drastic environmental damages and even leading to social problems.

Bangladesh is a global leader in the garment trade, with ready-made garments (RMG) accounting for roughly 83% of the country’s total exports. Millions of people work in this industry, providing a vital economic lifeline for the nation. However, the cost of competitiveness is borne by the workers. Despite the immense wealth generated for international brands, Bangladeshi garment workers earn some of the lowest wages in the world, with a minimum monthly salary of approximately 12,500 taka (roughly $113 USD).

Beyond labor exploitation, the environmental impact is also devastating. A frequently overlooked crisis is the impact of textile production on water systems. In the Dhaka watershed, industrial waste accounts for 60% of total pollution, with the textile sector ranking as the second-largest polluter after tanneries.

Currently, there are 719 factories involved in washing, dyeing, and finishing that discharge untreated wastewater directly into the rivers around Dhaka. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates that for every tonne of fabric produced, up to 200 metric tonnes of wastewater can be generated. Even with four major rivers surrounding Dhaka, the water supply for its 18 million residents is heavily threatened. On one hand, the industry's low prices give it a competitive advantage, but on the other hand, the non-compliance issues regarding worker safety and environmental integrity are, in fact, the barriers to the sustainable foreign investment.

Dyeing the Rivers

In India, the fast fashion crisis is most evident in terms of chemical pollution of water and handling of textile waste. A large percentage of water pollution from industries in India is caused by the textile dyeing. These chemicals, which are mostly toxic and non-biodegradable, without proper treatment are dumped directly into the local water bodies.

Tiruppur, in Tamil Nadu, is an apt example that is a textile production center globally. It has thousands of dyeing factories. Years of polluting the Noyyal River with effluent from these factories has made the river unfit for drinking and the surrounding farming land dead.

On the other hand, Panipat (Haryana) is called the "world textile recycling capital." The city gets tons of discarded apparel from domestic and foreign markets. While the idea of recycling seems environmentally very friendly, this is not really the case in Panipat. The main product from the recycling of old clothes is "shoddy" wool used to make blankets and carpets. However, the process of cutting up old clothes creates huge amounts of textile dust and micro-waste which are the major contributors to the local air and soil pollution.

Poor Waste Management 

Pakistan: The Manchester of the East

Pakistan ranks among leading cotton producing countries globally and remains a backbone of the South Asian textile industry. The sector accounts for a large part of the Pakistan economy but at the same time it reflects the hardships experienced by the neighboring countries. Faisalabad, known as the "Manchester of Pakistan,” is home to hundreds of textile mills and dyeing units.

Waste management infrastructure has lagged behind the rapid growth of these production plants. Factories often discharge untreated wastewater with heavy metals and synthetic dyes directly into the Chenab River. Since the Chenab serves as a main water source for farming and the local people, the deterioration of the river will directly affect human health and the environment.

Poor Safety Standards 

Fast fashion operates mostly through the constant pressure of "speed to market." This pressure gets passed from one step of the supply chain to another until it finally lands on the factory floor. In order to finish the work within the allotted time and at the lowest cost, the owner of the factories are often the ones making the decision to neglect safety standards and labor rights.

The 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh remains the most haunting reminder of this negligence. The disaster, which killed over 1,100 garment workers, exposed the lethal conditions of global supply chains. While it sparked international debates on corporate responsibility, many workers, the majority of whom are women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, still work long hours in overcrowded, hazardous environments to survive.

The need for collaborative action

The evidence is indisputable: the fast fashion model of today is not environmentally sustainable. Three major sectors are essential to bringing about change. It is high time South Asian countries not only pass stricter environmental regulations but also strictly enforce them, making sure that there is no factory releasing waste water without adequate treatment. Besides, upholding legally binding labour standards must also be a priority together with ensuring safety of the workplace environment.

It is time the international fashion companies stop using "compliance checklists" as an excuse and start owning their supply chains ethically, working hand-in-hand with the manufacturing units as they move towards greener ways of production through technology. The first step is for people to understand their role as a buyer. Consumers who purchase less, opt for quality rather than quantity, and ask for transparency, will show that a shirt priced at ₹500 is not something for which a person's life can be sacrificed.

REFERENCES

Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). (2017). Water governance mapping report: Textile industry water use in Bangladesh. SIWI Publications

Aizebeokhai, A. P., & Agogo, H. O. (2025). Comprehensive characterization of textile effluents from Tiruppur: A strategic outlook of environmental burden and scope for sustainable management. International Journal on Science and Technology, 16(3).

Magudeswaran, P. N., & Ramasamy, V. K. (n.d.). Water quality index of River Noyyal at Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, India. Nature Environment and Pollution Technology, 34(8), 952–954.

d.docs.live.net

Bangladesh's fashion pollution: A wake-up call - Asia News NetworkAsia News Network

Power looms in Pakistan’s textile hub of Faisalabad facing crisis - Internews Pakistan

(The writer is a student and independent researcher focusing on the intersection of global trade and environmental ethics. Her work explores the hidden social and ecological footprints of the fast fashion industry within South Asian supply chains. Views expressed are personal. She can be reached at ishikachauhan9c17@gmail.com )