Spring, summer, autumn, winter - as the seasons change, the fashion of the previous season passes. Does this still surprise anyone? Unfortunately not. We have become accustomed to rapidly changing trends. Trendy clothes can now be bought for next to nothing in a popular chain store. It is worth remembering, however, that this approach comes at a price - and not just the one on the label.

Shopping has never been easier. Simply download the app to your phone and in just a few clicks you can enjoy your new acquisition. Convenient? Certainly. But this convenience comes at a price. Fast fashion is a phenomenon that negatively affects the environment.

Fast fashion - what does it mean?

The fast fashion phenomenon is the answer to rapidly changing fashion trends. It involves the fast and cheap production of clothes that fit perfectly into the latest trends. Sounds good, doesn't it? Unfortunately, it is worth knowing that fast fashion has serious consequences - both for the environment and for people. Producing clothes on a mass scale involves huge water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and the generation of tonnes of textile waste. What's more, behind the low prices there are often unethical working conditions for the people making the clothes in developing countries.

What else characterises fast fashion? First and foremost - accessibility. You can find these clothes on almost every corner, in popular chain stores that you have probably visited more than once. They tempt you with low prices and fashionable looks, making them available for practically every budget. However, behind this attractiveness often lies poor quality. In order to minimise production costs, cheap materials are used that quickly deteriorate, and the clothes themselves are not always carefully made.

What do the figures say about the textile industry?

Perhaps it's the numbers that will make you think before your next impulsive purchase. Before you throw another trendy pair of jeans into your basket - consider whether you really need it.

It is estimated that around 10 per cent of the microplastic entering the oceans each year comes from textiles. How is it possible that clothes are a source of microplastics? Well, many of them are made from synthetic materials such as polyester or nylon. These are cheap and durable, which makes them attractive to the fashion industry. However, their exploitation comes at a price - every time these clothes are washed and dried, they release microplastics, which end up in sewage systems and then - in rivers, seas and oceans. It is estimated that every year the ocean receives half a million tonnes of these pollutants. This is as much as plastic pollution over 50 billion bottles.

Dressing all at once? Unfortunately, it's possible. Over the last 15 years, people have started to wear clothes less and less before throwing them away. It used to be that one item served us until it really wore out. Today, we often only put it on 7 to 10 times before it goes in the bin. This is the result of a 'buy - wear - throw away' culture that gets worse every year.

These figures not only raise awareness of the scale of the problem, but also encourage a more responsible approach to fashion and consumption. So how about it - can you manage to keep your next shopping trip to the bare minimum?