War on Waste goes to Splendour in the Grass

​ABC recycling series War on Waste has a Fast Fashion Graveyard installation at this weekend’s Splendour in the Grass festival.

​With 227 million kilos of clothing going to landfill it symbolises the discarded clothing items that end up in landfill. With many Australians’ purchasing festival or concert outfits, often from fast fashion retailers, this activation highlights the harsh reality of their fashion choices.

Festival goers are invited to walk through the Fast Fashion Graveyard and read the harrowing fashion waste statistics displayed on the tombstones. The activation aims to encourage festival goers to consider the environmental and social impact of their clothing choices and empower them to be part of the solution.

Australia’s fast fashion waste crisis is just one of the three Craig Reucassel investigates during the new War on Waste season.

War on Waste host, Craig Reucassel, says “Fast fashion has exploded! We’ve moved to ultra-fast fashion, even though 30% of clothing in the average wardrobe has not been worn in the last year. We’re throwing out 10kg of fashion per person each year. To make only the cotton clothes that we throw out each year, would take as much water as there is in Sydney Harbour. Meanwhile, over 60% of our clothes are made from plastic derived from fossil fuels. Through this activation, we hope to engage the festival community in meaningful conversations about the impact of fast fashion and inspire them to embrace more sustainable and ethical practices. Buy less and wear it longer!”

The Fast Fashion Graveyard will be open until Sunday 23 July. Recycled or repurposed materials have been used to create the activation, and following the festival, the materials will be repurposed or recycled.

Tuesday 25 July at 8.30pm on ABC.