hand holding envelope

Letter Asking Department Store to Carry Sustainable Clothing Brands

Week 28

I spent all week learning about fast fashion and it's shockingly negative impact on the environment. While I've made the decisions to make my closet more sustainable by shopping for secondhand clothes, my personal impact is miniscule in comparison to large brands and corporations. That's why, this week, I'm writing to popular department store, Macy's, and asking that they move away from fast fashion and work towards carrying more sustainable clothing brands.

Please use this letter as a template to voice your own concerns to a clothing store you love.

Good afternoon,

My name is Ali and I have been shopping at Macy's for as long as I can remember. I have nothing but great memories of not only the department stores, but also the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the 4th of July fireworks show in NYC. The name "Macy's" takes me right back to some of the happiest times in my life.

This year, my concern for the environment has increased immensely, and in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint, I resolved to shrink my waste by making one small change every week. This week, I took a long look at my shopping habit and the fashion industry and I was mortified to learn about the negative impact of fast fashion on our planet. So, I am writing to see if you will work towards phasing out fast fashion and carrying more sustainable brands in your stores.

According to the EPA, textiles make up nearly 8% of landfill waste. In 2018, The U.S. sent 9,070,000 tons of clothing and shoes to landfills. On average, a person in the US throws away 81 pounds of clothing every year. And to make matters even worse, clothing is often made of synthetic materials like nylon, polyester, and acrylic, which are all petroleum based, aka plastic. These materials can take hundreds of years to break down.

Beyond contributing massive amounts of waste, fast fashion uses up natural resources, like water. Garment manufacturing is responsible for 20% of global waste water. Synthetic materials, like nylon and polyester, need less water than their land-grown alternatives, but their production releases more greenhouse gasses per kilogram. It's estimated that the clothing industry emits 10% of global CO2 emissions.

I realize that no changes can be made overnight, but by holding brands accountable and encouraging sustainable "slow fashion", Macy's would certainly make a difference in the fashion world. It's no secret that climate change is on the verge of threatening our most basic daily tasks and I'm certain your patrons would be thrilled to see Macy's take a stand for the environment.

Sincerely,

Ali Hall

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