The Concious Consumer Fair

The Parsippany-Troy Hills Conscious Consumer Fair

Fast fashion is the idea that your social relevance depends upon staying abreast with the latest runway trends and repetition is a fashion gaffe. Feeding into this Gen Z and alpha frenzy are fashion houses replicating runway trends at breakneck speeds. The fashion industry is a $1.2 trillion Industry. We spend on average $1,700 on clothes every year. Each one of us has an average of 103 items in the closet of which only 20% are ever worn before being tossed.

According to earth.org, almost 2 million tons of textile waste is produced each year. Approximately 90 million tons of garments produced end up in landfills each year. The textile industry is responsible for 8-10% of global CO2 emissions - greater than aviation & shipping combined. The textile industry uses 79 trillion liters of water and 98 million tons of non-renewable resources annually. 20% of industrial wastewater comes from the clothing industry. Only 1% of garments are recycled back into the industry and it takes up to 80 years for garments to break down in landfills.

Another major problem stemming from fast fashion is the proliferation of microplastics. 35% of all microplastics come from the synthetic clothing industry. These tiny plastic particles pose significant environmental and health problems, including harming marine life, disrupting eco- systems, and contributing to various diseases.

There are many ways to put the brakes on this crisis and becoming a conscious consumer is one of them. Please join us for The Conscious Consumer Fair on April 26, 2025 from 12 - 4:00 pm, at the Parsippany Main Library. The goal of this fair is to inspire citizens to make informed purchasing decisions by researching products and companies, prioritizing quality and durability, and choosing sustainable and ethical options while reducing overall consumption. There will also be a fun accessories swap to support consumer recycling - where you bring an item and take an item.