If you’ve opened the news lately, you’ve probably seen the word tariff more times than your own reflection. Tariffs on this, tariffs on that — suddenly, trade policy is the main character. And while it might sound like background noise for economists, these not-so-glamorous headlines are quietly creeping into your closet.

Yes, tariffs are hitting fast fashion giants like Shein and Temu. But they’re also squeezing the very brands trying to make fashion better — the sustainable ones. And if you care about what you wear and how it’s made, this trade war might matter more than you think.

So, what even is a tariff? 

In short, it’s a tax on imported goods. When a country imposes tariffs, it makes it more expensive to bring certain products in from abroad — usually in the name of protecting domestic industries. Lately, the US has been cracking down on low-cost imports from China, including a push to close the “de minimis” loophole that lets ultra-cheap goods like Shein hauls and Temu gadgets slip in tariff-free. The result? A shake-up across the fashion industry that’s creating some unexpected winners, plenty of losers, and a few truly ugly consequences.

Let’s break it down. 

The Good

These tariffs could achieve something that no sustainability professional has been able to deliver: slow down rampant, senseless consumption. Ultra-fast fashion giants like Shein and Temu rely on lightning-fast, low-cost supply chains to flood the US market with microtrends and $4 t-shirts. If tariffs raise import costs and slow shipping times, this business model starts to crack. 

While this is a good thing, it is important to note: these policies were not designed with climate change or labor rights in mind. However, they may inadvertently help pump the brakes on overproduction, textile waste, and carbon emissions by making it harder for these companies to churn out cheap clothes at breakneck speed. If fast fashion stops being fast and cheap — the very factors that make it so appealing — consumers might pull back. These tariffs aren’t the solution to fast fashion, but they might be a speed bump.

In the fashion world, buying less is the most sustainable thing you can do. The second best? Buying second-hand. Economic strain and higher prices pushes consumers toward thrifting, clothing swaps, and rental fashion as a budget friendly, eco-conscious alternative. We saw this in the 2008 recession: about two thirds of US second-hand stores surveyed by the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops said that their sales increased in 2009.

We are seeing this pattern again. Money is getting tighter, and people are getting thriftier — literally. According to ThredUp’s 2025 Resale Report, 59% of consumers (and 66% of younger generations) say that if new government policies around tariffs and trade make apparel more expensive, “they will seek more affordable options like second-hand.” 

The Bad

The bad news: tariffs don’t care how good your intentions are. While fast fashion giants might get tripped up, the brands actually trying to do the right thing will likely face the steepest uphill battle. Sustainable fashion companies, which already operate on tighter margins due to ethical sourcing, fair wages, and lower production volumes, are especially vulnerable. 

Unlike ultra-fast fashion brands that can absorb price hikes by cutting corners elsewhere, small and mid-sized sustainable labels don’t have that kind of cushion. They rely on carefully sourced materials, smaller batch production, artisanal skills, and slower, more transparent supply chains — all things that cost more to begin with. Adding hefty tariffs to the equation forces many of these brands into a lose-lose situation: either raise prices and risk alienating customers, or eat the costs and threaten their own survival. 

Tariffs also don’t distinguish between a $2 polyester shirt made in a factory with poor labor standards and a $150 organic cotton dress made by artisans earning living wages. It’s a one-size-fits-all penalty that ignores the nuances of better fashion business models. In the end, brands pushing for positive change could get squeezed the hardest.

The Ugly

When costs rise and margins tighten, someone always pays — and it’s usually not the CEO. In the global fashion supply chain, that “someone” is often a garment worker. Tariffs raise costs for brands, but instead of cutting into profits or trimming energy use, many companies will look to maintain margins by pressuring their suppliers to lower production costs. This often results in factory owners — who operate on slim margins — reducing wages, speeding up production, or shifting manufacturing to countries with weaker labor protections to meet the lower price demands.

Jason Judd, executive director of ILR’s Global Labor Institute, explained the impact of tariffs on apparel workers and the fashion industry. He uses Sri Lanka as an example, a country that already has a dangerously low minimum wage for garment workers: “More downward pressure on wages after several years of very high inflation will mean — for workers who hold onto their jobs — hungry children and desperate families. The predicament for those who lose their jobs will be worse.” Manufacturers will almost always bargain working conditions and wages to maintain their margins, especially in countries where labor unionizing is suppressed. 

History shows garment workers nearly always face the burden in the wake of a crisis. We saw how brutal the trade-off was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when dozens of global brands canceled billions of dollars in orders — many after garments had already been made. They left factories unpaid and workers without wages, severance, or safety nets. Brands prioritized their bottom lines over basic human dignity, and millions of garment workers paid the price. 

Tariffs could trigger a similar chain reaction — one where costs rise, compassion disappears, and the most vulnerable people in the supply chain are forced to carry the weight.

In the End

If you’re tired of hearing about tariffs, you’re not alone. But the chaos they’ve created reveals just how fragile and unfair our system really is. Tariffs have stirred the pot, and in the simmer, we can see the cracks: a system that punishes good actors, shields the worst, and sacrifices workers when the math doesn’t add up. 

Sure, fast fashion might slow — for a moment. Second-hand might surge — for a season. But sustainable brands are strained, and workers are once again footing the bill. Tariffs aren’t going to fix the fashion industry, and they certainly aren’t going to save the planet. However, they remind us why fashion needs changing in the first place. 

You can contribute to meaningful change by supporting Earthday’s Fashion for the Earth Campaign, where we strive to educate consumers on sustainable fashion practices. Check out our How To Shop Sustainably Toolkit and learn how you can make an impact with your shopping choices by signing the Fashion Industry Must Change petition.

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Imagine a city where buildings breathe like plants, streets flow like rivers, and neighborhoods grow like forests. In contrast to the rigid, concrete jungles that dominate urban landscapes today, some cities are beginning to embrace designs inspired by nature itself. 

Integrating biomimicry, Feng Shui, and permaculture into urban design can create sustainable, resilient cities that work in harmony with both the environment and human well-being. These three design strategies each offer unique approaches to reconnecting urban spaces with natural systems: biomimicry draws direct inspiration from nature’s engineering, permaculture emphasizes regenerative and self-sustaining ecosystems, and Feng Shui focuses on energy flow and balance.

We Wouldn’t Be The First…

Many ancient civilizations designed their cities with nature’s blueprint in mind. The Aztecs built floating gardens, or chinampas, in the Valley of Mexico that sustainably managed water, promoted biodiversity, maximized space, and fostered social cohesion. Ancient Egyptians used nature in their design by mimicking natural forms, like papyrus stalks as temple columns. They used high ceilings, thick walls, and strategic positioning to harness natural ventilation and regulate temperatures, often referred to as ‘passive solar energy’ today. The Han Dynasty were among the first to align buildings and tombs with natural elements for auspicious outcomes, laying the foundation for what is now known as Feng Shui. 

Modern city planning has largely moved away from these ancient practices. Today, cities focus on efficiency, density, and speed — often at the cost of the environment, air quality, and long-term sustainability. 

But to create resilient cities that can truly thrive in the future, perhaps urban designers need to draw inspiration from these ancient practices and use nature as the blueprint. Some architects and designers are doing just this — here’s how:

Nature As Architect

Biomimicry is a design approach that we see across many scientific disciplines, which seeks solutions by emulating nature’s own organic strategies. In urban design, it studies how plants, animals, and ecosystems have adapted over millennia to create ‘homes’ and safe havens, then applies these lessons to human engineering. 

Just as forests naturally manage and balance their ecosystems —  biomimetic architecture designs cities that regulate temperature, manage water flow, and optimize energy use to create self-sustaining, resilient city environments. 

The Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe uses biomimicry by replicating the natural ventilation system of termite mounds. In a country as hot as Zimbabwe, artificially cooling a building can be hugely expensive. Architect Mike Pearce recognized termites as the masterminds behind passive cooling systems and replicated them, using termite knowledge to the benefit of humans.

The design incorporates thermal mass, which means thick brick walls absorb heat during the day to prevent the interior from becoming too hot. Meanwhile, cool air is drawn in through vents at the bottom of the building, allowing natural ventilation to circulate and cool the interior during the day. Gradually, the thermal mass bricks release the heat they absorbed during the day at night. This process eliminates the need for daytime air conditioning and night time heating, thus saving energy costs. 

This incredible termite design saved $3.5 million in construction costs and further cut the building’s energy use by more than 50%, compared to traditional air-conditioned buildings, benefiting both the environment and the people inside.

Regenerative Urban Spaces

Permaculture is a design philosophy that is inspired by nature’s ability to thrive. It focuses on creating sustainable, self-sufficient environments by working with natural processes, rather than against them. 

Permaculture combines “permanent” and “agriculture” to mean lasting, productive systems that blend our needs with nature’s rules. While biomimicry and permaculture both draw inspiration from nature, biomimicry focuses on emulating nature’s designs to solve human challenges, while permaculture emphasizes creating self-sustaining ecosystems that regenerate and nourish the environment over time. 

After a devastating earthquake in 2011, Christchurch, New Zealand embarked on a transformative journey to rebuild its urban landscape by integrating permaculture and green design. Ōtākaro Orchard, a community-led urban food forest, is accredited for Christchurch’s new nickname, The Edible Garden City. This project features five public food forests, 26 community gardens, 70 edible gardens in schools, and 26,000 fruit trees on public land. 

The accompanying education hub and cafe were designed with sustainability at their core, incorporating elements like a blue-green roof, solar arrays, compost toilets, adobe mud bricks for passive solar heating, infiltration swales, and greywater recycling systems. Christchurch not only strengthened its food security and sustainable urban design, but also created a disaster-resilient city where regenerative systems foster both environmental and community resilience. 

Designing for Balance and Flow

Feng Shui, ancient Chinese practice, seeks to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment by balancing energy flow, or chi. This life force is considered the energy that connects and maintains balance and harmony in the universe. Chi is believed to influence health, well-being, and prosperity, making Feng Shui a guiding principle in urban planning across East Asia, including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

When used in urban design, Feng Shui considers how building placement, shape, and materials impact chi circulation. For example, curved or rounded buildings positioned near natural elements, like forests, mountains or water, are believed to attract positive energy. This is because curves promote the smooth flow of energy, unlike sharp angles, which are thought to create disruptive or negative energy. 

Plants and greenery are frequently used in Feng Shui to promote growth, health, and harmony, as they are seen as powerful sources of natural energy that can help balance a space. Scientific studies also support this idea — access to greenery has been shown to reduce stress and improve well-being. Similarly, natural light is emphasized in Feng Shui for its vitality-boosting properties, influencing architectural decisions about window placement and interior layout. 

In Hong Kong, Feng Shui principles have shaped the city’s skyline so that it is in harmony with the natural environment and reflects traditional values. The surrounding mountains of Victoria Peak are believed to act as guardians of Hong Kong, providing a protective barrier. The city is also positioned along a body of water, Victoria Harbour, to promote positive energy flow and attract good fortune. 

The Bank of China Tower embodies Feng Shui design by using its sharp triangular design to channel energy flow, symbolizing growth and prosperity, while its reflective glass facade balances the building’s energy with its natural surroundings. The International Commerce Centre embraces rounded edges, which soften energy flow, and its waterfront location, allowing positive energy from the harbor to circulate freely.  

A Triple Threat

While biomimicry, permaculture, and Feng Shui have different and distinct approaches, they all share one core and fundamental belief: that human spaces should reflect and respect the natural world. Combining these philosophies results in cities that are not only sustainable but also adaptive, beautiful, and deeply connected to both nature and our own well-being. 

The Gardens by the Bay in Singapore is the ultimate triple threat, seamlessly blending biomimicry, Feng Shui, and permaculture. 

The project includes a Supertree Grove, with 18 towering structures designed to mimic natural trees by absorbing and distributing rainwater, dissipating heat, and harnessing solar energy through photovoltaic cells. It incorporates Feng Shui principles in its layout to balance energy flow and ensure harmony between elements, as well as permaculture practices through rainwater collection, natural cooling systems, and the creation of self-sustaining ecosystems within its gardens. Gardens by the Bay is a living testament to how cities can embrace nature’s blueprint to create dynamic, beautiful, and sustainable urban environments. 

The future of urban design lies not in conquering nature but in learning from it. Biomimicry,  permaculture and Feng Shui offer a triple threat strategy for rethinking how our cities are built. Together, they form a holistic approach for urban design that prioritizes sustainability, resilience, and harmony. 

If you want to take action to make your community more sustainable, check out Earthday’s Earth Action Day Roundtable. The Earth Action Day is an opportunity for everyone to engage in a constructive dialogue about how renewable energy, solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower, can benefit their community. Be it providing new jobs, improving air quality, increasing city revenue – the Earth Action Day will provide a town hall-style forum for citizens, business leaders and government officials to come together to discuss their clean energy options.

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If you took high school physics, you may be familiar with Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This principle was discovered in the 1600s, reminding us that every choice comes with a consequence.

While it’s most commonly applied to physical forces, it also mirrors the way our actions ripple through social and environmental systems. One striking example? Fast fashion. For every low price tag and trendy piece, there’s an equally impactful, often hidden, cost to the planet and its population, be it human or otherwise! 

For Every Action…

Fast fashion took off because it promises trendy clothes for unusually low prices. Brands can tap into our obsession with being on point but on a budget by creating super fast production and distribution processes that see runway knockoffs in the stores at lightning speeds. This allows ordinary people with ordinary incomes to participate in the latest trends, once reserved for far more affluent consumers. 

H&M and Zara were among the first to employ this accelerated business model and quickly became some of the most profitable in the fashion industry as a result.  In 2024, Zara and H&M were valued at respectively 17.8 billion US dollars and 13.6 billion US dollars. More recently, however, Shein has taken center stage in the world of fast fashion, leading the US garment market share by 50%. This is largely due to the brand’s enticingly low prices and clickable convenience – you can jump on the latest fashion trends without leaving your house OR breaking the bank. 

Shein’s growing dominance reflects a shift toward even faster production cycles and even more disposable fashion. 

But, according to Newton’s principle, these conveniences come at a cost – one that manifests in environmental destruction, worker exploitation, disease, and a culture of overconsumption. 

The Equal and Opposite Reactions…The Environment

The fashion industry is considered the one of the most polluting industries in the world, accounting for 2 to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to global warming, disrupting weather patterns, melting polar ice, rising sea levels, and intensifying natural disasters. 

In addition to carbon emissions, the process of synthetically dyeing clothes uses vast amounts of water and chemicals, which are often discharged into local waterways and eventually spread around the globe.

Fast fashion also creates mountains of waste. Because of the poor quality of these clothes and the quick turn-around rates of fashion trends, most people only wear their clothes 10 times before throwing them away. The fashion industry produces up to 100 billion garments a year and as much as a staggering 87% of them, that’s 92 million tons, will end up in landfills. Even thrift stores are overflowing with fast fashion products, once home to durable vintage items.

Workers

While low prices are attractive, there is a reason why fast fashion is so cheap. This business model maximizes labor output while minimizing costs and production time by relying on supply chains in the Global South that provide the low-cost labor fast fashion demands. Of the 75 million garment factory workers worldwide, less than 2% earn a living wage. 

On top of that, many are forced to work exhausting hours in unsafe conditions. The Rana Plaza disaster in 2013 exposed some of these harsh conditions. The factory owners discovered large structural cracks in the building and, despite warnings to evacuate, forced workers to continue making clothes. The next day, the eight-story building collapsed killing 1,134 people and injuring thousands.

The garment industry disproportionately relies on women, and in some regions they represent a staggering 80% of the workforce. This makes exploitation in fast fashion a deeply gendered issue, as these women are frequently subjected to mental and physical abuse as well as sexual harassment. A report by the Clean Clothes Campaign found that male managers often demand sexual favors from women in exchange for job security, contributing to a larger pattern of systemic abuse. 

Human Health

Believe it or not, the clothes you buy from Shein can potentially harm your health. Because nowadays, the vast majority of fast fashion, around 70%, are made of polyester – a cheap synthetic material. 

This plastic fabric is made from various chemicals derived from oil, a fossil fuel, and a range of plastic toxic chemicals. At every stage in production and consumption, polyester releases tiny pieces of plastic called microfibers. Because polyester is not biodegradable, these microfibers will stick around for hundreds of years and have contaminated our soil, our oceans, and our fresh waters. These microfibers and the toxic chemicals that leach from them have made their way inside our bodies. Studies have found these microfibers in human blood, lungs, hearts, umbilical cords, placenta, and breast milk. 

These microfibers, and microplastics, and the chemicals that leach from them, have been associated with a range of human health issues. From cancers, to heart attacks, strokes, infertility, miscarriage, endocrine issues, Alzheimer’s and more.

Overconsumption

Finally, our culture of overconsumption serves as both a consequence and a driving force behind these issues. We live in a world increasingly dominated by social media, where the pressure to consume has reached unprecedented levels. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok amplify the influence of celebrities and influencers, driving people to chase the latest fashions in an endless cycle of “must-haves.” 

The desire to ‘keep up’ fosters a stigma against rewearing outfits, encouraging individuals to treat clothing as disposable. Even seemingly lighthearted trends like ​​girl math perpetuate overconsumption by normalizing excessive spending and justifying impulsive purchases. This cultural mindset feeds the fast fashion machine, prioritizing fleeting trends over sustainability and fueling overconsumption. 

What Can You Do?

Despite the challenges posed by fast fashion, there is still hope for a more sustainable fashion future. Newton’s Third Law reminds us that for every harmful reaction, we can take an equally powerful, positive action. By making conscious choices, we can begin to shift the narrative. 

Choose quality over quantity, support brands that prioritize ethical labor practices, and embrace vintage style secondhand shopping and clothing shops. Advocate for systemic change by holding corporations accountable and demanding transparency in their supply chains. Most importantly, challenge the culture of overconsumption: rewear your clothes, repair them, and reject the notion that new is always better. 

Each of us has the power to disrupt the cycle and create a fashion industry that values people and the planet over profit. If you agree, take a look at our Fashion for the Earth campaign and read our Fashion Legislation Report. It brings together the most meaningful legislation recently adopted or being proposed in legislatures right now around the globe aimed at combating the worst excesses of the fashion industry. Make sure you are fully informed and most of all reject the notion that new is always better. 

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org.

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