Inside out and outraged: Can Earth Day turn fast fashion on its head?

This Earth Day, 22 April, marks the launch of a bold international campaign confronting one of the world’s most polluting industries: fast fashion. While sectors such as aviation, automotive, and livestock have drawn public criticism for their environmental damage, fast fashion has largely escaped similar scrutiny—despite being a major contributor to climate change, pollution, and textile waste. This inspiring campaign, called Inside Out: The Flip Side of Fast Fashion, has come to make a significant impact in our society.

The business of overconsumption
 

Fast fashion thrives on a model of mass production and overconsumption. It floods the market with cheaply made garments, pressuring consumers to constantly update their wardrobes, regardless of the environmental toll. And while some brands dabble in greenwashing, the truth behind the tags often remains hidden.
 

Turning the industry inside out
 

To expose this reality, activists and sustainable fashion experts from 20 countries will take to social media in a coordinated digital protest. Wearing a series of second-hand T-shirts from brands like Shein, H&M, Zara, and Gap—each flipped inside out and emblazoned with bold, ironic slogans—the campaign literally and metaphorically turns fast fashion on its head.
 

Protest worn proudly

The 100 upcycled T-shirts showcase ten striking designs addressing key issues such as microplastics, carbon emissions, water pollution, deforestation, and garment waste. These aren’t fashion statements—they’re protest pieces. None will be sold. Instead, the public will be invited to download the designs for free and follow simple DIY instructions to transform their own old T-shirts into wearable acts of resistance.

Read more A good wine is good for you, and even better for the planet

A movement in the making

This guerrilla-style intervention sends a clear message: fast fashion can’t continue to hide behind trends and PR spin. By reclaiming and repurposing their products, the campaign shines a spotlight on the true cost of cheap clothes—calling for a future where fashion respects both people and the planet. Learn more about Inside Out: The Flip Side of Fast Fashion here.
 

Real change begins when we flip the narrative and wear our values on our sleeves—literally and unapologetically.