People love staying up to date with trends and buying fashionable clothing at the mall, but most are less keen on what happens after their garments are no longer worn and thrown away.
In the Atacama Desert mountains of Chile, an enormous pile of discarded clothing can be seen via satellite images taken by SkyFi, a high-resolution satellite company.
“The satellite image that we ordered of the clothes pile in Chile’s Atacama Desert really puts things into perspective,” says SkyFi. “The size of the pile and the pollution it’s causing is visible from space, making it clear that there is a need for change in the fashion industry.”
According to earthday.org, approximately 59,000 tons of fast fashion are shipped annually from the US, Europe, and Asia to Chile. When left to decompose for up to 200 years, the toxic textiles pollute water sources and the soil, leading to potential health concerns for locals.
However, the large clothing pile has since disappeared, as seen in new satellite images released by SkyFi.
Although not confirmed, there is speculation that the landfill was capped off with soil to cover it.
All images in this article are courtesy of SkyFi.
