
When did all our clothes become plastic? (SUMMER SERIES)
From Quick Smart by ABC Australia
January 12, 2026 · 10 min
About this episode
This episode explores the rise of plastic in the fashion industry and its impact on Australian consumers.
Australia buys more clothes per person than any other country and most of it is made up of plastic. Thanks to fast fashion, even our op shops are becoming flooded with these polyester products. So, when did we start wearing plastic? And why did it take over the fashion industry? Guest: Anna Levy, ABC journo. Anna Levy’s article on the rise of not-so-fantastic plastic fashion can be found here . And if you’re into environmental issues and solving them in small but meaningful ways, check out our episode on overtourism . -------- You’re listening to Quick Smart's summer season. We’ll return with fresh episodes next year, but in the meantime please enjoy our special curation for the holidays. This episode originally aired on 28th Jan, 2025.
People in this episode
Guest: Anna Levy
Topics covered
- fast fashion
- environmental issues
- plastic clothing
- Australian fashion
- op shops
Keywords
- plastic fashion
- fast fashion
- Australia clothing
- environmental impact
- polyester products
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: ABC Australia
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