The sea of ​​textiles in the Atacama Desert

The clothing dump in the Atacama Desert is a sad example of the impact of fast fashion and rampant consumerism on the environment. Located in the city of Arica, in northern Chile, the landfill has become the final destination for tons of clothing discarded by consumers around the world.

Fast fashion is a business model based on producing cheap, low-quality clothing on a mass scale, aiming to satisfy consumer demand for new, affordable garments. However, this model has a significant impact on the environment, particularly in terms of water, energy, and natural resource use.

The clothing dump in the Atacama Desert is an extreme example of how fast fashion contributes to the waste crisis. Clothing discarded in the dump often ends up in landfills or in the environment, increasing the textile industry's carbon footprint and exacerbating the climate crisis.

Furthermore, the production of disposable clothing has a significant human and social cost. Many of the garments discarded in landfills are manufactured in countries like Bangladesh and China, where working conditions can be dangerous and labor is poorly paid.

To address these problems, consumers and businesses need to adopt more sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. Companies can work to reduce their environmental impact by adopting sustainable production practices and using recycled and sustainable materials. Consumers, for their part, can reduce their consumption of fast fashion and opt for higher-quality, longer-lasting garments, or even consider options such as renting or swapping clothes.

Our contribution at Hilo Sagrado is to create pieces made from truly durable, high-quality materials, with the goal of offering inheritable products that will last through use and the passage of time. These pieces can even be given a second and third life.