<![CDATA[The fast fashion industry has emerged as a dominant force in global consumption systems over the past three decades. This business model, characterized by mass production, low prices, and rapidly rotating trend cycles, carries environmental consequences far more serious than the general public recognizes. This paper aims to identify, examine, and document the real yet underreported environmental impacts of fast fashion, including microplastic contamination in marine ecosystems, water scarcity crises triggered by cotton cultivation and textile dyeing processes, toxic chemical contamination of water bodies, textile waste accumulation in vulnerable regions such as Chile's Atacama Desert, and threats to biodiversity. This study employs a systematic literature review methodology utilizing scientific sources published between 2021 and 2026. Findings indicate that the fast fashion industry contributes 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, generates approximately 92 million tonnes of textile waste annually, and releases 200,000 to 500,000 tonnes of microplastic particles into the marine environment each year. These impacts remain outside public awareness due to a combination of pervasive industry greenwashing, weak supply chain transparency requirements, and the psychological distance created between centers of production and consumption. Addressing this issue requires an integrated response from multiple parties, including behavioral changes from consumers, business model transformations in the industrial sector, and stronger governmental regulation.]]>
