The reason for the drying up of the Aral Sea is “fast fashion”. Cotton makes up more than 60 percent of the materials used in the production of clothes. About 20,000 litres of water are used to produce 1 kg of cotton. The water from the rivers feeding the Aral Sea was used to irrigate the huge cotton plantations in the surrounding area which over time led to the drying up of the sea. As a result of the drying up of the sea, climatic problems have arisen and the incidence of a number of diseases has also increased.