Forms of sustainable fashion

 

Sustainable fashion is a topic I realized a lot of people may not be fully aware of, especially the cost that fast fashion has on the environment. In this blog, I will discuss fashion choices and its effects on the environment.

Sustainable fashion is an initiative of fostering change towards fashion products and systems in order to obtain more ecological integrity and social justice. It focuses on environmental consideration during the whole life cycle of a product. This means our fashion choices have the ability to negatively affect the environment; especially due to the fact that the fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world.

Each year 100 billion articles of clothing are produced globally in the name of fast fashion and consumers go crazy in order to purchase new trends and maximize on sales. Surprisingly, with each shopping spree or impulse buy indulged, 3 out of 5 items bought end up in landfills.

Fast fashion is the main culprit because trends are here today and gone tomorrow. These are inexpensive designs that go from the runway to closets and soon after into the garbage. In the United Kingdom, around 350,000 tonnes of used clothing go into landfills every year while in Nairobi-Kenya, 40.16 tonnes of textile waste are produced per day which translates to 1204.8 tonnes per month.

 

Main sources of textiles

 

• Plant based – cotton, bamboo, flax and jute
• Animal based – wool and silk
• Mineral – asbestos and glass fibre
• Synthetic – nylon, polyester, acrylic and rayon.

Cotton remains the undisputed king of textiles it being the most widely used fabric. Many retailers advertise that old clothes can be recycled into new ones, but this depends on the fabric.

Unblended materials are more likely to be recycled more efficiently because there is no need to disentangle the materials (polyester and cotton). Therefore, it is advisable to purchase sustainable apparel which is 100% of the given fabric for it can be easily recycled.

 

Clothes that are made up of different materials are difficult to recycle and therefore are shredded and used for insulation. The clothes that do not make the cut wind up in landfills.

Effects of textiles on the environment

 

• Microfibres in clothes are washed out and end up in water sources.
• Over 1000 different chemicals are used in the textile industry; these too get washed out and end up in rivers and lakes.  These chemicals include dyes, enzymes, bleaching agents, whitening agents, detergents and basic chemicals.

Statistics: DID YOU KNOW?

 

• The fashion industry is considered the second largest polluter (after oil & gas) because of the large quantities of water and chemicals used in growing textile crops (such as cotton) and manufacture of textiles. The shedding of plastic microfibres from synthetic fabrics and release of methane when clothes break down also contribute to pollution.
• According to a report by the U.N, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of all carbon emissions globally. This is more than maritime shipping and international flights combined.
• In addition, the fashion industry generates 20% of wastewater in the world.
• It takes 2000 gallons (7,570.824 litres) of water to make a pair of jeans.
• The garments that produce the most carbon during manufacture are jeans, dresses and jackets.
• Kenya buys 22 million dollars annually in secondhand clothes (mitumba) from developed nations.

 

Fun Facts

 

• The average consumer buys 60% more articles of clothing than they did 15 years ago and keeps the clothing for half as long.
• By extending the use of clothing approximately 10 million articles of clothing can be saved from landfills prematurely.
• By wearing clothes for an extra 3 months this would reduce carbon and water footprint by up to 10%
• Decomposition rates of the most commonly used textile: Polyester, spandex, nylon take 20 – 200 years to decompose whereas organic compounds such as cotton take 5 months, linen; 2 weeks, wool and bamboo; 1 year if they are unblended with other materials.
• Shopping online lowers the carbon impact by 60% when compared to shopping in stores due to the emission of carbon dioxide during transportation.
• Buying second-hand clothes reduces your carbon footprint by 60-70%.

Tips and Tricks

 

• If you do not love it, DO NOT BUY IT.
• Swap clothes with your friends and family.
• Recycle and re-purpose your clothes to keep them longer.
• Buy good quality and timeless products.
• Do not submit to social pressure.
• Donate to a reputable charity or children’s home.
• Shop from sustainable clothing brands.

Closing remarks

On an individual level we find it hard to believe our fashion choices can impact the environment. However, accumulatively it adds up and leads to major environmental pollution. Brands also have a role to play by making more environmental conscious decisions during the production of their garments.

If you are up for the challenge, try the ThredUP Fashion Footprint Calculator at https://www.thredup.com/fashionfootprint to estimate your carbon footprint and share your answers in the comment section below.

Additional Sources:

Is Fashion Destroying the Planet? – Ethical Fashion Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfoENTF8Lh0

Can Fashion Be Sustainable? | BBC Earth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoiU8sprXpQ

How fast fashion adds to the world’s clothing waste problem (Marketplace): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elU32XNj8PM