Clothing has been in the news a lot recently, and we’re not just talking about the latest trends and Instagram influencers. Concern over the scale of our love for clothes and the impact this has on the environment is on the rise. It seems we’re waking up to the environmental cost of fashion, and it’s not a price tag any of us can afford.
It’s not without reason. In fact, Love Your Clothes research, conducted by WRAP, shows that clothing has the fourth largest environmental impact after housing, transport and food in the UK . We create significant environmental impacts by the way we use our clothes, wash and dry them and dispose of them once we no longer want them.
The temperature we wash our clothes, how often we wash them and the detergent we use can contribute to high levels of energy and water consumption and water pollution, depending on the chemicals found in the detergents or through the release of thousands of microplastics that end up in our oceans. Drying our clothes in a tumble dryer uses large amounts of energy and releases carbon emissions. The carbon footprint of clothing in use in the UK was 26.2 million tonnes of carbon emissions in 2016. For comparison, a typical passenger car emits about 4.6 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – suggesting the UK clothing industry emits roughly as much as driving 5.8 million cars every year. This creates a lot of impacts for something we consider a chore!
But our clothes don’t have to be a problem. We can still love fashion and adopt a more sustainable approach to how we buy, use and care for our clothes. The good news is that there are small changes we can all make at home so our clothes are kinder to the environment.
Buy smart
In the UK alone, we purchase 1.13 million tonnes of clothes every year. That’s the weight of more than 6,500 Jumbo Jets!
Plus, our research shows that we’re buying more than ever - that figure is an increase of 200,000 tonnes compared to just four years before! It’s clear we’re not going to stop buying clothes, so how can we purchase them sustainably?
Loving your clothes starts with smarter buying
No more flimsy fabric and skimpy stitching that falls apart the minute you get it home. Buying smarter can mean choosing clothes that are better made, and that will be easy to care for. If you’re not sure where to start, you could consider if you really need the item at all? If you do, can you find it second hand? Buying second hand extends the life of an item and if it falls into the right hands it can reduce its environmental impacts by avoiding landfill and being cared for in an environmentally friendly way.
If you choose to buy new, consider the fabric and quality of the garment: will it last a long time; will it make it through all the washing and wear you have planned? Is it a garment you absolutely love and know you will wear again and again? Do you love it enough that you will commit to having it repaired if it breaks? Will you be able to pass the item onto a family member or friend if you no longer want it? For further inspiration, you can check out the handy buying guides on the Love Your Clothes website.
Care for your clothes correctly
On average, clothing in the UK lasts for 3.3 years before it is discarded or passed on, but if we extend the life of clothes we can save carbon, water and waste. The great news is that there are many ways to do this.
Washing and tumble-drying our clothes puts the biggest stresses on the environment while we own them. Simply dropping the temperature of the wash to 30C will help your clothes last longer and use less energy than washing at higher temperatures.
Opting for air-drying over tumble drying can also have a big impact. The fact is that after a while tumble-drying damages the material in clothing by causing shrinkage. Plus, tumble-drying is harmful to the fibres, so your clothes wear out more quickly. Giving your tumble dryer a break is good news for your favourite clothes and saves electricity, which is great for your pocket as well as the environment!
A little clothing care know-how will also keep your clothes looking great and lasting longer. There’s a whole host of skills which can help you do this, like sewing a button back on or darning a hole. Who says that the art of repairing clothes is dead?!
The best way to say goodbye
Every year an estimated 300,000 tonnes of clothing goes to landfill in the UK alone. This absolutely doesn’t have to be the case – there are so many options to keep clothes in use and out of the bin, no matter how worn they may be.
When you’ve fallen out of love with an item of clothing, make sure you part with it mindfully. It’s easy to donate, swap or pass on clothes when it’s time to say goodbye. However, you choose to do it, giving your old clothes a second lease of life is the best thing you can do for the environment. Increasing second-hand use reduces waste, reduces carbon emissions and reduces water use. It’s win-win to keep it out of the trash.
If it truly is the last hurrah for a piece of clothing (perhaps it is unsalvageable or the damage is irreparable), it can be recycled and made into new items, such as padding for chairs and car seats, cleaning cloths and industrial blankets. Bring it to your nearest textile recycling bin, where it can be sorted and recycled properly. Never ever throw clothes in the trash!
Buy smart. Love your clothes. Dispose correctly. Small changes can make a big difference. For more inspiration and further information on the above suggestions visit .
No comments:
Post a Comment