Can the Fashion Industry Become More Eco-friendy?
It isn’t a secret that the fashion industry hasn’t always been the most eco-friendly. In reality, the fashion industry makes up about 2 percent of global GDP or Gross Domestic Product, and is now being considered one of the main polluters in the world.
The growing market for fast fashion has made shopping for clothes more affordable, but not without a cost. The mass production of cheaper clothes incentivizes throwing away old clothes rather than recycling them, which is why fast fashion is commonly referred to as “landfill fashion.” And due to harmful dyes and chemicals, these discarded clothes can lead to excessive environmental damage.
On top of this, commonly used synthetic fabrics like nylon, and polyester are actually made out of plastic. So when garments of these materials are washed, they begin to shed small plastic fibers that are so tiny they escape wastewater treatment plants, and enter into the environment.
Since they are actually plastic, these microfibers are not biodegradable. They pollute our oceans, absorbing chemical pollutants that are later consumed by marine life.
A study done in 2018 concluded that, 97% of all clothing sold in the United States were manufactured overseas. To make matters worse, almost every garment shipped arrives with its own plastic hanger. Adding billions of plastic hangers that are being sent to the US every single year. The worst part of all this, is over 80% of these hangers are never recycled or reused. Leading to even more plastic waste!
Bringing sustainability to the fashion industry
Over 3,080 facilities worldwide were certified to Global Organic Textile Standard, with the goal of inspiring change and pushing for a future of sustainable fashion. The main criteria for a textile product to carry the GOTS “organic” label, is that its products need to contain at least 95% certified organic fibers.
What consumers can do to support sustainable fashion
It may seem that as consumers, there isn’t much we can do personally to change the fashion industry, but that’s not true. As a consumer, you actually have more power than you realize.
We can all do some of the following to increase our impact:
1. Change the way you do laundry: Only wash full loads, use cold water more often, avoid dry cleaning and tumble dryers, and use green detergent. You can even invest in products like the Cora Ball that help reduce the amount of microfiber released into your wastewater.
2. Buy clothes from sustainable brands: The more demand there is for sustainable clothing, the more likely big brands will be to invest in sustainable solutions.
3. Go thrifting: If buying from sustainable brands isn’t in your budget right now, try shopping at secondhand stores. You can often find fashionable items at a fraction of the price. Don’t forget to recycle or donate your old garments when you no longer use them.
4. Donate your clothes to charity: There are several ways to prevent your clothes from piling up in the landfill. Try donating them to charity, repairing them, or putting them in textile recycling bins (not your standard curbside bins).
5. Invest in fewer, higher quality garments: While many fashion brands are using recycled fabrics in an attempt to be more sustainable, these materials are still made from plastic-based fibers and will shed plastic microfibers into wastewater. By investing in clothing made from high-quality natural fibers, like GOTS-certified organic cotton, you can decrease microplastic pollution and protect marine life.
6. Rent clothes: Clothing rentals are an excellent choice for outfits you know you won’t wear often, like prom dresses, tuxedoes, and maternity clothes.
Support eco-friendly companies
Small acts add up. Together, we can each do our part to end the plastic pollution crisis.
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