3. Textile Smart
I will consistently choose clothing options that produce less pollution.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
The fashion industry is among the most polluting in the world, and generates 10% of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions. According to the “Handbook of Textile Effluent Remediation,” the textile-finishing industry alone uses about 20% to 25% of all globally produced chemical compounds. Also, approximately 20% of worldwide wastewater is generated from fabric dyeing and treatment.
Representing about 30% of all textile fibers, cotton often uses a lot of water, pesticides and fertilizer. To make a single pair of jeans, it takes about 1,000 gallons of water -- from growing the cotton to delivering the final pants. What about microfibers? The equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles of plastic microfibers are flushed into the ocean annually.
Let’s make a dent in these numbers.
TAKE ACTION!
Before buying any new clothing, choose the clothing option that produces the least pollution under the circumstance:
Ask yourself: Do I really, really need this additional item of clothing? If the answer is “no” -- bravo! Remember to consider what you already have, repairing when needed.
If you really need an additional item of clothing, buying or swapping pre-owned (used) clothes is the best option. There are so many ways to do this, both on-line and in stores. On-line used clothes shopping is fun, easy, and extremely popular; here are a few links with great on-line options:
There are also lots of options to buy pre-owned clothes in person, like “The Best Thrift Shops in Santa Barbara,” “Best Thrift Stores in Ventura, CA,” Craigslist, Nextdoor, OfferUp and garage sales.
If you cannot find pre-owned clothes, the next best option is buying clothes from companies that use recycled materials, upcycled materials and organic cotton – and provide livable wages and safe working conditions for their employees. Finding labels that do this is easy, just look at sites like “10 amazing brands that make clothes using recycled plastic” or “Recycled and Upcycled Clothing Brands to know in 2020.”, as well as local Santa Barbara and Ventura based clothing companies (B Corporations) Patagonia, Deckers and Toad and Co.
Before throwing away any used clothing:
Ask yourself if you or a seamstress/tailor can repair it.
If not, can you sell it online (click here and here for good tips and sites), in person (garage sale, Craigslist, etc.) or donate it (Goodwill, Alpha Resource Center, and more)? If so, you can make money and/or do good!
If not, can you reuse the material from your clothes for masks, quilts, pillows, rags or other items?
ADDITIONAL MOTIVATION THOUGHTS
According to the World Bank, 87% of the total fiber input for clothing is incinerated or disposed of in a landfill. While Germany collects approximately 75% of all used clothing (reusing 50% and recycling 25%), the US only collects 15%, and worldwide only 1% of used garments are recycled into new clothing.
The second-hand clothing market is the fastest growing segment of the textile sector, expanding 21 times faster than conventional retail. Projections are that secondhand will be 1.5 times larger than Fast Fashion by 2028.
Approximately two-thirds of our clothing comes from oil and gas derived synthetics, using very carbon-intensive processes.
Less is more!
