New clothes
Many women and probably some guys will say they love shopping and buying new clothes. I’m not suggesting you stop buying new clothes, but maybe consider buying fewer clothes each year.
Classic clothes
Consider the idea of less fast fashion and investing in just a few quality classics. Upcycling—more on this subject in another article. Donate more. Why do I say this? Too much still ends up in landfill sites, which would otherwise be put to good use by various industries.
Carbon footprint
Have you ever considered your clothes’ carbon footprint? Clothing’s carbon footprint is second most important after food and drink. One survey conducted in 2009 followed the making of a shirt. Cotton from America was sent to Bangladesh, where it was processed into a garment, and then to Germany for sale. The trip from start to finish was about 35,000 kilometres, almost once around the world.
Based on the estimated annual global textile production of 60 billion kilograms of fabric, 1,074 billion KWh of electricity (or 132 million metric tons of coal), and between 6 and 9 trillion litres of water are used.
Not to mention the dyes and other chemicals.
Garment life cycle
Carbon dioxide CO2 and other greenhouse gases are emitted over the life cycle of that piece of clothing. Includes – a) the manufacture of the raw materials, b) the fabrication of the product, c) transport of materials, d) finished products, e) packaging, f) the usage phase, which includes numerous washing and drying cycles, g) and finally disposal.
Wash clothes in cold water with cold-water washing detergents to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. A washing machine uses 90% energy to heat the water and 10% to run. When possible, dry clothes naturally; this is not always possible, but it saves a lot of energy.
The Stockholm Environment Institute did a study.
A study by the Stockholm Environment Institute concluded that the energy used to create 1 tonne of synthetic fibre was higher than for hemp, wool, or cotton. So, be greener by choosing clothes or fabric made from natural fibres such as wool, cotton, linen, and hemp (linen). Of the synthetic materials, nylon has the highest carbon footprint, followed by acrylic and polyester. And consider its disposal. The synthetic fibres release tiny microparticles into our waterways every time they are washed, the worst being acrylic, followed by polyester and then nylon.
Less than half
Most people in Europe recycle or donate less than 50% of their unwanted clothes. The rest are discarded, ending up in landfill sites. Of all the clothes collected, approximately 50% will be reused, and the other 50% will be recycled. If everyone in the UK bought one reclaimed garment each year or one garment less, it would save an average of 1,686 million litres of water, 480 tonnes of chemical dyes, and so much more!
There has been a 60% increase in textile purchases in the UK over the last ten years. As a result, experts estimate we throw out more than a million tonnes of clothes and other products every year. A European Union environmental report calls fabric Britain’s “fastest-growing waste stream.” Amazing!!
The Bureau of International Recycling reports
~ The textile industry reuses knitted or woven woollen and similar materials. It is used in car insulation, roofing felt, loudspeaker cones, panel linings, and furniture padding.
~ cotton and silk are used to manufacture paper, wiping and polishing cloths for various industries.
~ Other textiles can be reprocessed into fibres for upholstery, insulation, and building materials.
Even if you think no one wants your old clothes, other industries will use them. So please donate them and don’t let them end up in a landfill. As you can see, many sectors need your discarded clothes.
Children’s Clothes Club
It is worth considering starting a children’s clothes club with friends or your group of school mums. Most children’s clothes are hardly worn before they grow out of them. The group could set up some criteria about the quality and condition of clothes considered for part-exchange, exchange or sale.
On a slightly different note, check out this subscription site for children’s clothes, The Little Loop swap for a bigger size when they grow out of them.
Mending and Repairs extend the life of clothes.
Some clothes have a shorter shelf life than necessary because they need mending, repairing, or altering. Sadly, most people have not learned how to do the simplest repairs, like sewing on a button, darning a hole, or hemming. The thought of paying someone to do these tasks is either too expensive (assuming they can find someone) or too much hassle.
