“I have nothing to wear... and autumn is here anyway! I’ll just buy something new!”
Do you know the life cycle of your average piece of clothing? Or the social and environmental impacts of the textile industry? When you buy a pair of pants at the mall, do you consider what material it's made of, where and how the fabric was produced, and how much water was used? What about the dyes used, who sewed it, and under what conditions? How far did it travel to reach you, and how many kilometers did it cover? And who makes the decision on the materials used to manufacture clothing? What happens to this piece once you’re done with it or if you can’t wear it anymore?
When we talk about sustainability and environmental awareness, clothing choices are among our top consumer decisions. Making a wise choice requires knowing the impact of producing each new garment.
Below*, you’ll find some well-known and lesser-known facts about the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry. If you’re already familiar with these, what steps can you take to make a change?
-Choose natural fabrics: Although producing them also impacts the environment and requires significant water use (besides cotton), they generally have a smaller footprint than synthetic materials, tend to be more durable, healthier to wear and decompose faster once their lifecycle ends.
- Wear longer: Select garments that follow timeless trends and don’t need to be thrown out after just a few wears.
- Less is more: Choose clothing pieces that can easily be combined with others.
- Shop secondhand: By buying secondhand, you extend the life of garments and give them a second chance.
- Host a clothes swap with friends: If you’re not keen on wearing items from strangers, try swapping with friends!
- Don’t be afraid of the needle: While you might not learn to sew new clothes or alter old ones, you can fix any small tears or issues!
- Visit Fashion Revolution for more inspiration on how to become a fashion revolutionary: Fashion Revolution Hungary
Our final "Value of Waste" study trip took us to Zagreb, where we explored the life cycle of modern textiles and garments through an interactive game, “Textiles Untangled.” It was eye-opening to see how a simple, localized craft has evolved into a complex, global industry involving people across the world.
If you’d like to learn more about textile waste, subscribe to the *Value of Waste* monthly magazine, which this time focuses on textile waste after examining food and plastic waste in earlier issues.
Remember the 5 Rs: Refuse (don’t buy it), Reduce (buy less), Reuse (use it again), Repurpose (find a new use), and Recycle (recycle it)!
*Environmental Impacts
1. Water Use: The fashion industry is a major water consumer. For instance, producing a single cotton T-shirt requires about 2,700 liters of water, equivalent to one person’s drinking water for 2.5 years.
2. Pollution: Textile dyeing is among the largest sources of freshwater pollution globally. Toxic chemicals from dyeing processes often end up in rivers and oceans, harming aquatic life and communities relying on these water sources.
3. Waste Production: The fashion industry generates significant waste. It’s estimated that around 92 million tons of textile waste are produced annually, much of which ends up in landfills.
4. Microplastics: Synthetic fibers like polyester release microplastics during washing, which enter water systems and eventually make their way back into the food chain.
5. Data Centers: The servers needed for online shopping require enormous computing power and electricity, adding to the environmental footprint.
Social Impacts
1. Labor Exploitation: Many clothing items are produced in countries with lax labor regulations, where workers often face dangerous conditions, long hours, and minimal pay (e.g., some garment workers earn as little as $3 per day).
2. Child Labor: In some regions, child labor is still prevalent in the fashion supply chain. Children work in hazardous conditions for low pay, hindering their education and development.
3. Factory Conditions: Many garment factories do not meet safety standards, leading to tragic incidents like the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, which claimed the lives of over 1,100 workers.
Recycling and Sustainability
1. Low Recycling Rates: Less than 1% of clothing is recycled into new garments. The majority is incinerated or sent to landfills, where it can take decades to decompose, especially synthetic materials.
2. Fast Fashion: The rise of fast fashion encourages overconsumption and disposability, with many consumers discarding clothes after only a few wears. This contributes significantly to waste and pollution.
3. Resource Depletion: The demand for affordable and trendy clothing puts immense pressure on natural resources, leading to deforestation, habitat destruction, and biodiversity loss.
The above highlights the urgent need for a more sustainable and ethical approach in the fashion industry. Every stage, from material production to consumer behavior, has significant environmental and social consequences that must be addressed for a healthier planet and society.
