Reduce
Fashions change. Styles emerge, become fashionable and are eventually replaced by new fashionable styles.
Clothing is second only to food as a high impact area of consumerism. This is partly due to the production of textiles such as cotton, wool and synthetics. Cotton cultivation accounts for 16% of global chemical pesticide use – more than any other single crop – and is very water-intensive. Sheep farming and wool scouring also have a heavy impact on the environment, not only through the pesticides but also because of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas generated globally by hundreds of millions of sheep, which contributes to the effect of global warming. The production of synthetic textiles also depends on unsustainable petroleum-based materials, which pollute the environment throughout the production process by wastewater and air emissions containing oxygen-depleting substances and heavy metals. Synthetic textiles form a toxic and non- biodegradable waste at the end of their life cycle. There is a lot of waste produced along the process, including in the form of polluted water, which goes back into the rivers and contaminates the environment on which we depend.
Growing consumption levels and our shopping habits further exacerbate the impact the clothing industry has on the environment. With clothes being more affordable than ever before, we are now buying them in increasing quantities and without realizing the scale on which it affects the natural environment and global population. We are also quick to throw away garments that have been worn only a couple of times.
As consumers, we can all make better shopping decisions by selecting products based on environmental qualities, whether they are new clothes made of eco textiles, secondhand garments or simply good quality items that will last a long time. Choosing environmentally friendly clothing and reducing clothing consumption will contribute to both our personal health and sustaining the health of the planet.
In addition to reducing your clothing consumption, recycling your used clothing can be easier than you think – below are several options for recycling and reusing your clothing.
- Pass it on: if your used clothes are still in good condition why not offer them to someone else? Being part of a group with friends that swaps clothes also gives you a chance to gain some new additions while recycling the used clothes you don’t need any longer. The Fashionable Earth Organization holds Clothing Swaps in various cities throughout the nation. Contact us to attend one of our events!
- Donate it: donating your used clothing can significantly benefit others and are welcome at a variety of charities. The Fashionable Earth Organization will take donations, no matter the condition of the clothing. We will use them either for our T-shirt Revolution, Clothing Swaps, or our Rebirth Couture Collection. As a nonprofit, we are also able to provide you with a potential tax deduction. Keep a list of the clothing you donate and we will give you a tax receipt.
- Restyle it: your used clothing might be unsuitable in its present condition, but you can still find alternate uses for it. As part of our Rebirth Couture Collection, Fashionable Earth will take your old fabrics and our designers will resize or transform them into new, innovative pieces (for instance, that dress can have a new life as a skirt!)
An environmentally and socially conscious attitude when shopping allows you to contribute to a fashionable earth and to be in vogue with the future of global style and sustainable design. For more resources, facts and education on how to reduce, reuse and restyle, please contact us.