Reducing Fashion Waste - Here's What You Can Do
Reducing Fashion Waste – Here’s What You Can Do
Did you know that 13 million tons of apparel end up in landfills each year? That’s a pretty staggering amount.
A couple of weeks ago, we sat down to participate in a panel hosted by Eco Sessions LA. The panel was moderated by Magnifeco’s Kate Black, who led a discussion with industry thought-leaders to explore how they are working to make the fashion and the apparel industry a better place by reducing fashion waste and their predictions for the future of fashion and recycling.
The panel consisted of entrepreneurs, Jeff Denby, Sharleen Ernster and Maurizio Donadi.
Jeff Denby is the co-founder of The Renewal Workshop , which takes damaged materials from companies that are considered unsellable due to ripped seams, broken zippers, and other small defects. The Renewal Workshop takes these items that would typically be sent to landfill, repairs them, and resells them back to the company or direct to the consumer at a discounted price. Denby has also launched a transparent apparel business called PACT apparel , which provides ethically manufactured and produced clothing that is now sold in major retailers such as Whole Foods and Nordstrom.
Sharleen Ernster has a lengthy history working with big brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Guess? and Armani Exchange. She was inspired to start her brand Hot-as-Hell after becoming fed-up with the impracticality of the apparel she was working with at big brands and opted for her own natural, body-positivity brand that features timeless pieces made to last, using eco-friendly dye processes and fabrics that can be recycled/upcycled. The Hot-as-Hell philosophy toward reducing fashion waste is to #startsomewhere. We can get on board with that.
Maurizio Donadi of Atelier & Repairs describes excess production as his motivation for starting his business. He tells The Thread (Nordstrom’s blog) “The world doesn’t need another brand. There is so much excess in the world. And it didn’t make me feel good that I was going to add to that. I wanted to be part of the industry with something that was dear to me… I’m not comfortable with the idea of producing because of all this excess. So I thought, what if I transform something that exists into something brand new? Give pieces new life?”
Donadi worked with internationally renowned brands such as Levi’s, Diesel, and Giorgio Armani before striking out on his own. He was all too familiar with the unsustainable rate of production and decided to strike out on his own to create a new niche line that renews and repurposes military clothing. The functionality and personal touches give each piece a unique character and new life.
Some fashion waste facts we learned at the panel:
- Fashion is the second dirtiest industry in the world after the oil industry
- Blended fibers cannot be recycled. Yup, that 90% polyester dress with just 10% spandex is bad news for mother earth
- Less than 33% of recyclable resources actually get recycled or upcycled in the US, while 67% goes to landfill or gets incinerated
- It can take over 5,000 gallons of water to manufacture just one T-shirt and a pair of jeans
What can YOU do to reduce fashion waste?
- Purchase high-quality staple pieces that you can wear over and over and will last for years, rather than seasonal trends that get tossed out every few weeks
- Investigate before you purchase. Ask things like “Where and how was it made? Were laborers treated fairly? Was it made locally?”
- Donate items that are in good condition that you no longer wear or need
- Buy from thrift stores, rather than purchasing new garments
- Be an advocate for sustainable style and inform your friends. We’re constantly surprised to find how few people are aware of the harmful effects of fast fashion
- Recycle everything! Yes even those stained and torn garments. There are many textile recycling programs that will take damaged and soiled clothes and offer you a coupon for your next purchase in return. Some stores with textile recycling programs include:
What do you think about fashion waste? Share what you are doing to reduce fashion waste in the comments below!
Resources:
http://www.alternet.org/environment/its-second-dirtiest-thing-world-and-youre-wearing-it
http://www.ecowatch.com/fast-fashion-is-the-second-dirtiest-industry-in-the-world-next-to-big–1882083445.html
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/human-footprint/trash-talk.html
Image sources:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-renewal-workshop-environment
http://hot-as-hell.com/
http://www.casabottega.eu/en/blog/works/131-ATELIERREPAIRSMaurizioDon.html
