It is no secret that the fashion industry has a huge impact on our planet. Clothing production accounts for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions, and textile waste takes up to 80% of landfill space worldwide.
The fashion industry produces tons of clothing and textile waste, which can be harmful to the environment and detrimental to human health. But by choosing clothes and accessories made from eco-friendly fabrics that are produced in an ethical way, we can reduce our carbon footprint, help the planet and lead healthier lives.
Sustainable fashion is not just about looking good; it’s also about feeling good too! A report by the Environmental Protection Agency found that there are an estimated 45,000 synthetic microfibers in every square kilometer of ocean water, which is more than 100 times greater than what was previously believed. This means that your daily commute to work could be doing more harm than good. Plus, since so many of our clothes come at a price for someone’s health and wellbeing, it isn’t just about reducing waste – sustainable fashion can also improve human rights standards around the world.
Sustainable fabrics
Taking care of our planet doesn’t have to be difficult; choosing sustainable fabrics like organic cotton can reduce harmful emissions (such as methane), pesticide use (which is dangerous to workers), and saves energy needed for irrigation or removing toxic chemicals. Corporations like blonde gone rogue emphasize that organic cotton is easier to maintain and has fibers that are less likely to cause skin irritation. Plus, it is also more breathable and comfortable – what could be better?
More than a trend
Sustainability is a buzzword in the world of fashion today with most industry experts and buyers striving for a sustainable lifestyle. But why exactly should we embrace it? Here are some reasons that will help you decide.
Save Water
Did you know that one cotton t-shirt takes up 714 gallons of water to make? That’s more water than any other crop on Earth uses to grow making it an unsustainable resource. Cotton is also about 20% of irrigated agricultural land use, which wastes water from sources such as rain or rivers. The fiber farming process requires 180 pounds of chemicals per acre, with most being carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxins. The production of synthetic fibers like polyester uses up far less water and chemicals than its natural counterpart, making it an obvious choice for environmentally conscious fashionistas.
Save Energy
The textile industry accounts for 10% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions so switching to sustainable fashion can drastically cut your carbon footprint. Polyester is made from plastic bottles which are recycled into yarn saving energy used by petroleum-based fibers. If everyone bought one glass fiber jacket instead of a cotton/poly blend jacket, we could save 654 million pounds of CO2.
Rest Easy Knowing You’re Supporting Workers Rights
Many sweatshops where clothes are produced use child or forced labor with no compensation. They also lack a clean environment, safe equipment and proper ventilation with many safety inspections skipped entirely. Sustainable fashion is made in clean factories with fair wages and working conditions where employees are often trained for upcoming positions which offer promotion opportunities.
Help The Earth
We’ve all heard that if everyone does their part, we can make a huge change on this planet so let’s do it! Participating in sustainable fashion means less demand for new clothing which means less production of newly manufactured garments which ends up saving our landfills from overflowing with wasted clothes. This also helps the economy because companies will have to find ways to eliminate waste or recycle materials into new items rather than throwing them away.
Recycle And Upcycle
You didn’t think you could just throw your old t-shirts away, did you? With various ways to recycle clothes into new pieces, sustainable fashion has never been more fun! You can cut up old fabrics into rags or patches then sew them onto reusable bags for decoration. T-shirts can be transformed into dishcloths and towels. Shirts in good condition but in the wrong size can be donated to charity. You can take advantage of all that lint you’ve created from washing clothes by making dolls out of them called “lint babies”.
Wait There’s More
The United States uses over 17 million barrels of oil each year which goes towards producing synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, and acrylic. On the other hand, cotton accounts for 2% (4 million only because it takes five times as much as polyester to produce the same amount of yarn). Producing one cotton t-shirt requires as much energy as driving a car for 12 miles! Take a look at organic fabrics made from Tencel, which uses wood pulp for its fabric. You can reduce your impact on the planet by wearing sustainable clothing which will mean you will do less damage to the environment and also help workers in underdeveloped countries make more money.
Sustainable fashion for your home
As well as choosing sustainable fashion, you can reduce the amount of clothing in your own wardrobe by shopping for quality pieces that are made to last. This will help you save money on buying new clothes, but also contribute to reducing global textile waste. You can even take this one step further by creating your own eco-friendly garments using just a needle and thread! Make sure to go through sites that share instructions, so you can find all the materials needed to create these amazing pieces. You can even teach others how to sew so that they too can find sustainable fashion at home.
Sustainability and fashion might seem a bit opposite when you take into account a large amount of money new models of clotheslines are coming out every year. However, taking into account all of the consequences mass-production has on our society and the planet, it’s clear that embracing sustainable fashion is the only way to go. You can make a difference by even buying one new item of clothing each year and donating your old clothes to charity.
Sustainable fashion will benefit you and your family in so many ways! Not only will it be great for the planet but your wallet as well since you won’t have to buy new pieces every few months or so. Plus, it’ll help improve conditions for workers all around the world where there is no such thing as fair pay and working conditions.
The above guide was created to help you see the many benefits that buying into sustainable fashion can do for your favorite brand. Not only will you look great but feel even better knowing that you’re helping this planet in the process.
Carol
Information sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.
