Before We get into the article, Let me ask you pseudo rhetorical questions to ponder over. What do you think is the future of fashion? Is it sustainable, ethical, and recyclable? In a way, Yes! With a few changes in production processes, textile waste can be avoided and recycled to create new textiles. The fashion industry has come a long way when it comes to sustainability & mitigating its effects on the environment, and it has a long way to go as well.
There is a huge need for sustainable solutions in the Fashion Industry to help reduce the negative impact on our environment.
Here are some facts to give you a perspective.
- The global fashion industry produces more than 100 billion pieces of clothing every year. Only a fraction of those clothes is recycled. Most end up in landfills, where they take centuries to decompose.
- The EPA reports that in 2012, Americans generated 15 million tons of textile waste, most of which was discarded clothing (EPA). This number has only grown in recent years as fast fashion becomes more and more popular.
One of the solutions to this problem is recycling fabrics to reduce textile waste and preserve resources.
Recycling is a process that has been around for centuries with little change from its inception. The Recycling of fabrics in the fashion industry is also a topic that has been discussed for many years. The Recycling of fabrics/garments is an uncommon but not novel idea. Fashion needs to move towards sustainability by embracing Recycling to help them achieve this goal.
From fast fashion to industry wastes to landfills with used clothes, the fashion industry is arguably one of the biggest polluters in the world. This is because it produces so much waste and consumes so many natural resources. The current model for this industry leaves a lot to be desired, but there are many things that can make it more sustainable. We can move towards sustainability by recycling fabrics from old garments into new ones, which would save time and money while also reducing our environmental impact. We will discuss all of these in detail in the upcoming sections.
I know the introduction is a bit longer than you and I would like. But, when we are talking about something that is so important for the environment and our survival, to some extent needs proper backstories, explanations, and steps.
Before we start talking about how we can recycle or how it benefits us. Let us first understand the definition of Recycling.
What is Recycling – The Definition:
When most people think of recycling what comes to mind is aluminum cans or plastic bottles. Although these are the most commonly recycled items, they only make up a small percentage of trash that can be used again.
Recycling has become increasingly popular in recent years because it helps reduce greenhouse gases produced by landfills and preserves natural resources for future generations. Recycling reduces energy use and water usage since fewer raw materials have to be extracted from the earth before being melted down into new products, which also prevents pollution. It takes fewer fossil fuels to produce recycled paper than virgin pulp, which minimizes air pollution! When more people recycle, the demand for recyclable goods goes up which causes businesses producing them (like soda companies) to use recycled materials in their production, further reducing environmental impact.
There are many ways to recycle, including sorting recyclables into the correct bins, using a recycling service, or upcycling old items into new creations. No matter what method you choose, it’s important to remember that Recycling is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint on this planet!
Problems caused because of Textile Wastes:
The biggest reason textiles are a significant environmental issue is that textiles are not biodegradable. This means they do not decompose naturally like other materials, such as paper or food scraps. When textiles end up in landfills, they take up space and sit there forever.
In addition to taking up space in landfills, textile waste also pollutes our waterways. The fibers from clothing can get caught on debris or mix with sewage sludge and flow into rivers and oceans. Once there, these fibers can be eaten by marine life or get collected on beaches.
Air pollution is another issue caused by textile waste. When textile fibers are made from synthetic materials, they cannot be broken down by microorganisms in the air and end up staying there for a long time.
We can avoid this problem by reducing our clothing consumption and recycling what we buy instead of throwing items away when they get damaged or no longer fit. This will give them another life as something else that might not cause environmental damage before going into landfills or recycling centers where they can decompose naturally as paper products do.
Various Methods of Recycling Fabrics:
There are many ways to recycle fabrics. You can cut them up and use them as rags, or you can make new products out of the recycled fabric. There are also a few methods for recycling large amounts of fabric, such as turning it into insulation or carpet padding. Some people recycle their old clothes by making quilts or other sewing projects from them. This is a great way to give new life to an item that may have otherwise been thrown away. You can also reuse old curtains, tablecloths, and other pieces of fabric in this way.
Another option for recycling fabrics is to turn them into insulation or carpet padding. This is a great way to keep old fabrics out of landfills while at the same time giving them new life. You can use recycled fabric for either insulation or padding in your home, and you will save money because it costs less than buying new products made from virgin materials.
If you have many pieces of fabric that need Recycling, there are several methods available to help recycle large amounts of material.
One option is bailing clothes into balls by hand; this method helps reduce waste significantly but takes a lot of time and effort on your part. Another choice is baling via a machine which requires electricity (usually) and has some other drawbacks such as high cost and wasteful product size. The last alternative is shredding/cutting the fabric into small pieces before baling.
No matter which method you choose, recycling fabrics is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. Not only does recycling help conserve resources, but it also cuts down on pollution from manufacturing new products. So go ahead and recycle those old clothes and fabrics – your wallet and the planet will thank you!
How Fashion Industry is Trying to Reduce Its Effects on Environment:
The Recycling and waste management sector is relatively new for the textile industry; however, the benefits from Recycling are clear. Several companies have been researching innovative ways to recycle fabrics.
- Clothes can also be made from recycled cotton and wool, but only about 1% of the global supply is recycled. Manufacturers could increase that number significantly with better technologies and consumer education and engagement. Humble’s clothing brand has been working towards this goal, increasing their use of secondhand fabrics over time as they find ways to work within the limits of their production capabilities. They now source pre-used fabric from local thrift shops (Humble x Goodwill Collection) and sell them at affordable prices in conjunction with an eCommerce platform that enables shoppers to purchase responsibly sourced garments.
- In 2016, Adidas partnered with Parley for the Oceans to produce a line of trainers made from recycled ocean waste.
- In another collaboration, Burberry created a trench coat using plastic water bottles collected from China’s rivers and oceans.
- Further initiatives include Unifi sending old denim back into the factory for processing or encouraging consumers to return their used jeans to stores that can then recycle them.
- Most recently, H&M announced it is collaborating with EcoAlfa on a wastewater treatment plant in Italy that will be capable of transforming a million tons of its used clothes into new textiles every year to be 100% recycled by 2020.
- The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) partnered with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to launch a new initiative called “The New Plastics Economy.” The goal is to create a circular economy for fashion in which materials are reused, recycled, and repurposed.
- Several high-end designers, such as Stella McCartney and H&M, have begun using sustainable fabrics like organic cotton and bamboo in their collections.
- Retailers like Zara and Uniqlo have started recycling programs that allow customers to bring in old clothes to be turned into new products.
- Some brands are even experimenting with upcycling or taking discarded materials and turning them into something new and valuable. For example, Dutch designer Anouk Wipprecht creates high-fashion clothing using old car parts.
- Many brands are also trying to reduce their environmental impact in other ways, such as designing products that don’t need to be thrown away after a single use and investing in technology like computerized cutting machines that can cut fabric more efficiently, saving both time and money for manufacturers.
- “The New Plastics Economy” is only one of many initiatives the fashion industry has taken towards reducing its environmental impact through Recycling & sustainability. Other programs include REPREVE (a brand owned by DuPont), turning recycled plastic bottles into new fibers.
- The Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Index program launched last year, encouraging companies to measure and improve their environmental and social impact.
- The Danish Fashion Institute’s “Circular Economy Program” aims to help Danish fashion brands become more sustainable.
Ways in which Recycling can help the Fashion Industry:
- Recycling can help fashion become more sustainable is by creating new and innovative materials. Recycled textiles can be used to develop various fabrics, including cotton, silk, polyester, and even leather (Recycle Now). This reduces our reliance on newly manufactured materials and decreases the environmental impact of production.
- Recycling helps fashion move towards sustainability is by saving energy and resources. For example, it takes significantly less water to dye fabric that has been recycled than it does to dye new fabric (EPA). In addition, recycled textiles use less energy in the manufacturing process. All of these factors help the fashion industry move towards a more sustainable future.
Conclusion:
While Recycling is not a cure-all for all of fashion’s sustainability woes, it is a valuable tool that should be embraced. With just a few small changes, the fashion industry can become more environmentally friendly and reduce its negative impact on the planet. So, let’s start recycling clothes and make fashion sustainable!