Clothes pollute! [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

razz

6-7-19, 7:08am

This came in on my CBC morning brief and answers a question that come up in thought at different times. What is the impact of the changing fashions and sudden fads in clothing?

"Your clothes aren't a good look for the planet. A study in the journal Nature Climate Change says fast fashion — inexpensive, trendy clothes that copy the latest catwalk designs — has caused a spike in clothing consumption and waste over the last two decades. The consultancy McKinsey reports that consumers, on average, are buying 60 per cent more clothing textiles compared to 2000, but keeping clothes for only half as long. Textile production primarily uses non-renewable resources, and it's common for fast fashion textiles to be made from blends of different fabrics, which makes recycling garments more difficult. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation reports that, in 2015, the fashion industry produced 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases".

Well, I do contribute a little to this but mostly, I keep my clothes for years with classic styles and ignore fashion trends. Most are of cotton but there is mixture of polyester and rayon in some, I do confess. Food for thought anyway.

Zoe Girl

6-7-19, 7:33am

I have been aware of this, and wasn't concerned about my own clothing. And then I had to replace my wardrobe over a year and I found I couldn't quite afford what I wanted to do (buy super eco-friendly wardrobe). I bought from places like TJ Maxx a lot, but also had to give to thrift stores as I went. I do recall that with a few items I bought something new, paid for it and then changed and threw the old pants away right there. They were so large by then that they were falling off and too worn for thrift.

dado potato

6-7-19, 8:09am

And clothes dryer vents release tiny fibers of polyester yarn, which can't be good to inhale.

pinkytoe

6-7-19, 9:16am

I mostly buy thrift store clothing with quality in mind. Over the last few years, the selection has become mostly "fast fashion" stuff. Cheap fabric and finish - not worth buying as it didn't even hold up well for original owner.

Teacher Terry

6-7-19, 11:00am

I wear my clothes for a long time.

beckyliz

6-7-19, 4:13pm

Float On

6-7-19, 4:18pm

I've been buying quite a bit off of PoshMark. Sellers post their own items there. I can shop for the brands I like. Some are gently used; some are new with or without tags. Overall, I've been pleased with the results.

If you find you have a favorite seller or two, follow them on youtube. Sometimes they give coupons or first dibs. Most of them buy a lot from Thrift shops to resell.

thinkgreen

6-7-19, 6:26pm

I thought rayon was eco friendly as it is made from mixed plant fibre. Perhaps I need more education on that. My clothing is primarily cotton or linen but I do have some rayon.

Even so, I do have a lot more clothing than I did 30 years ago. This causes some problems for me as my house still has 1940 closets. Which means my clothing doesn't fit in the bedroom closet. Some clothes hang over the washer/dryer, some hangs in the guest closet, some hangs on separate clothing racks. I don't really think I buy more clothing than in the past but I do wear it a long time and keep the older ones as they are still in use. So, the cumulative amount of clothing has built up to its current level.

Yppej

6-7-19, 7:16pm

I like the idea of a capsule wardrobe, but I have read 50 garments per season which on a 4 season climate is 200, and certain categories like exercise wear are excluded. That seems high.

happystuff

6-8-19, 6:17am

With the closet purge I did about 8 months ago, I have less than half the clothes I used to have. I will probably end up getting a few new pieces here and there, but hopefully not. I really dislike clothes shopping so I'm not too worried. LOL.

Teacher Terry

6-8-19, 11:30am

Half my clothes went when I retired.

Selah

6-22-19, 9:54am

I have read a lot about the problem of fast-fashion related pollution and it's really changed my attitudes about clothes. I take much better care of them than I used to, mend and alter instead of discarding or donating, and buy thrift shop clothes for outerwear (I still buy new for socks and undergarments, though). While I'm still very much aware of the non-verbal communication expressed by "attire," I'm far more mindful than I used to be. I'm less interested in "is this a bargain," and more in "how versatile is this garment, and how long am I likely to make it last?" I'm glad the word is circulating about this issue.