The Shocking Reality of Textile Waste
Compared to 30 years ago fashion has become more ingrained into the lives of everyday people. It’s no longer seen as a luxury of the rich and famous-- anyone can build the closet of their dreams and achieve exquisite personal style. The fashion industry is valued at about 1.5 trillion USD and shows no signs of slowing down. Amidst the glitz and glamour of haute couture, a haunting enigma looms large: just how much textile waste is lurking behind the scene?
How Much Textile Waste is Created?
Textile waste is responsible for about 10% of all global carbon emissions. The lengthy supply chain process as well contributes to the waste of precious resources to help produce and dispose of textiles. Approximately 1.92 million tons of Textile waste is produced every year. And that number is expected to increase to 134 million tons of textile waste a year by the end of the decade. The solution for reducing waste is often suggested to donate to charities. While those do help extend the life cycle of clothing, 85% of all textiles still end up in landfills often in the Global South. For individuals, the average person (US) tosses about 37 to 81 lbs of clothes per year
Why Is There So Much Textile Waste?
The simple answer is that the production of textiles has increased dramatically over the last 30 years in the fashion industry. Since the 2000s production of clothing has doubled to meet the demands of consumers. With new trends popping up everyday consumers are less interested in keeping their clothes for a long time. Before fast fashion’s rise in the 80s, clothing was bought for its practical use rather than to make a fashion statement. People kept their clothes for as long as they served their purpose before throwing them out. With the rise of fast fashion in the 80s the lifespan of clothing shortened significantly from a lifetime purchase down to two years before people threw their clothes away. Now the average lifespan of an article of clothing is 90 days, leaving companies and consumers in a never-ending cycle of production and disposal.
Textiles simply aren’t produced to be recycled after their initial use. Although thrift stores and charity shops have certainly filled a need for cheap, sustainable clothing, donating doesn’t necessarily solve the problem. About 85% of all textiles still end up in landfills often in the Global South. These giant landfills disrupt the local economies in the affected countries and help contribute to environmental degradation.
What Can Consumers Do?
The most important thing consumers can do is avoid participating in the fast fashion life cycle. This means opting to invest in high-quality clothing instead of purchasing from cheap and inexpensive brands. There are companies that incorporate circularity in their product design often saving more money in the end. Brands like Patagonia, and Coach often lifetime repair services for their items to extend the longevity of their items.
Other options include rental services for fashion instead of purchasing new clothes for every occasion. Companies like Rent the Runway are known for their affordability and for allowing customers to rent designer clothing at affordable prices.
The last method is purchasing second-hand for your fashion needs. Purchasing from second-hand stores helps support the local economy of the city while also contributing to the sustainability of fashion. These stores often sell clothes at an affordable price and sometimes come with their own built-in local community to meet like-minded individuals.
Textile waste is a growing concern in the world, but it’s not an impossible task to tackle. When you find yourself in need of new clothes try to find alternative ways to avoid fast fashion and contribute to global waste. Do you have any ideas on how to combat textile waste? Leave a comment below.