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The low-cost of particular items of clothing means that they are relatively easy for people to discard. It is easier to replace items with more low-cost clothing (and keep up with new fashion trends in the process), rather than repair items that they already own [1]. However, this creates huge social and environmental problems. How do we deal with 92 million tonnes of global fashion waste that ends up in landfill each year [2]? The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimate that clothing production has doubled from 2002-2017, while the length of time a piece of clothing is used for was reduced by 36% [3]. Clothing consumption and waste is much more prevalent in wealthy countries such as the US and UK, compared to countries with lower disposable incomes [3].
So, as responsible consumers, how should we deal with our fashion waste?
- Repair items you already own
There are so many ways to repair items that you already own! E.g. darning or visible mending. You could also make your own patches to creatively cover up holes in your items!
2. Donate clothing to a charity/thrift store
2. Donate clothing to a charity/thrift store
Any items that are still in good condition could be donated to charity shops or thrift stores. This means that someone else can benefit from your clothes when you no longer want or need them.
3. See if there are any clothing swaps in your community!
3. See if there are any clothing swaps in your community!
People in your community might already have organized clothing swap events, or have round robin style swaps through Buy Nothing groups. This can be a great way to give clothing to people in your community and possibly get some new clothes yourself!
4. Try recycling your fibers
4. Try recycling your fibers
For items like socks, underwear or otherwise worn out clothing, look for options to recycle your fiber. One example is the take back bag, where you can send your fashion waste, and earn credit to shop other items.
References
[1] Peters, G., Li, M. & Lenzen, M. (2021) The need to decelerate fast fashion in a hot climate - A global sustainability perspective on the garment industry, Journal of Cleaner Production, 295: 1-10.
[2] Igini, M. (2022) 10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics, EARTH.org, Available via: https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/.
[3] Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future, Available via: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/a-new-textiles-economy.
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