Note: In this series of articles about those who advocate to lower fossil fuel usage, I do not tell people what to do. Rather, my concern is what I perceive as hypocrisy among those who ARE telling other people to make drastic changes in their lives without examining their own dependence on the materials they rally against. In that spirit, I offer the following research, here on the clothing industry. In two other articles, on the floral and construction industries. I hope you will find them interesting.
Many people who advocate for cutting back on fossil fuels focus on the transportation and power industries.
Let’s talk about fossil fuels closer to home: what you wearing today? The large fashion industry is heavily dependent on petroleum products and we are, too.
Are you wearing sneakers? How about a nylon raincoat, acrylic sweater and knit cap? Are your jeans and T shirts made with polyester threads, lycra for stretch, plastic buttons and zippers? Does your underwear have an elastic waistband, your bra elastic straps and plastic hooks?
Are you wearing such items while waving a placard in front of a legislature or company advocating to go to Net Zero or Lower Carbon Footprint or Divest from Oil and Gas Companies?
The quickest way to skewer an advocacy group is to point out hypocrisy (or naivete).
One way to puncture hypocrisy and naivete is research.
MARKET: Worldwide, 80 billion pieces of clothing are made every year, a 400% increase from only twenty years ago. This requires 342 million gallons of petroleum to transform plastic pellets into the plastic fibers for clothing. Moreover, these plastic fibers account for 73% of the microfiber pollution in Arctic waters.
Plastic use in clothing is INCREASING for many reasons.
(1) It is cheaper than natural fibers and offers some advantages, like stretch and color.
(2) Fashion depends on trends to encourage us to discard the old and buy something new. With “fast fashion” the quality is poorer and items do not last as long.
(3) Acreage previously allocated to cotton and flax (linen) has been ripped up to grow food. I witnessed this transition in the 1990’s, when I was a global Acrylonitrile Market Analyst. China tore up its cotton fields for food production and bought vast quantities of acrylics for clothing instead.
PACKAGING: A related aspect of the fashion industry is packaging and display. Did you know that 128 BILLION plastic hangers are made and disposed of each year? Plastic packaging is estimated to account for 26% of total plastic produced, and 76% of that is thrown away after a single use.
LABOR: Labor conditions vary from country to country and company to company, but the skills, age, and wages are low. Globally, it is estimated that 75 million people are employed in the textile industry, many of them children, at low wages, long hours and uncomfortable or dangerous conditions, such exposure to 8,000 synthetic chemicals. Plastic clothing is highly flammable and the fumes are toxic.
SECOND HAND: What happens to the clothes we donate to thrift shops? Unfortunately, (according to Resource Recycling Systems), most donated clothing are NOT sold as clothes. 12% is “downcycled,” or turned into industrial rags, stuffing, or insulation. Although 95% of plastic fiber clothing could be recycled, only 1% is made into apparel again. 73% of those old shirts and ties ends up in incinerators or landfills. That does not leave a very large percentage that is actually sold and worn again, as intended.
We are reliant, from head to toe, on plastic fibers. What personal steps can be taken by someone who is seriously concerned about the plastics, landfills, or the labor practices of the industry?
• Many clothes made with natural fibers may last longer than those with plastic fibers, potentially saving money in the long run but costing more up front.
• Some brands are advertising (or virtue signalling, you choose) their use of recycled plastic in their clothing. Many of these are in the outdoor/recreational clothing sectors. There are even some documentaries by these companies about their efforts.
• Many clothes made with natural fibers may last longer than those with plastic fibers, potentially saving money in the long run but costing more up front.
• Some brands are advertising (or virtue signalling, you choose) their use of recycled plastic in their clothing. You can research those and decide whether you wish to purchase their clothing.
• Assess your closets. Segregate the clothes that you have not worn for a year. Think about tailoring or new uses for them, such as rags for cleaning instead of buying sponges. Beware of flimsy fabrics that will stretch or rip in a year. Be intentional about your next purchases, note wants vs needs. Are there certain brands, countries, or fabrics you favor?
• Learn to sew. This way you control the inputs and may keep the items longer.
• Research what people did before plastics, such as applying wax to jackets to make them water proof…for a while, and wholly wool , linen, or cotton garments. You may not want to do ANY of these things, but you will learn why sneakers are ubiquitous and raincoats are popular. They lack easy replacements.
• Repurpose clothing
o for art. My church in Houston featured an artist’s installation of gorgeous kimonos made entirely of used men’s ties.
Quilting and rag rug making are essentially sewing together scraps into beautiful textiles.
Many quilters I know make exquisite quilts from sentimental scraps, such as childhood T shirts, screenprinted school art for bedspreads, curtains, seat covers, and tablecloths. The most touching gift was a quilt made of a husband’s shirts, given to his widow.
Buttons are endlessly useful to decorate rag dolls, seasonal décor, and jewelry, such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces. For inspiration, look at websites like Pinterest and DIY sites.
• Repurpose for functional uses.
o All my holey socks and torn sheets and towels become cleaning rags for the house, shop, car, and greenhouse.
o Thin T shirts can be used instead of cheesecloth to filter liquids.
o Thin strips of fabric blowing in the breeze can discourage birds and deer from tasty bushes.
o I layer dog treats inside rags tied in one another like a rag ball. Buddy loves this toy!
• Repurpose for whimsical uses:
o I use old boots and hats as flower pots.
o Scarecrows are a fun use of old clothes. Make a whole family of different sizes!
• Share and trade: Bring items of excellent quality that you want someone else to enjoy instead. When we moved to Alaska, we gave away most things and invited friends to share their items with each other, too.
• When my sister moved from a cold climate to Phoenix, she sent me two big boxes of good quality winter clothes which I have enjoyed for over a decade now.
In conclusion, most of us are heavily reliant
on many products derived from fossil fuels.
Our clothes are up close and personal applications that deserve our
individual scrutiny. People who intend
to tell other people to reduce their use of fossil fuels should look first at
themselves. The optics aren’t great if
advocates for reducing fossil fuels show up with plastic water bottles, nylon
rain jackets, and plastic shoes. I'd respect such groups more if I saw more "walking the walk" than just "talking the talk" and a bit of cost/benefit analysis would be welcome, too.
Resources:
https://www.wired.co.uk/bc/article/fashion-industry-plastic-addiction-arch-and-hook
https://studentbriefs.law.gwu.edu/ilpb/2021/10/28/fast-fashion-getting-faster-a-look-at-the-unethical-labor-practices-sustaining-a-growing-industry/
https://www.popsci.com/environment/how-to-recycle-clothes/
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