There are more clothes in existence now, than we need, to decently dress all the people in the world for their lifetimes. Therefore, it makes sense to reduce production, improve quality and extend the life of clothes, shoes and accessories through repairs, recycling and exchanges.

Have you ever wondered how much energy goes into the production of one piece of clothing, for example, that shirt you’re wearing right now?

1. Production/acquisition of material, depending on whether it is natural or synthetic material.

2. Transportation of this material to the factories.

3. Material processing into textiles.

4. Production of items from this material.

5. Treatment of these products (chemicals, washing, dyes).

6. Transport of products to sellers.

7. Transportation of customers to these products (shopping) or transport of products to end customers (delivery).

8. Item maintenance: cleaning (washing – contamination with microplastics and detergents), drying (especially if with dryer), ironing, protection (protection sprays) ; over and over, until the material becomes useless.

9. Or the items did not get used up and were given away for further use, this means transport to the next buyer (possibly to another continent).

10. When the piece is worn out, it becomes waste.

11. Then it’s left do disintegrate on its own somewhere, releasing all the chemicals, dyes, microplastic, etc.

Since we’re talking about fashion, we’ll focus primarily on clothes. It takes a small effort to stop and think before every purchase. Ask ourselves:

1. Do I need this?
2. Do I want this?
3. What purpose will I use this for?
4. How much use will I get out of it?
5. Will it (potentially) make me money?

Some advice on a more sustainable approach:

1. lend and borrow items among your family and friends, also the best option when you only need a garment for one occasion;
2. exchange clothes and accessories with family, friends, acquaintances, coworkers, neighbours, or go to exchange parties or fairs if they happen in your area (if not, you can always organise them yourself);
3. take good care of your items: wash as seldom as possible, only if really necessary, otherwise just air them and remove any stains locally. Wash at temperatures as high so that the stains get removed, but as low as possible, air dry, chose washing detergent carefully (look for consumer reviews, chose the most efficient and environmentally low impact one);
4. use what you already have: item that haven’t been worn for a long time, deserve attention. Maybe rework it into something else;
5. mend or recycle into a new product: when the garment is completely unwearable, reuse it as a cleaning rag;
6. keep a list of the items you need to buy and only buy those;
7. it possible, buy second hand;
8. when you must buy new, go through the five questions above;
9. buy certified: this way you choose pieces that do not and will not harm the environment and people in production;
10. buy only quality pieces with a known origin, such will last much longer.

Before a garment becomes waste, there are many other options, as listed just above. But if we really don’t need the clothes anymore, we have several options:

• online sales: require some preparation and time. It is possible to sell on several platforms; online stores with used clothes, or on social networks
• thrift stores that accept used clothing
• exchange (as mentioned)
• donate to a society that cares for people in need
• upcycling centers
• animal shelters, they collect household textiles: towels, sheets, thin blankets
• if after all the steps we are left with clothes damaged to the point that they cannot be used for any of the above, use them as cleaning cloths and only after that, a container for mixed waste. In such case, the pieces end up in a landfill or in an incinerator.

We have to learn to take care of your clothes and accessories, which is something that is to be learned. Respect your purchases and treat every item with appreciation and care. Even if the items aren’t high end, treat them as if they were. You can thus extend their usability for years. Such care is not time consuming, no more than regular care. More in depth about the care for our items (clothes and accessories) in the next month’s post!

Thoughts on »things«

Always be aware that material things won’t and don’t make us happy. Shopping is a wave of serotonin that possibly makes us feel better or happier for a day or two. We all know it. A lot of unpleasant feelings, time, energy and hard earned money are spared when we are aware that »things« will not make us happy. Millennials confirm this with our “enjoy life” principle, according to which we shop less and experience, live, more. We want no junk and all quality.

It’s not necessary to go all in into minimalism, little steps go a long way. We can appreciate beautiful things without the necessity of purchasing them. Simply imagine where they would inevitably all end up.

Every time we choose ourselves, we are not running away from anything. Wherever we go, no matter what we have, we are there with ourselves. And with our things and careful thinking, we can be a little better dressed, nothing more.

The industry

In the fashion industry, there are many deaths and skin diseases due to toxic dyes, the end users are also victims. It is a matter of disregard for the circulation of materials. We cannot just bury everything we have produced somewhere without consequences. Everything we produce and buy will one day be trash. Water pollution, poisoning the earth with pesticides, releasing toxic gases during production, transport and final breakdown of materials in nature. That’s not the point of existing on this earth. What say you?

Some numbers:

• 170 l of water are needed to produce 1 kg of cotton;
• over 3700 l of water are needed to make one pair of jeans;
• every year the fashion industry consumes water quantities for the annual consumption of 5 million people;
• 20 % of the world’s wastewater is from dyeing and cleaning fabrics;
• 87 % of the total fiber input used for clothing is incinerated or ends up in landfills;
• less than 1% of used clothing is recycled into new clothing;
• the world is dominated by fast fashion, it is estimated that 64 % of clothes end up in landfills within a year of purchase.

Patagonia

When talking about sustainable fashion, we can’t go without mentioning Patagonia. The example of sustainable production, maintenance and quality.

Sustainability is present throughout the entire life cycle of products, from production, use, to end of use. Organic cotton comes from regenerative farming practices. For many products, they use leftovers from factory production. 87 % of clothing contains recycled materials and most of their products contain 100 % recycled plastic. They are trying to move away from polyurethane and also started using recycled elastane and cotton, wool and cashmere from the remains of factory production. Using recycled materials reduces water consumption. Globally, they use 76 % of their electricity needs from renewable sources. With their cotton dyeing technology, they use 50 % less electricity and 84 % less water. Plastic packaging, used to protect clothes during transport, is sent for processing into plastic granulate.

They seek new ways of sustainable production and invest profits in environmental conservation. With the 1 % for the planet program, they allocate 1 % of sales revenue to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment (small input, but it’s a start). 2 % of all shares are owned by the Patagonia Purpose trust, which oversees the company’s mission and values. Thus, they prove that capitalism can in a way work for the planet. Patagonia products are considered slow fashion, their business model is based on durability and long use of the product. They have developed the Worn Wear program, which encourages purchasing of their second-hand products and clothing with a defect, it also includes repairs.

The company is a system partner of the Bluesign standard, which tracks the path of materials and their chemical additives and eliminates dangerous chemicals in production. They cooperate with many organisations that professionally deal with sustainable production: EOCA, Bureo, FLA. The company’ is involved in a number of organizations that promote sustainability. Among other projects, they supported the Balkan River Defense movement, which raises awareness about the construction of hydroelectric power plants.

Patagonia never patents their ideas and methods of business model, because they want other companies to follow their example.

However, the brand still is structurally dependent on the exploitation and depletion of the capabilities of the environment and workers. It does work in the clothing industry, which is the second biggest polluter after the oil industry.

If you want to use quality garments, you cannot go wrong with Patagonia. The materials are carefully picked and put together. They have a lifetime guarantee, they will mend or replace the items that get damaged with use. We can’t at all say there’s no waste and pollution, but by purchasing our products carefully, we’re at least reducing waste with one of our actions.

Greenwashing

Green deception in the fashion industry involves misleading claims by brands that their products are less harmful to the environment or society than they actually are. This manifests in various ways, as direct deception (lying), false advertising or as claims without evidence. For the company to become environmentally and socially responsible, it would have to completely change its business model and monitor the protection of the environment and human rights in the entire supply chain (like Patagonia). Such cases are, sadly, extremely few. 2 examples of greenwashing:

1. Use of recycled polyester

Almost all recycled polyester is produced by recycling only a few types of bottles and other plastic products. This kind of recycling is harmful for the reason that recycling bottles, nets and plastics from the sea is used to build brand reputation. Although these types of products help raise awareness of how much material ends up in our environment, making clothes from these materials does not solve the problem we have with plastic and does not stop the flow of plastic into the environment. There’s supposed to be added value, selling clothes made from recycled materials (the look of a less environmentally harmful brand). When in reality production from recycled materials is a small part of the company’s total production (less than 5 %). Also, products often contain a mixture of primary and recycled materials and if a product is labeled as recycled, it doesn’t mean that all the materials used are recycled.

2. Clothing recycling by companies themselves

Some brands encourage customers to return old clothes. Stating, the aim is to increase the rate of recycling of textiles and to reduce the amount of unnecessary waste. Only 1 % of such clothes are then recycled. The same companies continue to encourage consumption, which is controversial. All of this negates efforts to reduce textile waste and even supports more consumption.

Globally, we recycle 1 % of all clothing, as mentioned. It is difficult to recycle, as it is made from mixtures of different materials. There are devices that allow decomposition and recycling, but only if the garment is made 95 % from one raw material. Currently, such devices are still in research stages and not yet ready for processing as large amounts of textile waste, as is generated by mankind.

To conclude, let’s be mindful about how we live and consume every step of the way. We can do so much with quite small efforts every day.

This post, and all of the future posts, are dedicated to my mother. She made me who I am, at least in most part. When it comes to fashion, since this is a fashion post, she had the best style of all the people I have ever known and will ever know. She got me into liking fashion, more importantly, she introduced sustainable fashion. Every piece we bought was carefully thought through: do we need it, is it functional, is it of good quality, do we like it? Yes, we wore the same clothes. Among everything good, she proved and taught me that one can be a fashion enthusiast and a minimalist at the same time. Love and miss her forever. <3

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