Lifestyle Changes: Dress to Impress...the Planet
Our clothing tells the world a lot about who we are and what we believe. Everything from the pattern to the material used to construct the garments that adorn our bodies is indicative of our socioeconomic class, our personal beliefs, and our aesthetic tastes. But what is less obvious is the way our habits at the shopping mall effect the environment. It is vitally important to reconsider our personal choices when it comes to fashion in order to decrease our footprint on the globe.
Quality vs. Quantity: The
easiest way to reduce your effect on the planet is to buy fewer
items. However, since it is not realistic for human beings to not
wear any clothing at all, we should consider spending a little more
money on products of higher quality, produced in countries with fair
labor and environmental standards. These products will last much
longer and are usually more comfortable. In addition, many companies
include warranties on their products so that the garment can be
repaired instead of replaced. For example, Danner will re-sole any
pair of Danner boots at a fraction of the cost of a new pair of
shoes, but Danner boots are quite expensive. You really do get what
you pay for. Repairing uses significantly fewer materials than the
production of any entirely new product and also contributes fewer
pollutants. Buying less items of poor or lesser quality and instead
purchasing a limited number of higher quality items will also result
in less waste in the landfill when articles of clothing inevitably
end up there.
Natural vs. Synthetic
Fibers: This is a trickier issue than it may appear on the surface.
On the one hand, fibers such as vinyl and polyester take decades to
decompose in a landfill. On the other hand, one has to seriously
consider the quantity of water and other natural resources used to
grow plant based fibers such as cotton and bamboo. The sheer size of
a plot of land required to grow plants for use as cloth fibers is
enough to seriously question it's sustainability as growing practices
currently stand. A really interesting article on the costs of cotton
growing and potential sustainable solutions can be found here:
http://www.sustainablecotton.org/images/media/Sustainable_Cotton_Production_&_Processing.pdf
Hemp is, to some, a viable
alternative to cotton because of it's decreased requirement for land
and water, but it presents some problems of it's own:
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_green_lantern/2011/04/high_on_environmentalism.2.html
While polyester has a rather
nasty reputation for its perceived lack of eco friendliness, it is
recyclable. Most natural fibers degrade at an accelerated rate,
compared to their synthetic siblings. Teijin, a Japanese company, has
developed the technology to recycle spent articles of polyester
clothing into "virgin" quality fibers which can be utilized
to make new garments. Unfortunately, this practice has yet to be
embraced globally. Polyester is a petroleum product so it certainly
has its unsustainable aspects as well.
I did a little research on
natural textile recycling, but the consensus seems to be that it is
almost impossible to recycle natural fibers for use in the
manufacturing of new or new-quality garments, but that doesn't
necessarily mean it has to go to waste. The Cotton Lobby, for lack of
a better word, has developed a program wherein old denim is converted
into insulation for Habit for Humanity Homes. You can read more about
that here:
http://cottontoday.cottoninc.com/sustainability-about/recycling/
This seems a bit like
downcycling and almost counter to the central theme of re-thinking
sustainability, but it is certainly better than rotting in a
landfill.
When shopping, do your
research. It is incredibly easy to fall prey to a price tag, but
buying clothing from a company who does not value the health and well
being of it's employees or the environment is only increasing demand
and thus harm to the planet, especially in those countries with loose
emissions and labor standards. In addition, always donate your items
to a second hand store because I can guarantee there is someone out
there who could use it. If an article of clothing has clearly reached
the end of it's lifespan, look for textile recycling programs in your
community and be very wary of purchasing items constructed with
synthetic fibers. Here is a website that features designers in a
multitude of price points who are making steps towards long term
sustainability:
https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablestyles/sustainable-examples-nike
Ultimately, the answer lies
in convincing ourselves that we don't need as much clothing as we
presently believe and making sound choices in the disposal of these
items at the end of a much longer life cycle than is currently
maintained. But it does stand to reason that adopting the practices
of recycling our textiles, both synthetic and natural, into fibers
that can be used for new articles of clothing as well as more
eco-friendly growing habits will lessen greatly our impact on the
planet.
I think that linking fair labor to sustainability is essential. Working in sweat shops for very little pay and in horrible conditions is not sustainable for human life, regardless of the environmental impacts. Humans are part of the equation, as we are part of the planet. Sustainability is also about equality.
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