Buying environmentally friendly clothes isn’t just a good idea for your wardrobe – it’s also a good idea for the environment. Using recycled fibers and conserving water are just two ways to help save energy and protect the environment.
Water consumption
Water consumption is the most pressing among the fashion industry’s many issues. Water is used in almost every stage of the lifecycle of a garment. From farming and harvesting cotton, spinning and weaving it into a fabric, printing and finishing the garment, to disposing of it, fashion requires enormous amounts of water. The fashion industry consumes 79 billion cubic meters of water a year. Textile production is responsible for 4% of the global withdrawal of freshwater. Water consumption is expected to grow 20 percent from 2015 to 2025. The apparel industry will need to use environmentally friendly fabrics and manufacturing processes that reduce carbon emissions and use less energy. The fashion industry consumes ten times more water than the average American family.
Recycled fibers
Using recycled fibers in environmentally friendly clothing is essential to a more sustainable fashion industry. By reusing waste, clothing companies can reduce the environmental impact of their products, as well as save energy and water. The European Union plans to have at least 30% of clothing made from recycled materials by 2030. The plan calls for apparel to be made from durable fibers and to be able to be used for a long time.
Negative social and environmental impacts
Despite the positive effects of fast fashion on social and economic development, the fashion industry is also a significant contributor to environmental pollution and climate change. A recent MacArthur Foundation study found that the industry produces more greenhouse gas emissions than Germany and France combined. The industry also produces hazardous waste. In addition, textile factories release solvents and volatile monomers into wastewater. These chemicals are harmful to the health of nearby residents, workers, and the environment. Almost all new clothes are manufactured from petroleum-based synthetics. Polyester is the most widely used manufactured fiber, but its production releases particulate matter and acid gases into the air. As a result, recycled polyester garments usually end up in landfills.
Using Environmentally-friendly fabrics
Using environmentally friendly fabrics for clothing is a great way to protect the environment and avoid toxic dyes. Hemp is an excellent choice for a sustainable fabric because it’s biodegradable, has a low water footprint, and provides several other benefits. It’s also relatively easy to produce. It takes only a fraction of the water used to make cotton fiber. Hemp also reduces soil erosion and provides a way to recycle nutrients in the soil. In addition, hemp can be planted in the same soil for two decades without the need for fertilizers. The soil left behind after hemp is grown is often better than when the hemp was planted. Bamboo is an excellent example of an environmentally friendly material. It proliferates and does not require fertilizers or pesticides. Compared to cotton, bamboo is more water-efficient. Bamboo requires a third less water to grow than cotton. Bamboo is an excellent material for fabric as it has a wicking property and is UV protective. Bamboo is also an antimicrobial material. It has a natural enzyme that repels bacteria, reducing the need for harsh chemicals to wash the fabric. Choosing environmentally friendly cashmere fabrics is an intelligent choice and one that you may have already considered. Cashmere is a natural, renewable resource that is also hypoallergenic and biodegradable. It is also a luxury fiber that offers a variety of benefits to its wearer. The most obvious is that cashmere is soft and warm.
