Our Wardrobes Broke the Ozone — Why Conscious Fashion Matters

Image Credit to apairandaspare

Last week I talked about ways to resist buying new clothes. This week I wanted to hone in on one of the main reasons I avoid clothes fresh from retail: the environmental cost. That’s right, clothes don’t just cost money. They cost our environment.

Warning this article won’t leave you with warm fuzzies. I’m zeroing in on three ways the clothing industry shreds the earth. Sugar coating doesn’t exist in these next paragraphs. But I promise you this: I’ll offer a few hopeful strategies if you read to the end.

Are your sleeves rolled up? Okay, let’s dive in.

Factories

Let’s start with production. How many gallons of water do you think goes into a single pair of jeans? Take a moment to guess…

The answer: approximately 998 gallons. For one pair of jeans.

This isn’t just a matter of water scarcity. The use and purification of water puts hundreds of thousands of CO2 emissions into the air. That’s right, each pair of jeans in my closet has a carbon footprint. The production process for one pair of jeans releases approximately 75 pounds of CO2 into our atmosphere. Of my seven jeans I own, four were bought new. This means I’ve invested in the introduction of 300 pounds of CO2 to our world. Just. From. Jeans. But wait, there’s more!

Fuels Emissions

Before clothes are made, the materials are driven to a factory. Then the finished product must be shipped to a warehouse. Oftentimes factories live overseas. Therefore, the goods must be shipped by boat or plane. Then the clothes are freighted to warehouses, and finally driven to stores. It’s no wonder the fashion industry shoulders 10% of global carbon emissions. Hold up! The supply chain doesn’t end there though, right? At that point I don’t have new jeans in my wardrobe.

Once the hankering for shopping strikes, I drive to the store and drive back home with a few more clothes in hand. After two years, I get sick of those clothes and drive them to a second hand store. Eventually someone else drives to buy them and drives home. Even second hand clothes have an environmental cost. Now I’m not against thrifting, but I’ll still point out the carbon cost still exists in the holy land of second hand. Every time we hop in the car, we’re cranking out the carbon.

The Fastest Fashion

Fast fashion refers to the movement that cranks clothes from the runway to Target in an instant. The swift production lines move clothes from factory to retail rack in an affordable instant. The catch? It results in oversaturated markets and excess waste. And despite efforts to recycle and reuse fabrics most textiles and clothes end up in landfills.

The lower costs happen at the expense of the environment.

Next week I’ll dive into the history of fast fashion (buckle up for that one, folks). For now, I’m here to talk about the next wave… the FASTEST FASHION.

We’ve created a culture that demands that the dress someone ordered on Amazon shows up tomorrow. Under the influence of Amazon, people don’t have to drive to buy new clothes. They just show up at the door…

With one to two day shipping becoming more normative, we expect these orders stat. With such pressures, drivers can’t take the most environmentally conscious route. That would mean waiting a few more days, so that deliveries in adjacent neighborhoods could be delivered in one load. But that requires a rare commodity from shoppers: patience.

Work Conditions

Here’s the hot “new” take (and by new I mean, a philosophy that has existed since the sixties). Environmental issues are human issues. Until we start looking out for human rights, the environment won’t shape up. When it comes to factory work, we’re polluting an invaluable resource: our people.

Factories around the world expose their workers to everything from lead to formaldehyde to ammonia. I worry about the effects of these chemicals in our clothing, but the thought of individuals working directly with these chemicals troubles me even more. And the low-prices of fast fashion? Those deals exist because factory workers aren’t paid proper wages.

Feeling rattled. Me too. Every time I look at the statistics, it shakes me. But I have good news: culture is changing. Are you ready to join the movement? After facing the facts, I sure am.

I promised not to leave you without hope or direction, so here we are… Three ways we can change the system?

1. Write to your favorite store: let them know you’re done with fast fashion. Let them know if you’re ready to pay a better price: higher dollar cost, lower environmental costs.
2. Stop using two day shipping.
3. Take your money elsewhere. Invest in clothing companies that use organic cotton, natural dyes, and fair wages.