“Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity. Everybody’s buying far too many clothes.”
Vivienne Westwood, fashion designer
Here’s a fact that may surprise you: the global fashion industry is the second-leading contributor to climate change. Wow. The production, transportation, and disposal of clothing uses mind-boggling amounts of energy, water, and chemicals. On top of that, some textiles are actually made from oil. Because most people are unaware, the fashion industry is a sneaky climate change culprit.
A few eye-popping facts:
- The global fashion industry is responsible for 10% of all carbon emissions
- The industry emits more greenhouse gas than all international shipping and flights combined
- It takes 1000 gallons of water to make one pair of jeans!
- On average we buy 60% more clothes and keep them for 1/2 as long as we did 20 years ago
- Every second of every day, a garbage truck-sized load of clothing is dumped into landfills
While cotton uses an absurd amount of water and energy to produce, synthetic fabrics have their own problems. Because it is cheap to make, clothing made with polyester and nylon has taken over. Even high-quality brands use these textiles, which are made with oil and contain microplastics.
Some clothing companies are more responsible than others. The worst offenders are those that make high volume, cheap clothing in the fashion trends of the moment, aka fast fashion. Mass-produced clothing is often made overseas, where exploitation of workers and pollution is pervasive. Adding insult to injury, most clothing needs to be shipped around the world, creating even more emissions.
Moving the ball forward
In order to fix our climate problem, the industry needs to change at a systemic level. Many companies are responding by converting to renewable energy, and using more sustainable fabrics and manufacturing processes. Some are certified B Corps, meaning they meet a set of environmental and social governance standards. Consumer demand for sustainable options will help speed the transition.
What can we do
I’m not here to make people feel guilty about buying clothes. But it is important to understand that we have agency. The more we know about the causes of climate change, the easier it is for us to make choices about our behavior. If we want to be part of the solution, we can use the power of our wallets. Here are a few ideas:
- Think twice before buying
- Resist fast fashion
- Consider buying from sustainable companies (here are a few ideas)
- Patronize B Corps
- Choose quality over quantity
- Give consignment a try – either at a local shop or an online site like this or this
- When it’s time to let go, give some thought about where to donate or sell (some good ideas here)
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Think about it. Talk about it.