At Second Hand Swank we are committed to a more sustainable environment by reselling clothing so it doesn't end up in our landfills. The clothing industry is responsible for about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes more energy than aviation and shipping combined. We may not be able to end the greenhouse gasses fashion causes, but we can definitely help reduce it.
How does the fashion industry affect the environment?
The list of fashion-related environmental issues is extensive - but here are a few of the main areas to focus on.
1. Energy and Resources
· “In 2015, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from textiles production totalled 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, more than those of all international flights and maritime shipping combined.” Ellen Macarthur Study
· Within every stage of a piece of clothings lifetime, energy is used and emissions are generated. It is predicted that around 98 million tonnes of non-renewable resources are used per year in the textiles industry. This includes crude oil to produce synthetic fibers such as polyester, fertilizers to grow cotton, and chemicals to treat and preserve the materials.
· The main sources of greenhouse gas emissions from the textiles industry are electricity consumption and thermal energy consumption, as well as gases such as methane and nitrous oxide resulting from chemical processes.
· If the industry continues on its current path, by 2050, it could use more than 26% of the carbon budget associated with a 2°C global warming limit.
2. Cotton Growth
· Cotton accounts for 90% of all natural fibres used in the textiles industry. And for many good reasons - we don’t have to worry about cotton clogging up landfills because it biodegrades, it is a breathable and versatile fabric, and as a natural resource, it requires less chemical manufacturing than synthetic materials.
· But cotton’s benefits do not outweigh its drawbacks. Cotton farming is the single largest consumer of water in the textiles industry. The Water Footprint Network states that it takes over 30,000 litres of water to create 1kg of cotton, with one cotton shirt using approximately 2,700 litres of water - almost 3 years worth of drinking water. Cotton farming also uses harmful pesticides, fertilizers and insecticides causing tremendous damage to the air, water, soil, and the health of people in cotton-growing areas. ·
3. Plastic Microfibres
· Fast Fashion brands predominantly use petrochemical-based materials such as polyester and nylon due to their cheap costs and durability. When it comes to plastic pollution, most of us picture seaweed tangled bottles, fishing nets and grocery bags. What we don’t imagine are the billions of plastic microfibre particles shed from synthetic materials during washing. Fibres that shed from plastic-based materials such as polyester, nylon and acrylic are shedding microscopic pieces of plastic, which will never breakdown or disappear. One microfibre is roughly the size of half of a red blood cell - their microscopic size enables them to bypass wastewater treatment facilities and flow freely into rivers, lakes and oceans. It has been estimated that around half a million tonnes of plastic microfibres shed every year, with 1,900 fibres shedding off just one synthetic garment. Microfibres are now expected to be the most abundant form of plastic pollution in the ocean.·
4. Chemical Dyes and Treatments
· It is estimated that 17-20% of industrial water pollutionglobally is attributable to the dyeing and treatment of textiles. Worldwide, there are around 8,000 synthetic chemicals used to bleach, treat and colour our clothes, with most of the chemical run-off being released into waterways. Dye houses in India, China and Indonesia are notorious for dumping untreated wastewater into local streams and rivers. For every pound of textiles produced, a pound of chemicals are broken-down and illegally bled into rivers - colouring them unnatural shades of blood red, yellow and green. Toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury and arsenic have been found in some river run-off water samples in Indonesia. These chemicals pose a huge health risk for locals who depend on the rivers to survive, and an existential risk to marine life.
