<
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/@bdajess/is-fashions-problem-overproduction-or-overconsumption-398810a29dc0>
"It’s likely that those with an interest in sustainable fashion are tired of
hearing that they should be reducing their shopping habits even further.
Many of us have started buying fewer items per year, and have begun investing
in clothing made from longer-lasting eco-friendly materials.
But how impactful can our behaviour be when the production of fast fashion
continues to increase rather than slow down?
It’s a question worth asking.
Consider that 80–100 billion items of clothing are produced each year — about
14 items for every person on Earth. This may not be so problematic at face
value, except that an estimated 15 percent of these items will become
‘deadstock,’ remaining unsold on shelves inside retailers’ warehouses around
the world.
Things get even more sinister when we recognise what these items are made from.
Around 60 percent of all garments made today are fashioned from
fossil-fuel-based plastic materials such as polyester, acrylic, and nylon
textiles. These synthetic fabrics are not only polluting the planet, but
scientific research has shown that they also harm human health as we wear them.
Upon reaching the end of their life cycle – or as a result of being unsold – 92
million tons of clothing are sent to landfill annually. This equates to a
garbage truck full of clothes every second, most of which are not made of
organic materials and will never break down.
A mere 1 percent of all clothing produced is later upcycled into something new.
As the fashion industry’s waste contribution spirals out of control (7 percent
of global landfills are comprised of textiles), is it high time to place limits
on how much clothing individual retailers can produce?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
