When it comes to the lifecycle of our clothes, you may be surprised to discover its lengthy and complex existence. From the creation of the fibre through its wear phase and beyond, clothing truly does have a life of its own, and a lot of it can be quite sordid.
This is why fast fashion is out and slow fashion is in. Keep reading to better understand the lifecycle of your clothing.
Birth
As we all learned in Biology class, the basic building block of a living thing is the cell. The basis for an article of clothing is the fibre. Natural fibres like cotton, linen, silk, and wool are harvested from plants and animals.
Synthetic fibres like polyester and nylon are created in a lab. They require the use of petroleum, a precious and limited resource, as well as other toxic substances.
In the case of semi-synthetic fibres like rayon and bamboo, these come from a natural source such as wood pulp, but must undergo extensive and usually harsh chemical treatments to soften them enough to be worn.
As for which one is best, natural wins for the least environmental impact — but with an amber caution light.
Plant fibres, particularly cotton, are frequently grown in climates not suited to them. This means that they consume more than their fair share of water. An alarming number of pesticides must also be used to keep the plants alive in the hostile environment.
Always look for an ‘organic’ label which promises fewer (or no) pesticides and more conservative water usage. It improves the whole lifecycle of your clothes.
Growth
All fibres whether natural, man-made or in-between, require processing including dyeing, assembly, and washing. When it comes to fast fashion, all of these steps involve unsavoury aspects.
Literally thousands of poisons are used in fabric dye that not only endanger the lives of the workers who handle them but also pollute the ecosystem surrounding the factory.
Washing clothing uses more precious water, and further contaminates the local environment. Add to that the shameful fact that garment workers in developing nations are often poorly paid and must spend long hours in unhealthy and dangerous conditions, and you have strong reasons to seriously reconsider your fast fashion habit.
Life
It’s a good bet that your clothes, like the fruit in your kitchen bowl, are better travelled than you are. Pakistan is one of the world’s top cotton growers, but the clothing might be sewn in Africa and before being sent to shops in the UK.
China is in charge of most of the world’s silk and cashmere production in addition to making the most polyester, adding up to some 50+ million metric tonnes each year.
Shipping via aeroplane or boat both burn fuel and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change.
As for once it ends up inside your closet, how many times do you actually wear an item before discarding it? If the answer is ‘not many,’ it may be time to take a hard look at your shopping practices, and get better acquainted with the lifecycle of your clothes.
Death
Once upon a time, there were two fashion seasons: Fall and Spring. A few more were added along the way, including Resort and Spring II, but fast fashion runs on constant consumption.
Some brands come out with 50 lines a year! The Project Management Triad dictates that you can have things that are cheap, fast, or good, but never all three.
Fast fashion goes with cheap and fast, and intentionally leaves out the good. Sewing quality is poor so items unravel and pill in the first wash.
Brands also capitalize on the desire for newness by constantly pumping out more. Social media doesn’t help with its FOMO driving people to constantly buy more in the futile attempt to keep up, creating a lot of waste.
Where do all these unwanted items go? Mostly into landfill and incinerators. The current figure is 20+ billion pounds of textiles winding up in landfill annually.
Besides taking up valuable space on the planet, synthetics can take hundreds of years to decompose, releasing toxins into the soil that in turn pollute the oceans and drinking water.
The next time you’re doing a closet purge, know that a lorry-load of textiles is dumped or incinerated every single minute.
Rebirth?
The good news here is that it is possible to reduce waste, both through wearing our clothes for longer and repurposing them when they have reached the end of their useful life.
While recycling is not yet a major contender in the textile market, more and more manufacturers and designers are exploring the possibilities of recycled clothing.
Unsurprisingly, the recycling process is easier with natural fibres. So next time you’re shopping, look for 100% natural fibres. Those that have been mixed with synthetics, even a small percentage, are much harder to recycle.
There are things you personally can do to give old clothes new life as well. If your items are only gently worn, pass them along to friends, family, or a charity shop. If your clothes are higher end and you’re feeling entrepreneurial, you can resell them.
You can also flex that creativity muscle and repurpose. Turn a pair of jeans into a bag or a top into an apron. Just about anything can be used as a rag.
With knowledge comes power. Every time you think before you buy, you have the opportunity to make the world a healthier place. Small changes really do add up.
