Sustainable fashion and scientific efforts are working together to benefit the environment. For instance, a turquoise blouse that belonged to the narrator’s mother perfectly matches various outfits, defying the common pattern of garment disposal. While the average clothing item is only worn around 60 times, this blouse has been used much more, exemplifying a positive trend. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, focusing on resource-efficient business models, reports a 40% decline in the average lifespan of garments over the past two decades.
The issue of excessive clothing consumption has led to a surge in textile waste. Fast fashion encourages the constant replacement of clothes, even when they remain in good condition. Nostalgia for vintage styles and the appeal of second-hand shopping struggle to compete with the allure of fast fashion. Manufacturers, responding to consumer demand, produce inexpensive but short-lived garments, resulting in significant waste accumulation.
The global textile waste crisis presents an environmental challenge. Clothing ranks as the third most consumed product after water and land use, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Over 100 billion garments are produced annually, with more than 90 million tons of textiles ending up as pollution due to inadequate disposal practices. The production of clothing carries an extensive environmental burden.
The fashion industry heavily relies on three key fibers: polyester, cotton, and viscose rayon. Polyester’s advantages include lightness and blending properties, but its plastic origin causes it to decompose over centuries. This contributes to microplastic pollution in oceans and the atmosphere. Cotton demands substantial water, fertilizers, and pesticides, leading to environmental depletion. Viscose rayon, derived from wood, leads to deforestation and chemical pollution, despite its biodegradability.
The environmental impact isn’t limited to synthetic fibers. Plant and animal-based fibers like wool and cotton also contribute to pollution due to resource-intensive cultivation. Greenhouse gas emissions associated with fiber production vary, ranging from 1.7 kg to 36.2 kg CO2 equivalents per kg of fibers. Recycling and reusing strategies could significantly reduce this footprint, especially if 75% of pre-consumer waste is recycled.
The fashion industry’s high environmental impact extends beyond material production, with processes like dyeing exacerbating the issue. Despite challenges, solutions are being explored, including curbing overproduction and adopting more durable, circular product designs to control fashion consumption.
Experts consider fiber-to-fiber recycling, where textile waste is transformed into new fibers for clothing and textiles, a key sustainable strategy. Science is instrumental in developing efficient, eco-friendly approaches.
Europe leads in this effort, aiming to set an example for the world by making all textiles durable, recyclable, and free of hazardous substances by 2030. This aligns with the European Green Deal, an EU initiative to achieve climate neutrality and reduce carbon footprint by 55% by 2030. Fashion must evolve beyond marketing slogans to become a functional strategy for planet preservation.
Transforming textile waste into new fibers is a promising concept, yet its implementation is complex. Manual sorting challenges arise due to worn or missing labels, and advanced fabric analysis may struggle with blends.
MIT recently patented a process utilizing fibers for material identification during sorting. These fibers function as optical barcodes, indicating fabric type based on reflected light wavelengths. While futuristic, this approach builds on a decade-old fiber technology and could significantly enhance recycling efficiency.
Around 13% of raw materials are wasted during clothing design cutting. Designers seek to repurpose these materials, even considering their use in construction. Italian researchers found potential for textile byproducts in high-efficiency construction materials, which could reduce virgin resource consumption by 30% through circular economy principles.
Resource reutilization, sustainable fibers, and innovative processes aim to revolutionize an influential industry, benefiting not only people but the planet.
TYT Newsroom
