Here's a shocking statistic: 85% of unwanted clothing ends up in landfills or gets incinerated.

?As we buy and discard more clothing due to fast fashion, our landfills fill up faster. We've grown used to seeing clothes as disposable, which is convenient financially but harmful to the environment.

85% of clothes end up in the trash, it is over a hundred pounds per person per year in the U.S. and it occupies nearly 10% of our landfills.

Why isn't all this clothing recycled?

You might be wondering why we won't recycle all this clothing instead of throwing it away.

Recycling clothing is complex. Many garments are made from fabric blends, which makes them challenging to recycle. Before recycling, tags, prints, or buttons must be removed. Even with emerging technologies that automate some of this work, it remains largely labor-intensive and prone to errors. These technologies are only just starting to be adopted in select innovative facilities.

Subsequent steps in the process are energy-intensive, costly, often simply doesn’t financially pay off for recycling facilities. As a result, you're more likely to find recycled clothing made from post-consumer waste like plastic bottles, rather than from old clothing itself.

As a result, you're more likely to find recycled clothing made from materials like post-consumer waste such as plastic bottles, rather than recycled clothing crafted from old garments themselves.

Fast fashion as a concern

Fast fashion garments aren’t made to last - they're intended to be disposed of and replaced with more fast fashion items. Both the poor quality of the garments and their design make it challenging for us to reuse them.

Fast fashion quickly integrates fleeting trends into its collections. This means that what you buy today may become outdated in just a few months. To keep up with current trends affordably, fast fashion offers inexpensive options that encourage frequent purchases.

Solutions

Understanding the environmental impact of fast fashion and its extensive clothing waste, how can we contribute to fostering sustainable practices in the fashion industry? Here are some effective ways to make a positive impact:

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• Consider purchasing second-hand clothing to extend the life of garments that might otherwise contribute to clothing waste, landfill accumulation, or incineration. By giving these clothes a second chance, you're not only reducing environmental impact but also supporting sustainable consumption practices.
• Avoid endorsing fast fashion and its unsustainable practices. Instead for sustainable fashion brands that combat issues like overproduction and excessive consumption. By making mindful choices, you can support a more environmentally friendly and ethically conscious approach to clothing.
• Make your clothes last by taking good care of them and keeping them until they're genuinely worn out and can no longer be worn.
• Please remember to recycle responsibly in the clothing bins provide.

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