We try to keep it as positive as possible here at Go Thrift, but sometimes we do have to look at the negative impacts the fashion industry is having on the environment to remind people why we’re always saying we need to “Wear Without Waste”. We’re hoping to give you an insight into just how important it is for everyone to try and make more informed decisions when it comes to buying their clothes. It really shouldn’t be costing us the earth, literally.
Carbon Emissions
Did you know that the fashion industry produces between 8 and 10% of global carbon emissions every year? This is a pretty big percentage, and it could so easily be reduced if everyone just bought part of their wardrobe from second-hand retailers instead of buying new, or even just didn’t buy as much! By buying an item second-hand instead of new, you reduce that item’s carbon footprint by 82%.
Water Usage
Something a lot of people don’t realise is the amount of water that goes into making the materials our clothes are made of. It is estimated that the fashion industry uses around 1.5 trillion litres of water annually. This is without mentioning the fact that about 8000 synthetic chemicals are used to turn raw materials into textiles. This means that 20% of industrial water pollution globally comes from the treatment of dyeing textiles, as the billions of litres of chemically contaminated water are released into our waterways.
Landfill
The reason we and so many others are so critical of fast fashion is that it creates such a massive “throw-away” attitude towards clothes, this is why it is also known as “disposable fashion”. The main consumers of fast fashion, people in their teens and early twenties, have admitted that it is normal for them to only wear the items that they purchase once or twice. We are always striving to change this attitude, as let’s be honest, it’s not sustainable economically or environmentally! Every five minutes, nearly 10,000 items of clothing are sent to landfill in the UK alone. This needs to change in order to make all those carbon emissions, water usage and chemical water pollution worth more than just a couple of wears!
What to do
It’s simple really. It just takes a bit of a change in mindset. Instead of only wearing something a couple of times, reassess your wardrobe. See if there’s a different way to style the items you already have, or even try and customise them or change them into something completely different. Alternatively, you could have a trade session with your friends when you all decide you need to change up your wardrobe! If you really must scratch your shopping itch, instead of going to your usual clothes shops, why not try shopping in charity and second-hand shops? It’s way more fun and I promise you you’ll find much better items that you won’t see hundreds of others in. Also, if you have a one-off occasion and you want to wear something a little fancier, try using a rental shop! Rental shops allow you to wear something you would never buy new at full price for a fraction of the cost, saving you money and helping save the planet.
Let us know what you think we could all do to improve our clothes buying habits in order to Wear Without Waste!
