Ever wondered why you should bother being innovative if your customers don't really care? Or if you don't have any customers yet? Yeah, I've been there, had those 3 am musings. But then I stumbled upon a startling truth that turns this question on its head.
Let me hit you with a curveball: Would you enjoy a savory bite of your yoga pants? Shocked? You should be. This is the harsh reality we've been ignoring. Every time we do our laundry, millions of tiny microfibres shed from our clothes. If they're natural textiles like wool or cotton, they biodegrade. But synthetic microfibres? They're the evil step-sisters, sticking around in the environment, causing havoc.
You see, marine life often mistakes these microfibres for plankton. So not only do these creatures get zero energy, but we end up with an unintentional side dish of microfibres when we dine on seafood. Yummy. And by yummy, I mean yikes!
Back in 2017, when I first stumbled upon this, it felt like I had discovered a hidden secret society. The issue was barely on anyone's radar. So we dived in, doing our homework, and found a prime suspect: the fashion industry. Specifically, fast fashion.
The trigger point for today’s blog was an article I’ve recently read about an investigation by Clean Up Kenya and Wildlight for the Changing Markets Foundation. About the piles and piles of clothing waste, dumped in Nairobi. So let’s see how it all started…
Fast fashion model explained
Ah, fast fashion. Let's take a stroll down memory lane, shall we? Sixty years ago, clothes shopping was different. Department stores and big retailers were the go-to places. Then, entrepreneurs found a way to outsource production to low-cost countries, creating cheaper versions of high-end fashion. Fast forward to the late '90s, and we're all aboard the fast fashion train.
Buy, wear it five times, throw it away and repeat
Fast fashion today is a whirlwind of cheap clothes produced at breakneck speed. Big names like Zara have perfected the model, churning out a mind-boggling 20,000 designs each year. But the rise of fast fashion has an ominous dark side: a culture of buying clothes, wearing them a few times, and tossing them aside.
Landfill fashion and environmental consequences
And where do these discarded clothes end up? Our landfills, of course. We're pumping out 150 billion clothes a year, with a staggering 85 percent of textiles ending up in the trash. As these synthetic clothes decompose, they're belching out produces more CO2 than international flights and shipping combined. And if we keep going at this pace, these emissions could skyrocket by 60% by 2030.
How to slow down fashion
But hey, there's a glimmer of hope. It's time to embrace slow fashion! Think of it as the tortoise in our hare-paced fashion world. It's all about prioritizing quality and sustainability over cheap prices and new trends. This means buying second-hand, supporting fair trade, and choosing eco-friendly textiles. There is a list of alternatives to mass-produced cotton or polyester. Recycled cotton, for instance, reduces water and energy consumption and helps keep cotton clothes out of the landfill. Linen is another natural fibre that requires minimal water and pesticides. Production of Tencel, a light cellulose fabric made from wood pulp, also uses less energy and water than cotton but keeps the softness and breathability. And if you feel frisky, you may want to try out materials made of apples, pineapples, mushrooms (alternatives to leather) or hemp, lotus and nettles instead of cotton.
Hold brands accountable
And while we can make a difference, it shouldn't all be on us. We need governments to step in with smart regulation, investment schemes for sustainable materials and support programs for repair services.
The British MPs, for instance, have already urged the UK government to fix »fast fashion trend« and the European Parliament has set ambitious recycling targets, including textile waste. And our co-authored white paper calls on the EU to mandate for filters in washing machines as the only effective near-term solution. And our co-authored whitepaper calls on the EU to mandate for filters in washing machines as the only effective near-term solution.
We need to support organizations that educate and empower consumers. Social media activism also has its power to make brands more accountable. When the pandemic hit and fast fashion factories shut down, for instance, thousands of garment workers were left unpaid and out of work. The viral campaign #PayUp has been launched to pressure companies into paying their dues and many have pledged to honour their obligations.
Here in the PlanetCare team, we're all in. We're championing mending clothes, buying second-hand, and washing clothes only when necessary. Our mission? Keeping oceans clean from the nasty microfibers that shed from our clothes during washing. It's a big task, but together, we can make a difference.
So are you ready to jump on board? How do you view this problem? More importantly, what solutions can you see? I'd love to hear from you. Maybe then, we'll no longer question the point of innovation because we'll realize that, well, eating our underwear should never be on the menu.
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