According to the American Apparel and Footwear Association, the average American buys 64 items of clothing and 7.5 pairs of shoes every year. Unsure which types of clothing to avoid and which types to buy? Look no further. This guide will provide you with all of the information you need to shop sustainable clothing.
To begin, what materials should you avoid? There are three main types of clothing materials that are best to avoid. The first material and most common material is cotton. While cotton is biodegradable, it has a horrible environmental impact. Cotton is one of the most enviromnetally demanding crops because it is so water intensive. It can take up to 3,000 gallons of water to make a simple T-shirt and between 10,000 and 20,000 gallons of water to make a single pair of jeans. Moreover, many pesticides and toxic chemicals are utilized in the process of cultivating cotton. The next group of materials to avoid are synthetic fibers. These include polyester, nylon, acrylic, and rayon. These materials all are not biodegradable and have a horrible environmental impact due to how they are made. They require oil to be created which can only be obtained through fossil fuel extraction. The last main group of materials to avoid purchasing are animal-derived materials. Animal-derived materials like wool, leather, and fur are responsible for a large amount of both carbon and methane emissions. These emissions sprout from the raising and even killing of some animals as well as the transportation of these materials. Another reason to avoid them is that most times toxic chemicals are used to preserve these materials when they are made into clothing.
So what materials should you actually buy? The first materials to start purchasing are organic of GOTS certified cotton and recycled polyester. Organic and GOTS certified cotton are better monitored than traditional cotton. The amount of water used, the pesticides utilized, and the fair trade practices in place are all regulated during its production. Although its environmental impact still isn't amazing, it is a far better option than normal cotton. Furthermore, recycled polyester uses only half as much energy compared to regular polyester and saves plastic from ending up in landfills. Next, try to find clothes made from cellulose-based fibers. Cellulose-based fibers are biodegradable and are extracted directly from plants, thereby being a great alternative to other materials. Examples of cellulose-based fibers include Tencel which is created from raw wood through photosynthesis and Pinatex which actually is a by-product of pineapples. Last, try to find clothes made from bast fibers. Bast fibers are created from plants with a stem consisting of a woody core and fibrous bark. They don't have a large carbon footprint, don't require as much water to make, and are reisstant to pests and diseases without the utilization of pesticides. Examples of bast fibers to look out for while shopping are hemp, flax, nettle, jute, and rame.
Make sure that you check clothing labels before you buy anything, now that you know which materials to avoid and which ones to shop!
Check out these articles for more information on sustainable fashion materials!
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