5 Tips to Reduce Clothing Waste

Whenever people talk about pollution and the deteriorating quality of soil, we automatically tend to attribute it all to plastic. However, along with all that plastic, the waste that we throw out of our closets also has a role to play in degrading the Earth’s environment. *Reports suggest that about 1.92 million tones of textile waste ends up in the landfills every year and by the year 2030 the apparel industry will be responsible for over 50% of the global emissions. These figures and their expected growth rates are absolutely alarming and its high time people make conscious efforts towards reducing clothing waste.

Here are a few quick tips to get a head start.

Buy from sustainable brands:

If every individual decides to buy from brands that make sustainable clothing, this issue of clothing waste will be eliminated from the roots. Brands that are conscious about the environmental impact of their products not only use sustainable practices in every step, they also partner with vendors that believe in doing the same. Xpresa Labels is one such brand that has always been at the forefront of creating high quality and sustainable apparel labels and has partnered with many clothing brands and supplied quality labels made in a sustainable manner.

Buy less and keep the clothes longer:

If all of us can start buying only as much as we need, waste management will never be as big an issue as it is today. Most of us buy clothes on impulse and then leave them in the closet after just using them once or twice and then discard them without even thinking about where they will land. If this unnecessary hoarding can be stopped, waste generation too can be effectively controlled.

Avoid clothes made of fabrics that use fossil fuels in production:

Materials like spandex, synthetic, polyester, nylon and acrylic are made from fossil fuels. People should avoid wearing garments made from these materials as not only does their manufacturing process harm the environment, their disposal is also quite taxing on the environment. When these materials and their accessories like the, zippers or apparel labels used in them are discarded in landfills they pollute the soil and when incinerated, they pollute the air. From their manufacturing to disposal, these materials harm the environment in every possible way.

Repurpose old clothes:

People must try to use every garment for as long as they can and the best way to ensure this is re-purposing. With a little bit of creativity and sewing skills, these faded or worn out clothes can be given a new life. In fact, many designers have even made big businesses by repurposing old clothes and selling them to their niche customer base.

Buy pre-loved clothes:

Many a times, people simply discard clothes even when they are as good as new because they may have outgrown it. There are many vintage shops, thrift stores and resale stores that sell such products. People should also open up to the idea of buying these clothes in order to avoid wastage and save the environment.

Reducing clothing waste requires the conscious and cumulative efforts of people. And this will happen only when more and more people are sensitized about the ill effects of the increasing clothing waste. Environmentally conscious companies and individuals are taking proactive steps in this regard and positive outcomes can even be seen in many areas.

Resource:
https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/