One of the most pressing issues facing consumers in the fashion industry is the lack of transparency among many brands. This lack of transparency means that consumers are often unaware of the pollution, waste, and carbon dioxide emissions generated by the production of their clothing. In this guide, we aim to provide you with the necessary information to make more informed decisions about your clothing choices.
It’s crucial to understand that fabrics harmful to the environment are also harmful to humans. The interconnectedness of our ecosystem means that environmental burdens ultimately impact human conditions and sustainability on our planet. It’s not just about being ethical or showing off; it’s about recognizing the interconnectedness of our actions and their consequences on the planet and human well-being.
Through personal experience, I’ve come to realize that meaningful change often comes from observing the daily actions of others rather than from motivational speeches. Actions inspire people and motivate them to take steps towards change. By offering alternatives and promoting sustainability, we provide safety, hope, and a new perspective on life.
With the help of science, we can evolve as a species and move away from traditional models that are unhealthy and morally questionable. Our decisions today shape the future of humanity, and it’s essential to recognize the pivotal role that consumers play in shaping the market and influencing industry practices.
It’s time to acknowledge that petroleum-based textiles are not the only option, and not all natural fabrics are sustainable. Ethical considerations must be at the forefront of every process. As consumers, we have the power to drive change in the fashion industry by making informed choices and supporting sustainable practices.
In the following sections, we’ll explore the 5 worst fabrics and why they have a detrimental impact on the environment.
- Cotton
Conventional cotton is one of the worst natural fibers. It’s extremely wasteful, polluting, and damaging to human health. It ruins biodiversity and soil fertility.
Plus, cotton is mass-produced in subtropical countries around the world. And mass-production isn’t sustainable. It’s the second most used fiber for apparel and footwear after polyester.
30.3 million tons of cotton are produced each year globally, as estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
China is the largest producer of cotton worldwide with 6.1 million tons of cotton produced in 2018, followed by India (4.69 million tons), and the United States (4 million tons).
Regular cotton farming pollutes the air, water sources, soils, endangering ecosystems, and human lives. It accounts for 16% of all insecticides, 7% of all herbicides, 4% of all nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers worldwide.
Alternative: Organic cotton
2. Polyester
Polyester is the most used fabric for apparel and textile worldwide. The total production of polyester fibers increased to 55 million tons in 2018 globally. It accounts for 52% of all fiber production.
The largest producer of polyester worldwide is China. Half of its polyester is manufactured in the Zhejiang region and a third in Jiangsu.
With the rise of fast fashion over the last 20 years, polyester became a highly popular fabric to make cheaper, trendier, and disposable clothes.
It’s a synthetic fabric made from petroleum-based chemicals or petrochemical products. It’s also known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Its fabrication involves the polymerization of synthesized polymers compounds made from oil-derived materials.
Polyester is responsible for the global plastic waste and microfiber pollution that endangers ecosystems, marine life, land wildlife, and human health.
Polyester isn’t biodegradable and can take up to thousands of years to decompose in the oceans, according to recent research.
Polyester clothing produces huge amounts of waste, pollutes the air, soil, and water with plastic microfibers and hazardous chemicals.
Alternative: Recycled polyester (rPET)
3. Nylon
More than 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year and less than 10% of all plastic is recycled. Nylon is a major contributor to plastic waste.
Nylon or polyamide is a synthetic fiber often used in the fabrication of sportswear, swimwear, and athleisure garments. 5.4 million tons of polyamide were produced in 2018. It represents 5% of global fiber production.
It has a huge negative impact on the environment. It takes thousands of years to decompose under cold conditions like in the ocean.
Nylon waste ends up in landfills and oceans and pollutes the air, water sources, and entire food chain, threatening human health, wildlife and the planet.
Alternative: Recycled nylon
4. Acrylic
Acrylic or Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is a synthetic material made from petroleum-based plastics. About 2 kg of petroleum is needed to make 1 kg of acrylic.
Acrylic fabric is often used in sweaters, hats, socks, and blended with other natural or synthetic fibers. It looks and feels like wool. It’s warm, soft, and lightweight.
Acrylic production involves the polymerization of a plastic solution that consumes tons of energy and chemicals. Spinnerets transform the viscous solution into acrylic fibers that are ready to be spun into threads, which are then woven into fabrics.
Acrylic fabric is used to create cheaper clothes as it saves a lot of money on raw materials. The very low-cost of acrylic is its main advantage compared to natural fibers. But fabrics made of acrylic aren’t environmentally friendly or healthy.
Acrylic is highly flammable. It’s also made of polyacrylonitrile polymers that may lead to cancers through skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation.
Acrylic is also subject to pilling. It reduces the lifespan of clothes considerably.
Like many other synthetic fibers, acrylic isn’t biodegradable and take hundreds of years to decompose. As it breaks down, acrylic releases toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases into the environment.
Alternative: PLA (polylactic acid)
5. Viscose
Viscose is a type of rayon fiber, like acetate and modal. It’s a semi-synthetic cellulosic fiber generally derived from wood pulp. Viscose production is usually associated with massive deforestation.
Many fashion brands and designers often choose viscose to create relatively affordable and low-quality clothes in overseas countries. It’s used in cheaply produced garments as the primary fiber content or a substantial part of the fiber composition.
Every year, 6.7 million tons of man-made cellulosic fibers are produced globally, according to Lenzing. They account for 6.2% of all fiber production worldwide.
Viscose rayon is the most widely used semi-synthetic fabric. It has around 79% market share with 5.3 million tons produced in 2018, as reported by the Textile Exchange.
Viscose is not an environmentally friendly material. Manufacturing clothing from plants or wood requires heavy processing. The large majority of viscose is created with a chemically-intensive process that’s harmful to people and the environment.
Viscose fabrication involves a lot of energy, water, and toxic chemicals, such as carbon disulfide, sulfuric acid, ammonia, acetone, or caustic soda. These highly dangerous substances poison the environment and put workers’ health at risk.
Alternative: Tencel
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