As we all know climate change has become a mayor issue over the last few decades and my concern is helping the planet be a better planet for my grandkids. According to an article called “Nike, H&M and Burberry join Forces for Sustainable Fashion” “by, Isabelle Gerretsen,” major global brands have signed up to the make fashion using a circular scheme which aims to reduce global waste from its industry by recycling raw materials and products. The effect of this would be an improvement to the fashion industry’s record on sustainability, an issue that was the focus of a study which founded that less than one percent of clothing is recycled.
As we seen an increase in technology over the years we have also seen an increase in clothing production which has doubled; there are more options for choosing clothing than there are in choosing what foods you eat. In my opinion I would say there are more discounts for clothing then for food selections but there are also different qualities of clothing just like there is with food. We all know that hazard chemical as waste is harmful to us and to the planet but, what we all don’t realize is that a waste of clothing can also be harmful to the planet. In other words an excess of anything can have a negative impact. Since climate change is a hot topic out there recycling and the reusing of materials is becoming more in demand by several industries who can make a difference in protecting our planet. Some of the negative outcomes these fashion industries thought about was on how half a million tons of plastic microfibers are released from washed clothing annually, equivalent to more than 50 billion plastic bottles, exacerbating ocean pollution. As stated by an H&M speaker “there is no single company that can solve the challenge of shifting the whole industry from a linear to a circular business model on its own, that why a collaborative approach is crucial.” Therefore, companies are rewarding us with store discounts if we collaborate with them and donate our old clothing for them to reuse. These type of actions will help the planet by not adding to the waste that is already polluting our planet. Our planet is experiencing major climate change and over the years, and if we don’t act now, most likely for our grandkids will have to deal with worse conditions than we have now.
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This is an interesting topic because when people think climate change they think about the environment like pollution, rising sea levels and other phenomenon that are very apparent to the naked eye. A statistic that Jonathan Saldana stated in his blog, “less than one percent of clothing is recycled” I felt this was shocking. To further expand on his blog, I learned more about a topic that I have neglected about climate change. “Scientists fear climate change could cut the global cotton supply by 30 percent to 45 percent by the end of the century” (Apparel Editors, 2017). Apparel is such an important part of everyday life and people have yet to realize that even the clothes we wear are in jeopardy from climate change. Many apparel brands are now focusing on low-carbon economy and reducing emissions from the factories. In addition, it was found that “greenhouse gas emissions of the global apparel sector may amount to a significant 5 percent of total emissions” (Apparel Editors, 2017). Studies also state that this amount is comparable to emissions of an aviation sector or total greenhouse emissions of Russia. Many apparel brands have already cut their emissions in the past decade. Personally, I have noticed in the recent years that when I go purchase a piece of apparel that I see the tag “organic” on it. I never realized that this was part of the initiative to protect the environment. By creating organic cotton, it is less harsh on the environment and uses recycled materials. Another interesting statement I came across, “the processing of raw materials required for textiles and the vast amounts of water used (2,700 liters per single t-shirt) contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases which are causing climate change” (Gather & See, 2018). The fashion industry at this point is very guilty of contributing to the harm done on the environment around us. But businesses need to make profit and the only way is for them to continually create new clothes for people to buy. I feel that after learning more about this topic, I must rethink about buying new clothes and whether I need it or I want it for style purposes. This was a very enlightening and eye opening topic.
Reference
Apparel Editors. (September, 2017). These Six Fashion Brands Joined a Climate Change Initiative. Apparalmag. Retrieved from https://apparelmag.com/these-six-fashion-brands-joined-climate-change-initiative
Gather & See. (May, 2018). Fashion and Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.gatherandsee.com/the-gatherer/fashion-and-climate-change/
Thanks for your comments Jiaxin. They are well thought out points of interest and feedback.