Environmental and Social Responsibility in Textiles: REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE
Is it environmentally sustainable to wear clothing made from man-made fabrics which contain chemicals? Or should we only wear clothes made from untreated natural fibres? Well, it depends.
Textile chemicals
As consumers, we are drawn towards natural materials which are free from chemical additives – but what if the natural materials wear out quickly, or get soiled? If they then have to be discarded after only being worn a few times, that’s not so sustainable, is it?
So, is it more environmentally responsible to wear clothes made from man-made, chemically treated fabrics? It invariably depends on how those treatments help us to “reduce, reuse, recycle”.
Chemicals provide our clothing with many properties – such as stain resistance, water repellence, and properties that promise longevity. Fancy going for a walk in the rain, in an untreated jacket? Or sending the children to school in permanently stained clothing?
Reduce
We know that we need to reduce the impact of our actions on the environment. Does that mean that we should buy less? Or choose clothing whose impact is reduced during its manufacture? Or that our clothing should be biodegradable, to reduce its environmental impact after disposal? Or that it is made from chemically treated fabrics which allow us to keep our clothing in use for longer? The answer is yes, of course, to any or all of the above.
Reuse
We also know that we need to reuse materials, so that we avoid the depletion of earth’s natural resources. One easy option is to reuse clothes – think vintage, leasing, sharing, and repairing.
Recycle
Sustainable designers use recycled materials, and ensure that the materials used are recyclable again. Sustainable manufacturers use recovered water in production, and renewable energy. And recycling of clothing by consumers should be considered as a last resort, after repair and reuse.
Lifecycle assessment
Reduce, reuse, recycle are steps in the right direction. But the original question about the environmental impact of clothing is complex and multi-faceted, and impossible to answer … unless or until a full lifecycle assessment is carried out on the product, from its manufacture to end of life.
Shirley®
Shirley have been working with textile chemicals for over 100 years – we’re experts in this field and provide global reassurance to a vast network of clients surrounding the safety of textiles.