Sitting here on a Saturday morning thinking about how Nubian Lane Hat Company can do our small part to give consumers more sustainable hat choices and I thought I would share some insights on why adapting our shopping habits is vital for our futures.
Reading Lauren Bravo’s book How to Break Up with Fast Fashion, it is clear that the effects of fast fashion are not only detrimental to the environment but also our futures. Let’s take a look at 10 stats directly and indirectly sourced from her book that will hopefully open your eyes to this issue.
1. Textile production produces an estimated 1.2 billion tons of CO2 per year, which is more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. That means that in addition to being one of the most polluting industries in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, it is also the second largest industrial polluter of water worldwide.
2. The average person buys 60 percent more items of clothing than they did just fifteen years ago, and keeps them for about half as long. This means that we are buying more clothes, yet keeping them for less time before disposing them or replacing them. This leads to an increase in waste as well as energy consumption from production processes such as dyeing and washing textiles.
3. By 2030, global clothing consumption is projected to rise by 63 percent, from 62 million tons to 102 million tons. That's equivalent to more than 500 billion extra T-shirts! With this kind of growth expected in the next decade, it’s important for us all to be aware of where our clothes come from and what impact their production may have on our environment and future resources.
4. The textile industry is responsible for 8-10 percent of global carbon emissions, making it one of the most polluting industries on earth.
5. Apparel production is expected to double by 2030, from 100 billion garments produced annually today to 200 billion by then. This means that more resources will be required increased pressure on the environment.
6. The fashion industry accounts for 20% of all industrial water pollution worldwide due to dyes and treatments used in production processes.
7. A polyester shirt has more than double the carbon footprint of a cotton shirt." And yet the cotton needed to make a single T-shirt can take 2,700 litres of water to grow - that's enough drinking water to last a person three years.
8. At its current rate, the fashion industry is projected to use 35 per cent more land to grow fibres by 2030 – an extra 115 million hectares of land that could otherwise be used for food or left untouched for biodiversity purposes!
9 . Upcycled clothing uses at least 50 percent less energy than producing something new from scratch - plus you get an original piece each time!
10 . It’s estimated that 85%of all textiles end up in landfills or incinerators each year – but this number can be dramatically reduced if we recycle or donate our unwanted clothes instead.
Fast fashion has become a major contributor to climate change and environmental degradation - but it doesn’t have to stay this way! By becoming conscious consumers and choosing wisely when purchasing clothes, we can reduce our individual carbon footprints significantly while still staying fashionable and stylish!