There’s been a lot of discussion surrounding fast-fashion since that incident with Boohoo… With our focus on carbon footprints this month, it’s such an essential sector to discuss as the fashion industry has spiralled into a carbon-producing giant.
Our first blog on the subject informed readers about why buying second hand is a great way to help minimise your carbon footprint. You might think ‘how can reusing an item save that much carbon’, but a new shirt can produce as much carbon as driving 35 miles in a car.
A simple jeans, t-shirt, jacket and trainer combo could have as much carbon impact as driving from London to Paris!
Our garments go through a long journey to end up in our wardrobes, and each stage has a role to play in our carbon footprint.
Stage 1 – Fibre production 17%
Many types of fibres can create fabrics. While some are better for your carbon footprint, it is essential to note that man-made fibres are the most detrimental. Nylon and polyester, derived from coal, alcohols and petroleum products are harmful. This is why the process for producing fibres can account for a whopping 17% of an items carbon footprint.
Stage 2 – Fabric production 42%
Yes, you read that right. Nearly half a fashion item’s carbon footprint comes from the production of its fabric. From yarn production to weaving then bleaching and dying to prepare the fabrics for garment manufacture. Each step of this process can have a high impact on your carbon footprint. You can reduce your carbon footprint at this stage by choosing brands who use natural dyes.
Stage 3 – Garment production 11%
The next step does have a smaller carbon footprint, but it is the stage where workers are most exploited. As we have seen in recent times, modern-day slavery is common in the fast-fashion industry, even in the UK. You can reduce your carbon footprint by purchasing garments from brands that are ethically focussed such as Lucy and Yak. Some brands are even recycling their old products, check out our blog on some of our favourite forward-thinking brands.
Psst… Greenredeem members can also get a discount at these ethical fashion brands.
Step 4 – Distribution and retail 4%
You may have thought this would be a significant contributor to your carbon footprint, but it’s not. Due to the large scale of items being shipped, it’s not as harsh on the environment per piece of clothing as other steps. Of course, hauling tonnes of garments across the globe is still harmful, but when you look at the carbon footprint per item, it is small. An easy way to overcome this is to shop local.
There are other steps in the process. In fact, a customer’s transportation of an item of clothing can contribute another 23%, so it’s not only important to purchase from the right brands, you also need to check your actions. Are you using a car or public transport to go to the shops, or are you requesting everything to be delivered to your home?
All of these factors add up, but it slowly becomes clear to see. By purchasing a pre-loved item, you can reduce your carbon footprint of that garment by nearly 70%!
These stages are why reusing and repairing clothing items is also a great way to reduce your fashion carbon footprint. If you’re looking for inspiration on how to improve the carbon footprint of your wardrobe, you can take inspiration from BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee or The Repair Shop.
