Did you know that the average American gets rid of 81 pounds of clothing each year? We live in a consumer-focused society, and many people are always updating their closets with the latest styles and fashions. While there is nothing wrong with having nice clothing to wear, textile waste is a growing concern that is impacting the environment.
If you are looking for ways to keep your old clothes out of landfills, then consider recycling or donation options instead. Clothing recycling offers a simple and effective solution to conserve resources and minimize waste, helping to reduce the impact on the environment.
Here are a few of the reasons why it makes sense to recycle old clothing instead of throwing it away:
Decrease Landfill Waste
There is a growing waste problem, with many areas trying to figure out the best ways to manage the never-ending waste coming into the landfills. Not only do discarded clothing and textiles take up a lot of space, but these modern fabrics don’t decompose well. In fact, some of the synthetic materials can take hundreds of years before they start decomposing. During this time, they are affecting the environment due to the toxic chemicals that are released.
Choosing to recycle clothing instead of throwing it away can be an effective solution to decrease the strain on our waste management systems.
Protecting Our Resources
There are several ways that clothing manufacturing affects our natural resources. Not only are the materials needed to produce the clothing, but the manufacturing processes require both energy and water resources.
When clothing is recycled and reused, it helps to reduce the demand for new production. As a result, it’s possible to save these limited resources and protect our environment at the same time.
Reducing Pollution and Greenhouse Gasses
It’s important to understand how clothing manufacturing affects the environment due to greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. During the production processes, greenhouse gasses are released because manufacturing is energy-intensive. Additionally, transportation to deliver the products to retail stores and home deliveries also results in greenhouse gas emissions.
There are also many chemicals and microplastics that are used in the textile manufacturing industry. These chemicals can harm the delicate ecosystems on our planet and also pollute waterways. Microplastics are shed when the clothing is washed, and these small plastic particles eventually end up in our water sources and food chain.
The Benefits of Clothing Recycling are Undeniable
There’s no question that clothing recycling is an excellent solution to promote a circular economy, save resources, and reduce environmental pollution. Instead of throwing their clothing away, everyone can do their part to choose donations, recycling, or upcycling as a better solution.
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Written by Becki Andrus in partnership with Clearwater Butterfly Releases