Thanks to massive publicity to boost consumption and the wave of fast fashion, the modern world people are buying so much daily. People tend to believe they are catching mass-producing trend-inspired clothing at inexpensive rates. Some indulge in impulse and comfort buying without noticing their wardrobes are already full. The fact is, you will be shocked to learn that a lot of our old clothes eventually end up in landfills and that means a lot of waste!
Ms Lauren Boucher at Redress talked about the environmental crisis caused by textile waste at an online sharing organized by the Campus Sustainability Office recently. She alarmed the participants that 196 tonnes of clothes are dumped in Hong Kong’s landfills every day and that’s the same as 1.3 million t-shirts being dumped daily! It’s really the time now we need to visit the impact of our clothes have on the environment.
Fashion is one of our planet’s most polluting industries. Textile production requires significant amounts of chemicals, water, energy, and other natural resources – affecting everything from our land to our water and even the air we breathe. It is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, and we cannot just turn a blind eye to it.
In the sharing, Lauren suggested that we should commit to buying less and make them last longer. Attention should be drawn to invest in good quality clothing and choose materials that are made to last. At times when we buy thoughtfully, we should also dispose of old clothes responsibly. Donate to local charities can be a good option.
Seizing the opportunity when the University was pushing the messages about a more socially conscious consumption to the campus community, a clothing drive was arranged on campus on 15 and 16 March 2021 to collect unworn and unwanted clothes from the staff and students. The items were then directed to Redress for second-hand selling or donation to those in need. This act was a great way to give back while keeping textiles out of landfills.
Fashion waste certainly isn’t a problem that can be solved overnight, but there are small but helpful steps we can take each day to pave the path towards a more sustainable fashion future.
