On average, Americans throw away 81 pounds of clothing each year. That’s according to SMART, or the Association for Recycled Secondary Materials and Textiles. They also say that 95% of the textiles we use can be recycled, but right now only 15% is donated or recycled and the rest goes to landfill.
If you’re on TikTok or Instagram, you may have heard the warnings from some content creators about “fast fashion.” That’s when fashionable but typically poorly made clothes are quickly produced in huge volumes. It is taken to retailers while demand for the trend is at an all time high and it is selling very cheap. Since trends move quickly, fast fashion is one of the main contributors to clothing waste and many other problems as well.
A New York-based clothing designer, Kathleen Tesnakis, has set out to change the world with sustainable fashion.
“That’s buying used clothes, that’s learning how to repair your clothes. It is also investing in good quality processed products. It is investing in locally made products. When you can support people who are doing things in a positive way for the planet,” said Tesnakis.
In 1996, working as a textile designer, Kathleen found her passion in a pile of old wool sweaters. Her clothing brand and her design studio “Ekologic” was born out of a desire to show that recycled garments could be more beautiful in her second life and stimulate change.
Ekologic uses recycled cashmere sweaters, sourced in upstate New York. Kathleen says that her business is almost zero waste, using almost every inch of a second-hand item.
The Ekologic process also does not require the use of dyes or chemicals, something that cannot be said for the textile industry in general.
According to CDP.net, a non-profit organization that provides a platform for companies to disclose and manage their environmental impact, the textile and apparel sector is a major contributor to overconsumption and water pollution around the world. . That is particularly a problem in third world countries.
According to the organization ‘Good Clothes, Fair Pay’, the fast fashion industry exploits workers by paying them low wages. Information on FashionRevolution.org shows that in places like India, where much of the fast fashion is produced and garment workers are primarily women, they are also subject to poor working conditions.
“Slow fashion is fashion that is transparent, which means you can know who makes it, how it’s made, what the materials are… These garments are meant to last longer,” Tesnakis said.
Tesnakis knows it can be difficult to switch to a reuse/recycle mindset when it comes to clothing, but taking small steps can really pay off.
“A lot of this is relearning behaviors. It does not have to be wrought with anxiety. It can be fun and empowering,” Tesnakis said.
And Tesnakis will be the first to tell you: Ekologic’s clothes aren’t cheap, but they say they’ll last ten to 20 years, they’re unique, and they support the local economy. She adds that there are levels to sustainable fashion. She can still go to TJ Maxx, Target or Walmart, but she must look at clothing labels to see if it’s ‘Better Cotton’ or ‘Oeko Tex’ that certifies the products are free of harmful chemicals.
Source: spectrumlocalnews.com