Technological development has brought man many advances that directly affect his quality of life, but some industrial processes have caused different environmental problems that deteriorate the environment and ultimately affect all life on our planet, including ours. Hence, the importance of considering recycling as an alternative to minimize the effects caused by certain industrial processes, within which everything that has to do with “fashion” is included.
That is why fashion cannot remain indifferent to this problem, becoming increasingly evident the real need to include sustainability as a fundamental element in the textile industry, considering that more than 100 million new garments are consumed in the world every year according to the data provided by a documentary entitled “The true cost of fashion”, which represents more than 400% of the amount that had been consumed twenty years ago.
A particular case is that of faded jeans, which requires the use of a chemical compound called “potassium permanganate” to achieve its characteristic appearance, which is very harmful to the environment and human health, causing a considerable environmental and social impact due to the misuse of technologies, which should be aimed at reducing the amount of water and energy used in the manufacture of a mass consumption product such as jeans.
Therefore, various companies around the world have taken initiatives to develop alternative technologies aimed at the application of production methods to reduce pollution of farmland, water and waste materials and textiles.
One of these examples is the one developed by a Spanish company called “Jeanology”, which performs the process of fading “jeans” through the use of a laser machine, which carries out the wear out of this garment quickly and safely, eliminating the chemical “potassium permanganate”, which is a very favourable advance for the environment.
Obviously, the existence of this type of companies is leading the textile industry towards a path more in line with the needs of the environment and living beings. Proof of this is its hard work and commitment to create new procedures and machines, such as the washing machine that reduces water consumption by 67% and energy by 62%, in addition to another machine called “E-flow”, which transforms the air of the atmosphere into nano bubbles used to soften the necessary dye in the production of jeans.
Other companies that have joined to promote recycling in the fashion industry are Nike and Patagonia, which have focused on using technology for the conversion of recycled garment materials, which smart textiles are used for that are obtained from the recycling of PE bottles, as well as of their own products.
In this sector, the work of a Colombian company called “Enka,” is very well known, which marvelously designed a system for capturing PET bottles (plastic) and converting them into threads, which are subsequently used in the manufacture of fabrics, such as the ones used by the famous brand “Speedo”, who are clients of this important company that works in Colombia.
There are many examples of companies engaged in the recycling of garments in order to reduce costs and contribute to the conservation of the environment, as it is the case of the Italian company “Officina +39”, which offers chemicals, dyes and pigments that are obtained through a process where used clothes, fibrous material and textile waste are converted into dust and pigments, which are subsequently used in the manufacture of clothes of all kinds, and with this project called “Recycrom”, they have managed to reuse 100% of the recycled materials.
Likewise, the work of an Ecuadorian designer named Ángeles López has been acknowledged, who is dedicated to collect scraps or waste from textile factories, making the most of the pieces of fabric that result from the cuts in order to use them in the designs of her casual clothing brand “Charana”, where up to 95% of recycled materials are used, which were destined for garbage dumps and landfills.
In this way, it is obvious and pleasant to say that more and more fashion designers are joining the adoption of recycling in the creation of garments, thus contributing a bit to preserve the environment through a recovery process that gives life to material objects that would surely contaminate the environment.
Examples like that of the famous designer Martin Margiela are worth mentioning, since for more than twenty years he has been creating unique garments from used garments and other materials or objects; however, they are aimed at customers with high purchasing power because his collections require lots of hours of work.
Among the list of designers dedicated to this work, we have Eliza Gabirel, Liza Grinberg and Matthew Allen, while in the field of jewellery we can mention Cruselita brand, which proposed for the first time a set of jewelry made with metal packaging that included bracelets, chains, necklaces, rings and very striking earrings that were very well accepted in the market.
But not everything is in the hands of companies as the main elements that make it possible for garments to reach the consumer, but each person must do their work individually and not throw everything away and send it to the dump to pollute the environment because we often get rid of clothes in good condition as we no longer like them, and we run to stores to buy new ones, becoming materialistic and not very aware.
Therefore, we must become multiplying entities of recycling through various actions that we will try to summarize in this article, and that will allow us to make a contribution to the conservation of the environment in which we live, breathe and dress, because if we keep on contaminating it, the first affected will be ourselves.
In this sense, we must remember that almost all the garments we wear are made from four basic materials, such as wool, cotton, and silk, which are obtained naturally, and the synthetic fibres that are petroleum derivative products. But beyond the origin, the important thing is that methods and procedures are applied in the manufacturing process that can harm the environment, such as the coating of fabrics, the production and use of dyes, bleaching, and so on.
The most negative case is that of synthetic fibers such as nylon or lycra, whose manufacture has a negative effect on the atmosphere due to the fact that their complex chemical processes use petroleum derivatives through contaminating mechanisms, and when they are manufactured excessively, they generate two polluting sources, the one which is derived from the exploitation of petroleum and the other one originated by the manufacture of fabrics.
Therefore, we must be aware of the excessive or exaggerated acquisition of this type of garments and attach greater importance and space in our lives to the reuse of clothing that we no longer wear or that has stopped to be useful in our closet, since by doing so, we will be making a contribution to reduce the environmental impact and by minimizing the industrial processes related to the manufacture of this type of clothing, which in turn generates a saving water and energy, as well as lowers waste production.
That is why we invite you to acquire habits that lead you to awareness, adopting a model of responsible consumption, that is, without you stop buying clothes that you like or you wanting to always look good because your environment requires it; you do not necessarily have to keep a massive consumption that in some cases is even sick, and try to acquire that environmental awareness that the planet needs so much.
To achieve this, we must begin by applying certain very effective methods that will surely interest you. Let’s start creating new accessories which you can design using scraps of old or damaged garments to make new accessories; for example, bracelets, necklaces, belts and even tablecloths.
Also, if you have children to give a toy to, you can make them from those clothes that you no longer wear and that are still in good condition to create puppets or even stuffed animals. Or you can visit and offer these items to stores that sell them to other people, which are commonly called second-hand stores or garage sales. There you will get extra money and everyone wins: the owner of the store and who gets a garment that he likes at a lower cost, and of course the environment wins as well.
You can also reuse garments by transforming them creating a new style or changing them in such a way that they seem new and adapted to the season. Also, you can find a new use to fabrics by making a blanket to sleep or dress the bed, to cover some cushions or furniture, to make a lamp, and so on.
There can be so many benefits that are generated by recycling and can be made without much effort, but we must start from awareness, remembering that you are not only benefiting yourself, you are helping the planet as well because you would be contributing positive effects for the balance of the planet, because recycling reduces the emission of gases into the atmosphere, decreases the discharge of wastewater, as well as the amount of water used, avoiding the excessive development of textiles and the excessive production of these, as well as the abuse of soils, reducing the use of fertilizers and chemical substances. As you can see, there are many reasons to recycle when dressing.
ALFA