An unexpected error occurred. Please try again.
Today, clothing manufacturers are paying more attention to the chemicals and materials they place into our wardrobes. This is no coincidence. Their awareness is due to upcoming legislation such as the Fashion Act and the European Union Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles that aims to reshape the retail industry through stringent requirements. The age of profit over people, rapid industrialization, and endless consumption must end now.
Many consumers recognize this overproduction’s damage to our planet and are entering a new era of thought. In this green transition, many consumers strive to be socially responsible, seek products with a purpose, and are determined to make environmentally conscious purchases. It has become pertinent that industries become fully transparent about the raw materials, chemicals, and manufacturing processes of their clothing.
Do You Know What’s In Your Clothes?
Today’s garments are assembled from a wide range of substances. These include synthetic fabric materials, fabrics sourced from plants and animals such as leather and cotton, chemicals for the fabric dyeing, processing, and finishing techniques, and various materials such as metals, wood, and plastic for hardware (buttons, zippers, buckles, clasps, etc.).
Notably, most garments are now entirely or partially made from petrochemically-based synthetic fabrics and fibers. In fact, 62% of all fibers that were produced in 2020 are synthetic. While the race towards “perfectly” sustainable synthetics is in motion, most of these experimental fabrics currently make up a slim margin on the global fiber market – about 0.5%.
Petrochemicals, The Dirty Facts: What Are These And What Textiles Have Them?
Petrochemicals are any chemical products derived from petroleum; a fossil fuel often referred to as crude oil. Fossil fuels are a nonrenewable resource, and the petrochemical industry exploits them; the negative environmental impacts are combined with profound social and political implications. In particular, air and water pollution are advancing global warming and environmental injustices, as production and consumption disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income. This begs the question: In the face of climate degradation, why do we continue to use these products?
Petrochemicals create an amazing array of inexpensive and practical resources for multiple industries; from vehicles and electronics to laundry detergent, nearly everything we use today is powered by or made of petrochemicals.
In the apparel industry, petroleum-based fibers are found in 4 primary fabrics: polyester, acrylics, nylon, and spandex.
While these fabrics make up a significant fraction of the fabric market, several other synthetic fabrics and filaments are depicted below. None of these materials are biodegradable, thus will not decay naturally and persist in the environment indefinitely, especially as microplastics on land, in the air, or in the ocean.
We are all striving to educate ourselves on the origins of our clothing and use this information to make more informed and eco-friendly-driven decisions about our wardrobes. To learn more about sustainable fashion, test your knowledge, and find out what you can do to stand up to fast fashion, visit EARTHDAY.ORG’s Fashion for the Earth site. It is time for consumers to take matters into their own hands when fighting for the environment, garment workers, and our collective future.
Join the World’s Largest Environmental Movement!
Thank you for signing up
Tax ID - 13-3798288 1752 N Street NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036 +1 (202) 518- 0044 [email protected]
Hi, It seems you are visiting us from India, would you like to visit our India pages?
Yes please No thank you