Fashion crime: plastic clothing

We don't usually think of polyester fabric as plastic, but it is. And while you probably already knew that natural fibre clothing looks and feels better, you might not have realized that "plastic" clothing is a source of pollution. Its fibres contaminate our waterways with microplastic particles, absorbing other toxic chemicals in the water, and introducing these and the plastics into the food chain through the animals that ingest them. (This article explains the process well.)

In a study published in 2011, scientists found microplastic from clothing in samples from eighteen beaches around the world. To establish the fibres' origins, they tested sewerage, as well as the water discharged from washing machines. According to Dr. Mark Browne from the University of California, "some polyester garments released more than 1,900 fibres per garment, per wash." (quoted in this BBC news story on the research).

Going naked isn't really an option for most of us, but we can try to reduce this plastic pollution by choosing clothes, bedding, towels, and other items made from natural fibres such as cotton (organic, ideally...), wool, and hemp.

Another partial solution is secondhand clothes. Even if they're synthetic, at least you're not placing a demand for more new ones on the market - and you can find nice, non-synthetic clothes at good prices secondhand. In Old Ottawa South, we're lucky to have The Clothes Secret and Boomerang Kids nearby, but there are lots of other places to buy quality secondhand clothes in the city, too, like the women's consignment clothing stores on this list. (Just remember to bring your own bag so you don't undo your efforts by carrying your purchase out of the store in plastic - and as we pointed out in an earlier post, there are problems with "biodegradable" or "compostable" plastic bags!)

Also, we can buy fewer clothes, take better care of the ones we have - which may include putting them in the wash a bit less often - and do more fixing and mending. A lot of my kids' clothes are secondhand, anyway, but when I looked in my daughter's closet the other day, I had to ask myself: "Just how many fleece hoodies does one little girl need?"

When it comes to outdoor wear, Patagonia's Common Threads Initiative seems to show a good attitude and practice. And MEC is great about fixing their merchandise to extend its life, and has other sustainability initiatives like their on-line gear swap.

Of course, fabric isn't the only plastic in clothing. There are also labels, tags, single-use hangers, decorative add-ons, and packaging. And buying on-line often means more packaging you can't control, so it's worth asking about packaging before you buy, or going to the store yourself to avoid it.

Comments

[Kelly]

To add to the washing clothes less often tip: drying clothes in a dryer is perhaps the biggest limiter of their lifespan (consider all the fluff in the lint trap that drying has beaten out of the clothes!). And an added bonus of line-drying is that dryers also are one of the most energy-guzzling appliances. In addition to using clothesracks, we dry shirts on hangers on the shower-rail in the bathroom--they dry much more quickly than anything hanging in the damp basement.

[Melissa-No Plastic Project]

Yes, good point! In winter, our clothes rack is often in the livingroom... or my office...! And you're right - clothes really do last longer when they don't go in the dryer.

[Pamela]

I discovered this a while ago and it has influenced every clothing choice ever since. Although you can put dryer lint in the compost, I don't because I want to avoid microplastics in the garden.

[Andrea]

Wow, I had no idea about the fibres ending up in our waterways. Ick.

Once my clothes gets to be too worn out for me to look presentable in them when I head out the door, I keep wearing them at home when I'm not expecting company. :) Right now I've got a hoodie on with frayed cuffs. It was once black. Now it's a greenish grey!!!