When it comes to shopping for new clothes, many of us prioritize affordability, durability, and the latest trends. Have you ever considered the environmental impact of the fabrics you wear?
Do you check the care labels when you buy a new item?
Did you know how harmful some of the cheaper fabrics used by fast retailers can be?
In a hot climate like Asia, we wear a lot of woven fabrics, and the worst offender of all of them on the environment is Polyester.
Polyester is pretty much the worst fabric you can buy. It is commonly found in fast fashion because of its low price and durability. It is known to release hundreds of millions of microfibers into the environment per person each year through washing.
What is Polyester - a synthetic fiber made from petroleum - which is a non-renewable resource. The production process involves energy-intensive steps and releases harmful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere... pretty bad right?
The biggest problem with Polyester - The Microfibers.
What is a microfiber? A microfiber is a tiny piece of plastic. When you wash your polyester clothing, these particles shed. Positively tiny they are too small to be captured and end up going straight into rivers, lakes, ocean and ultimately our water supply. Once these microfibers reach the ocean, they are ingested by marine life, and work their way up the food chain to, you guessed it.... YOU.
Another terrible thing about Polyester...
One of the only ways to get rid of Polyester is to burn it but when polyester fabric is heated or comes into contact with certain chemicals, it can release harmful substances such as formaldehyde and phthalates, which are known to be carcinogenic and can cause respiratory problems and skin irritations.
A lot of the incinerators who destroy the clothing we no longer want, or need are also situated in third world countries.
Other reasons to avoid this fabric - it isn't breathable (so in humidity you will sweat), it is non-biodegradable (once you chuck out that top it will end up in Landfill and it WILL outlive you), while this fabric is cheap - there are hidden costs.
What can you do to help?
Buy natural fibers - Cotton, Linen, Hemp, Lenzing Ecovero are all great options.
Wash your clothing less often - reduce and rewear as much as you can!
Support sustainable brands - we stock them at She Creates Stories - Palm Collective, Spell, Rowie the Label, Kitty Paloma, One Peace Swim, Bond Eye Swim, Zulu and Zepher are all great options who care about their fabrics, and the environmental impact of their businesses.
Avoid fast fashion like the plague.
While this fabric might seem like a convenient and affordable choice, it's long term impact is horrific. From it's contribution to microplastic pollution to it's role in fast fashion waste, this fabric is far from sustainable. By making more conscious choices in your wardrobe, you can help to combat microfiber pollution and reduce your footprint.
Our kids will thank us for it!
Bex
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