Clothing production has enormous environmental impacts – for example, cotton is the world’s most polluting crop, responsible for 25% of all pesticide use in the world each year, hundreds of thousands of cases of chemical poisoning and massive damage to the environment. The issues of workers’ rights and animal welfare also loom large when deciding on truly green options in clothing.
But there is plenty you can do to reduce the impact of your clothing. For a start, it’s worth thinking about how much you really need and want – whether your clothes are giving you the satisfaction the shops and adverts seem to promise. There are also plenty of opportunities to reuse and reclaim clothing, whether you want to buy secondhand and vintage clothes yourself, or just to channel your own unwanted or worn out items into the many reuse and recycling streams on offer. Finally, we offer some links and ideas for more sustainable fabrics for your new-bought clothing.