Reduced clothing lifespan amplifies fashion's environmental effect

By Yeter Ada Seko

ISTANBUL (AA) - According to data from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the fashion industry cuts down 159 million trees annually and uses 93 billion cubic meters of water.

Experts say damage the industry inflicts on natural resources is due to excessive consumption.

In the third and final part of the "Sustainable Living" series, which focuses on reducing the carbon footprint, an issue crucial to mitigating the climate crisis, published by Anadolu, the use of resources and carbon emissions in the fashion and textile industry was discussed.

A UNEP's report, Sustainable Fashion Communication 2021-2024 Strategies, published in 2022, emphasized that the fashion industry is one of the sectors most affected by climate change and ecological crisis.

It highlighted that the industry relies heavily on natural resources, depends on fossil fuels, contributes to pollution due to its supply chain and generates a significant amount of waste.

The report said excessive production and consumption in the fashion industry have led to an increase in carbon emissions, accounting for 2% to 6% of global emissions. It also underscored that the industry's production methods have seriously contributed to biodiversity loss.

The report drew attention to the fact that 159 million trees are cut down each year to produce resources for the industry, and annual consumption of 93 billion cubic meters of water for production accounts for 4% of global water use.

It pointed out that intensive pollution of water occurs, particularly in countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, China and Cambodia, due to the dyeing and processing of clothes. It highlighted that 35% of microplastics in the world's water sources result from the washing of synthetic fibers.

Pollution caused by the fashion and textile industry has increased in the last 15 years and increased production leads to more waste and is the most significant reason for the rise in pollution.

"On average, one truckload of clothing is thrown away or incinerated every second worldwide," it said.

- Textile waste leads to serious environmental problems

Associate professor Solen Kipoz from Izmir University of Economics Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Department of Textile and Fashion Design, answered questions from Anadolu about the fashion industry's resource utilization processes and the concept of sustainable fashion.

Kipoz said as of 2019, more than 100 billion garments were produced each year in the industry, and if it continues, the figure will reach 160 billion by 2030.

She emphasized the close relationship between production numbers and excessive consumption.

"In the last 15 years, the period of use of clothing seems to have decreased by 36%. According to reports, we buy a garment with the intention of wearing it at most seven to eight times, although we should wear it 40 - 50 times until it is worn out," said Kipoz.

Kipoz highlighted the issue of fabric waste in the industry, emphasizing that fashion changes very rapidly, and a color that is fashionable one year may not be used in fabrics the following year.

She underlined that not only clothing but all textile waste causes serious environmental problems, including an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

- Global North uses South as workshop and waste dump

Kipoz said the global and multinational structure of the fashion and textile industry leads to significant carbon emissions in logistic processes.

"All brands, almost all of them, design their products in regions we call the global north, and they produce them in the global south. The global north uses the global south both as a workshop and a waste dump. Huge textile landfills are found in various parts of the world.

"On average, 60 containers of clothing are sent to the Accra region of Africa every week. The people in Accra are faced with the migration of 15 million used garments every year. Forty percent of these are of very low, irreparable quality. People there refer to these clothes as 'the ill-fitting clothes of the wandering white man,'" she said.

Kipoz pointed out that the industry significantly uses non-renewable energy sources and that a considerable portion of these resources is used in the production of textiles.

She noted another effect of textile production on producers and the environment -- industrial water pollution caused by textile waste.

"Again, petroleum-derived materials play a significant role in the pollution of the seas and natural water sources. It is known that almost half a million tons of plastic microfibers are released into these waters in some textile washes. It is estimated that by 2050, there will be about 22 million tons of microfiber in the seas," said Kipoz.

- Products should undergo more dry processes

Kipoz stressed the need to reorganize production methods and material use for sustainable textiles.

"The production of sustainable textile products through dry processes means reducing washing processes. While drought is experienced in many parts of the world, spending this much water creates a climate injustice,” she said. “We are depriving these people of their rights. We need to identify some solutions with production methods that measure environmental impacts, consider water use, water cleanliness, soil and fertilizer use, preserve biodiversity, and adopt dry processes."

Kipoz noted that individuals can support sustainability by developing clothing cultures. She recommended that consumers lean more toward second-hand products and make purchases from eco-friendly brands.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas