Impact of fashion industry on CO2 contributions

The high price of cheap fashion

Two million tonnes of clothes are bought in the UK every year, more than half of which are dumped in landfill sites.

   

With the rise of “fast fashion” from high street shops and supermarkets, cheap clothes have never been so easy to get hold of – or to throw away.

   

Manufacturing and shipping uses valuable resources of water and energy, and releases greenhouse gases into the environment too.

   

Landfills all over the world are filled with garments

Every year in the UK, 1.2 million tonnes of clothing waste end up in landfill. With the average Brit throwing away 30kg of clothing and textiles.

   

As some synthetic or man-made fibres don’t decompose, they take up valuable landfill space. Woollen garments do breakdown, but they produce methane as they decompose which contributes to global warming.

   

Turn your cast-offs into treasure

It makes sense to recycle your unwanted items by taking them to one of the 6,000clothes recycling banks in the UK, or to a charity shop.

   

Reducing your fashion carbon footprint could save you money too. Why not go to a Swishing party, where people get together to swap clothes? Find out more at www.swishing.org

   

Check out websites that specialise in selling vintage clothes and accessories. Investing in a pre-loved outfit saves items from ending up in landfill, while reducing energy use and carbon emissions, too.

   

Key facts

       
  • Making clothes uses up 10 times more energy than the production of steel or glass
  •    
  • We recycle or reuse just 16% of the clothes and shoes that we discard
   

Quick link

Textile Recycling Association: www.textile-recycling.org.uk


Team Green Britain and London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd (LOCOG) do not endorse any of the products, companies, organisations, opinions or websites that have been mentioned in this article. The content of this article has merely been provided as background to, or discussion on, various topical issues relating to the environment and it is not necessarily representative of the views of Team Green Britain and LOCOG. Further, any figures and calculations noted in this article are estimates (unless otherwise specified), and may vary in light of numerous factors and readers are advised to undertake their own research in relation to the facts and figures applicable to their particular circumstance.


Five reasons to join Team Green Britain

  • Be there. Opportunities to win a day at London 2012

  • Be part of the growing team of hundreds of thousands

  • Be provided with the tools to make a real difference

  • Be inspired by your fellow team members

  • Be a Hero, make Britain a better place