Fashion textile industry is associated with the design and production of cloth goods. It also involves importing and exporting natural and man-made fabrics. Spinning and dying yarn, cotton or other fibers is also part of the global textile industry. The global demand for textile products is steadily increasing, a trend is likely to continue due population growth and economic development.
Textile and clothing recycling is a potentially beneficial activity from environmental, social, and economic points of view, as opposed to landfilling or being used for energy. As cities increasingly divert other high-volume waste streams such as organics, the recycling of old clothes has been called the next fronter for cities looking to reduce solid waste (Lindner, 2019).
Source: Lindner, E., 2019. Textile and Garment Recycling Facts and Figures. [online] The Balance Small Business. Available at: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/textile-recycling-facts-and-figures-2878122
The fact that people are throwing out textile waste such as shoes, sheets, underwear and blankets every single year, which fashion is one of the most polluting industries on earth that gives the landfill filling up faster than ever. Therefore, we should rethink to reduce waste, reuse materials as well as recycle and upcycle to protect our community and environment. Thrift stores, physical or online consignment stores are a budget-friendly way to repurpose an item that somebody else no longer loves. Also, people should choose quality over quantity, buying long-lasting clothes and look for environmental certifications as well as considering ethics of the company that produce the item (LOOY, 2018).
Source:LOOY, T., 2018. Rethink, Reduce, and Reuse: Textile Edition! – Leaders In Energy. [online] Leaders In Energy. Available at: https://leadersinenergy.org/rethink-reduce-and-reuse-textile-edition/