So, What's the problem with the fashion industry? There are so many important resources to learn more about the vast impacts of fast fashion on the world, and I will share a few at the end of this post. In the meantime, here is a brief look into where we are with textile and clothing waste/pollution. As clothing production becomes cheaper and faster, more of it is made in a drive to make more profit. Of the 100 billion articles of clothing produced each year, only 20% of it actually sells. The rest of it? Either buried, shredded or incinerated. In a nutshell, creating more pollution. In total, 14 million tons of clothing has been thrown away in America alone. That breaks down to approximately 80 lbs of clothing waste per person every year! Most clothing is not biodegradable which means it will never break down and instead sit in the landfill forever. As this clothing rots, it leaches chemicals into the soil and water table.

Another way we try to get rid of some of our clothing waste (millions of tons) is to send it to 3rd world countries, Africa being the largest recipient of discarded clothes. You may ask, "Isn't this a humanitarian gesture to give clothes to some of the poorest communities?" It's nice to think that's true, but we send such enormous quantities that they are over run. This not only affects the health of their own economy and businesses, but we are basically treating them as another dumping ground.

Donating to thrift stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army is also a popular way to dispose of clothing with the intention that this is a helpful way to keep clothing in circulation and may help someone in need. While donating and buying second hand are technically viable options for a circular approach, the unfortunate reality is that approximately 90% if donated clothing still ends up either thrown away, shredded or sold to recyclers. Donated clothes, if they make it to the store front, have a short shelf life of a few weeks. If clothing remains unsold, it may be sent to the donation center's outlet where huge bins are put out for super cheap. Whatever is left after that is disposed of.

What does the fashion issue boil down to? There is already an enormous amount of materials existing in the world and more is being produced by the minute. What is the solution? Well, that's a larger issue than I have the expertise to address, but part of the answer is reducing consumption and creatively reusing the materials we have. And this is where I started my journey towards using upcycled materials and practicing sustainability in my own work.