Swap Your Style: The Eco-Friendly Benefits of Clothing Swaps
By: Meagan Florian
Amidst the overwhelming presence of fast fashion in the industry, clothing swaps emerge as a revitalizing and sustainable alternative. This post will explore the textile industry, its problems, various benefits of clothing swaps, and highlight why adopting this practice is worthwhile for your wardrobe and the environment!
The Textile Industries Dirty Laundry
When we think about sustainability, there’s a critical issue lurking in the shadows of our wardrobes: the textile industry. As fast fashion continues to surge, the environmental and social consequences are becoming impossible to ignore.
In recent years, the textile industry has exploded, largely fueled by social media and the rise of fast fashion. We’re now trapped in a relentless cycle of buying and discarding clothes at an alarming rate. Between 2000 and 2015, the number of garments produced and sold doubled, while prices plummeted. Yet, strikingly, we’re holding onto our clothing for 20% less time than before. (Rausch). What’s happening here?
The answer lies in fast fashion itself. Brands like H&M, Zara, Topshop, Forever 21, and Shein dominate the market, offering trendy pieces made from low-quality materials (Zhang). These clothes are designed for the moment rather than longevity, leading to a culture of constant consumption and waste. Consumers are seduced by rapid trend shifts and low price tags, but this comes at a hefty environmental cost.
While some solutions to fast fashion exist, many fall short—often just temporary fixes, greenwashing attempts, or lacking in genuine transparency. As the cycle of overproduction churns on, CO2 emissions continue to rise, further impacting our planet.
The textile industry is at a crossroads, grappling with significant challenges in two of the three pillars of sustainability: environmental and social. As fashion consumption skyrockets, it’s alarming to note that this industry is now responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions. This places it among the largest contributors to climate change.
But the environmental impact doesn’t stop there. The textile industry is a major pollutant of our oceans, rivers, and lakes, consuming a staggering 93 trillion liters of water each year—making it the second-largest water consumer globally (McQueen). As a result, our environment is suffering: air quality is deteriorating, waterways are becoming toxic, and landfills are overflowing with textile waste.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the volume of clothing waste that ended up in landfills has spiked dramatically, from 1.3 million tons in 1960 to a shocking 9.1 million tons in 2018—an increase of 7.8 million tons in just 58 years. The carbon footprint of textile production is massive, generating over 1.7 billion tons of CO2 emissions annually. This cycle of production, consumption, and disposal adds up to an energy-intensive process that leaves a significant mark on our planet.
Furthermore, the reliance on nonrenewable materials exacerbates the problem. Polyester, a synthetic fiber derived from petroleum, has surpassed cotton as the most commonly produced material in fashion. This dependence not only strains our oil resources but also links fashion production to high water usage and agricultural fertilizers for cotton.
Textile waste climbed from 9.5 million tons in 2000 to 15.3 million tons by 2017. Yet, only 15.2% of that waste was recycled. Around 2.9 million tons were incinerated, while a staggering 10.1 million tons went directly to landfills.
If we continue on this path of rampant consumption and waste, our landfills will become overflowing graveyards of discarded clothing. It’s time to reconsider our fashion choices and advocate for sustainable practices that protect our planet and the communities affected by this industry's excesses.
To be more sustainable, consumers can make use of what they already own by swapping locally. Here are a few benefits as to why you should get involved in clothing swaps!
Cost-Effective Solution:
Clothing swapping provides a cost-effective way to refresh your wardrobe without breaking the bank. Instead of constantly purchasing new items, swapping allows you to find "new" pieces at no additional cost, saving you money while promoting sustainability.
Community Building:
A special part of participating in clothing swaps is being a part of a community and connecting with others around you. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, share style tips, and collectively embrace a more sustainable approach to fashion.
Quality Over Quantity:
In a culture that often prioritizes quantity over quality, clothing swapping encourages a shift towards valuing well-made, timeless pieces. It's a chance to explore unique finds and invest in clothing that aligns with your personal style, all while reducing the cycle of constant consumption.
Promoting Circular Fashion:
Clothing swaps contribute to the concept of circular fashion, where clothing items are reused, repurposed, and kept in circulation for as long as possible. Embracing this model helps combat the linear "take-make-dispose" approach, where companies take raw materials, make products, and consumers ultimately dispose of them creating textile waste, thus clothing swaps promote a more sustainable and responsible fashion ecosystem.
Conclusion:
Clothing swapping is not only a practical and eco-friendly choice but also a rewarding experience that promotes conscious consumerism. By participating in clothing swaps, individuals can play a significant role in reducing waste, minimizing their environmental impact, and embracing a more sustainable approach to fashion.
References:
McQueen, Rachel H et al. “Frugality, Style Longevity and Garment Repair – Environmental Attitudes and Consumption Behaviour Amongst Young Canadian Fashion Consumers.” International journal of fashion design, technology, and education. 15.3 (2022): 371–384. Web.
Rausch, Theresa Maria, and Cristopher Siegfried Kopplin. “Bridge the Gap: Consumers’. Purchase Intention and Behavior Regarding Sustainable Clothing.” Journal of Cleaner Production 278 (2021): n. pag. Web.
Zhang, Mingming, et al. “Consumers’ Impulsive Buying Behavior in Online Shopping Based on the Influence of Social Presence.” Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience., vol. 2022, 2022, pp. 1–8, https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/6794729.