Use of clothing
We buy large quantities of clothes yearly. Many of these clothes are left hanging in the wardrobe, and about a third are never worn.
We discard nearly 8 kg of our purchases as waste, with approximately five kg comprising intact and clean clothing. Additionally, each person donates about three kilograms of clothing to charities annually.
Problem “Use of clothing”
The environmental impact of textile production is significant. Using clothes three times longer than average reduces the garment’s climate impact by 65% and its water use by 66%, assuming no new item is purchased.
Washing and drying clothes takes a toll on them and consumes energy. Some detergents and fabric softeners contain substances that are harmful to the environment and are not always purified. Modern washing machines are user-friendly, prompting us to launder clothes even for minor stains or when airing them would suffice.
If you want to read more and follow the whole process, please check out the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, where you can learn more about our work: https://www.naturskyddsforeningen.se/skola/faktablad-kladskolan
