After a break, we are back and will update the blog at least once a week. We want to give you knowledge regarding most things about textiles, from the production of fibres to our washing habits and textile waste. How do the different stages affect our nature, such as water, soils, forests, insects, other animals, and humans? We also want to inspire and give tips on how we can all act and rethink. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for short learning posts, and get more in-depth knowledge here on the website.
LET’S TAKE THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY AS AN EXAMPLE.
There are currently over 7.5 billion people living on earth. In recent years, clothing production has been around 150 billion garments – per year. Sure, we need clothes on the body, but do we need 20 new garments per person – every year?
If you follow our blog, you know the consequences the clothing industry contributes to nature, animals, and people. So it’s time to rethink.
Balancing responsibility between consumers and major fashion companies can be complex. On one hand, it’s challenging for an individual consumer to bear the entire burden of responsibility. On the other hand, these significant fashion corporations should also be held accountable. After all, they heavily depend on us, their customers, and it is a shared responsibility between both parties.
The clothing companies work hard to create needs with their consumers. Needs we often did not even know we had. Historically, people were dressing for shelter from the weather. The clothing companies then began to create unique collections divided into seasons based on the season. In today’s fashion landscape, fast fashion brands churn out an astonishing 52 “micro-seasons” annually, launching a new collection weekly. This constant cycle creates a sense of urgency among consumers, compelling us to keep up with the latest trends and secure our desired items before they vanish from the shelves to make space for the following collection.
In addition, clothes have become increasingly cheaper as we manufacture in larger volumes. With e-commerce, we can get almost anything, anytime – right to our door with a button on our phone. The clothing companies tailor their services so that it will be as easy as possible for us to shop.
It’s no surprise that we often find ourselves believing we require a constant influx of new clothing. The fashion industry has skillfully cultivated this demand. However, in this age of digital advancement, clothing companies have inadvertently empowered consumers. We now have unprecedented access to information, enabling us to engage with and exert pressure on these companies effectively. So, this is where we can make a difference – based on knowledge about the impact of different materials, or “footprints”.
THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!
If you do not like how the textile and fashion industries operate, remember that they are nobody without us consumers. Put pressure on companies, consume less and with more thoughtfulness. For more tips, check out our previous blog posts!
