The ongoing fast fashion trend means clothes consumption continues to rise year-on-year. In 2019, UK consumers were reported to have spent a huge £61bn on new outfits, and it’s estimated that 13 million items of clothing end up in landfill every week. This is the product of our throwaway culture.
New digital care label offers supply chain traceability
The current system has a complex and hugely wasteful supply chain and manufacturing process. As such, it’s one of the largest contributors to the rise of environmentally damaging emissions. It is estimated that the industry is responsible for 10 per cent of global carbon emissions and almost 20 per cent of wasteful water. On average 23 kg of greenhouse gases are produced per kilo of fabric, and according to the Project Fibersort report (March 2020), in North-West Europe alone, around 4,700 kilo tonnes of post-consumer textile (PCT) waste is generated every year. Yet less than one per cent of garments are recycled and the average Brit throws out 3.1kg of textiles every year.
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