Recycled Cotton Is The Answer To Circular Fashion
It’s no secret that the fast fashion industry is dramatically changing and impacting our environment. According to Bloomberg, the U.S. throws away up to 11.3 million tons of textile waste annually– around 2150 pieces of clothing per second.
So in the time you’ve been reading this article, around 20,000 pieces of clothing have already been thrown away or destroyed.
The disposal isn’t the only issue with cotton. Virgin cotton, or cotton fibers created directly from the plant, takes massive amounts of resources to manufacture and the environmental impact is alarming. This is why sustainably-forward fashion brands are opting for recycled fabrics that contribute to a more circular fashion model.
Here Are The Stats
The fashion industry accounts for up to 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme, and is the fourth largest contributor in the world behind the energy, transport, and agriculture industries– which fashion is also a part of.
According to researchers Yun, Huang, Libin and Zhang of The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, using 1000kg of recycled cotton yarn can save 0.5 hectares of land, C02 emissions are reduced by 6600 kg, and 2783 cubic meters of irrigation water are saved.
One of the most significant impacts of recycled cotton is the amount of water in which we can save. Approximately 765,000 liters of water can be saved per ton of cotton recycled.
Going Circular
Brands opting for recycled fabrics are joining the circular economy. Different from a linear model, circular fashion helps slow down the abuse of natural resources and promotes a longer life cycle of our materials. One brand to mention is clean skincare company, ESW Beauty, who just launched their first merch line, Earth Self Wellness.
ESW Beauty is passionate about developing products that are safe for us and the environment
This week, ESW Beauty introduced their line of premium recycled tote bags made from 65% recycled cotton. Made for the person on the go, their totes combine motivating quotes with high quality materials. If you're always on the move, this "watch me go" tote might be the one for you, but if you opt for a more laid back lifestyle, check out their "logging off" tote-- let's face it, we all need to log off every once in a while.
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The Benefits Of Recycled Cotton
Sustainability, though my favorite reason to buy recycled cotton, is no the only benefit to this eco-friendly fabric. Recycled cotton is well known for the following attributes:
Lightweight & quick-drying
Easy to care for and clean
Long-lasting
Durable
Good tensile strength
Soft to the touch
Easily printed on for long lasting quality
How To Care For Recycled Cotton
Caring for any fabric is the key to long-lasting garments & accessories, which in-turn makes them more sustainable. Here are the key things to remember when caring for your recycled cotton tote bag:
Best to hand wash
Do not dry clean
Best washed cold to preserve the fabric and to lower your energy consumption
Use lightweight detergent
Always hang to dry so your bag does not wrinkle or shrink
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