NO MORE PLASTIC CLOTHING
#NoMorePolyester
Fashion Revolution: Canada
For 2024, Fashion Revolution Canada made a pledge to buy No More Polyester.
"Phasing out all fossil fuels and transitioning to renewable energy sources is essential to limit global heating to 1.5°C."[1.]
The pledge is an incredibly tough challenge to help raise awareness to end the era of plastic clothing, but very much required as plastic is everywhere!
What is plastic clothing
Clothing that is made from synthetic fibres is also known as plastic clothing, as they are derived from fossil fuels that are non-renewable. Polyester being one of the main culprits as it is cheap to get hold of, you will see polyester in the majority of fast-fashion brands.
Polyester
Polyester is a synthetic fibre derived from petroleum/crude oil, extracted from the earth. It is highly energy intensive to produce, and the process is incredibly dangerous to the environment, releasing toxic chemicals into the atmosphere.
Microfibres & microplastics
Microfibres are a type of microplastic shed from the friction of textiles. From washing to wearing and all the processes inbetween. They are not usually visible to the naked eye, but due to their shape, they may also be more dangerous to animals and humans as they can be more toxic than spherical microplastics.[2a.]
Why focus on fashion and polyester
The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters globally, and the use of synthetic materials in fashion, especially polyester, has doubled in the last 20 years.[2b.]
Revolution Canada who have pledged #NoMorePolyester states that: "And as the world’s 4th largest producer of crude oil and 11th largest emitter of greenhouse gases per capita, Canada has a major role to play."
The addition of microfibres harming our eco-systems and our health has now been thrown into the limelight as recent studies have discovered that these microfibres are everywhere
End life of polyester clothing
The quality of conventional polyester for fast-fashion is generally cheap, of low quality, and therefore does not last as long as, say, a cotton shirt. Recycling polyester is complex due to mixed materials and the dyes within the fabric. This leads to most polyester being sent to landfill or to an incinerator, contributing to both air pollution and global warming, as well as releasing microplastics into the air.[3.]
Say #NoToPolyester
1. https://www.fashionrevolution.org/north-america/canada/
2. https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/plasticfashion-faq/
3. https://pirg.org/articles/most-of-our-clothes-are-made-from-fossil-fuels-heres-why-thats-a-problem/