The average American tosses 82 pounds of clothing and contributes to a global waste of 92 million tons of textiles and leftover fibers every year, according to Earth.org.
While we all hope the systems are in place to recycle every last scrap, the truth is that recycling technology and funding is far behind.
What's happening?
Not enough of the textiles that consumers hope are recycled are actually getting recycled, according to the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
In Europe, only 1% of textile waste is turned into new fibers. If investments were made into new technology — like the machinery to help separate and recycle individual fibers and accessories from shoes invented by CETIA — then up to 70% of textiles could be recycled.
All of the untreated clothing in Europe and the U.S. is shipped to countries in Asia and Africa, where there is also limited recycling. The worst-case scenario sees these countries let the trash pollute their beaches and waterways.
Currently, the majority of textile recycling technology shreds the materials down into smaller, lesser-quality versions, which is then turned into carpets, wiping cloths for the auto industry, and fillers for mattresses.
A more advanced version, known as "chemical recycling," appears to be able to shred materials down without sacrificing quality. However, the Thomson Reuters Foundation reported "this technology remains too costly" to be widely adoptable.
Why is textile recycling important?
Fast fashion is made to quickly deteriorate in order to keep the customer wanting the next new and trendy item. The average fast fashion item lasts only seven to 10 wears before it ends up in a landfill, per Earth.org.
With low-quality textiles and construction paired with technology that can't keep up, textiles are getting buried, burned, or are just piling up in our environment, shedding microplastics into our waterways.
What's being done about textile recycling?
The European Union has announced a goal that all clothes sold in its market will be "to a great extent made of recycled fibers" by 2030. This may be possible if investments are made into companies like Avantium, which separates polyester from cotton so all elements can be recycled.
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Giving me money back 💰 There is also a push for buying secondhand and thrifting instead of buying new in order to curb the amount of items tossed. Buying secondhand can save you up to $1,760 per year on average, and it can give you access to rare and out-of-print styles, like this Nike find.
Individual companies are also looking to do their part by creating programs that recycle their own garments or have their own resale program, such as Knickey for undergarments and Hanna Anderson for children's clothing.
As a consumer, you can always do your part by participating in programs like those mentioned above and curbing your spending on buying new whenever possible.
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