As consumer demand for eco-friendly fashion options rises, the retail side sees dollar signs — and a new Wired piece about the role of recycled polyester illustrates why making sustainable choices is a quagmire of confusion even when shoppers do their due diligence.

What's happening?

Market research shared by CapitalOne in March indicated an impressive 89% of consumers worldwide "have changed their shopping habits to be more eco-friendly."

Polyester, a synthetic, petroleum-derived form of plastic common in textiles, is in almost everything when it comes to apparel. A 2021 editorial in the Guardian estimated polyester is in "two-thirds of our clothing," a presence often concealed by its versatility.

Sustainability can be difficult to define and quantify — particularly at a time when temptingly cheap fast fashion is everywhere — and Wired's deep dive into myriad concerns about recycled polyester encapsulates that conundrum.

The outlet visited North Carolina-based textile manufacturer Unifi, known in part for turning recycled plastic bottles into desirable name-brand products. On the surface, that sounds like a step in the right direction, but the details are more complicated.

Critics of recycled polyester have deemed that the entire practice is greenwashing — when businesses or corporations leverage sustainability for marketing purposes without real action behind it.

The issues raised in the piece hint at the intricate nuances shoppers encounter when trying to buy sustainably. It stands to reason that recycling is necessarily good, but one advocate for sustainable fashion explained that it isn't always the case, particularly with recycled polyester.

"If you're using plastic bottles, you're actually taking bottles out of a potentially closed-loop recycling system, and then giving them a one-way ticket to a landfill disposal," said George Harding-Rolls.

"We're awash in a sea of green claims that are incredibly difficult to decipher," he observed.

Why does it matter?

As Harding-Rolls pointed out, even consumers who do their best to support eco-friendly brands have a hard time evaluating claims about a product's environmental impact.

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There's not necessarily a clear line in logic from "recycled polyester" to "microplastics" — Harding-Rolls said he didn't think most consumers understood the link — and some experts say the problem goes deeper.

Much of Wired's coverage focused on the North Carolina facility itself, citing "legitimate questions" about exposure to microplastics for workers and nearby residents.

What can shoppers do about it?

Retail demand for sustainable apparel options has created a marketing feedback loop of sorts, and it's harder than ever for shoppers to identify true eco-conscious options. 

Identifying brands with verified environmentally-friendly practices in advance is a good strategy. In addition to reducing confusion at the register, it rewards conscientious retailers with repeat business.

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