3 ms·

>85% of all textiles go to the dump each year So only 15% of textiles make it into someones home or office and doesn't get thrown out. Where is the waste? I as

>85% of all textiles go to the dump each year So only 15% of textiles make it into someones home or office and doesn't get thrown out. Where is the waste? I assume it is 1) Unsold stock, 2) Unusable material during manufacturing, and 3) Consumers throwing clothing away in the first year of ownership. Could we reduce waste most significantly by moving to on-demand clothing manufacturing?

xyzzyz 7y ago
That's not a correct inference. It might be that all textiles produced make it to people's homes, but people also throw away lots of old clothes. Another reason might be that some textiles are not made into clothes, and are used only briefly for the purpose they were created before being tossed.
groby_b 7y ago
Yes and no :) "On-demand" clothing manufacturing is practiced today, in that fashions change rapidly, and in response, retailers produce what can only be described as "shitty quality, fast". (Exacerbated by Chinese clothing manufacturers + social media - they're extremely effective at churning out extremely glossy pictures for what's about the lowest possible bar of quality) That - "fast fashion" - is what gets discarded. That's not the way forward. On-demand manufacturing that's more along the lines of traditional high-quality bespoke clothing could be an answer, but it would mean that the vast majority of people likely can't afford to wear the latest fashion all the time. And even if we can sidestep that problem through technology, wearing "the latest" itself is a huge part of the problem. If you have clothes that are only meant for a season, you'll dump large amounts of textiles. So what's needed is both a move to higher quality, and a move away from "fast fashion". Given that the entire industry makes money mostly on "what's new and hot", this would require a significant cultural change.
- gherkinnn 7y ago
  Now, if only bespoke shorts and tshirts became a thing. I’d happily pay a decent sum for a set of charcoal tshirts that fit me perfectly and last for a few years of daily use. Bonus points of I get to choose a fabric other than pure cotton.
  - Nicci00 7y ago
    Get a sewing machine and start making your own clothing. I've been trying my hand at it and I've made a few shirts and pants I wear during the weekends. They still look a bit shabby and not decent enough to wear for work thought.
  - DoreenMichele 7y ago
    I imagine you could do this via a local tailor.
  - groby_b 7y ago
    They are a thing. Find a local tailor. (They often hide out at dry cleaners, but not all of them are good :) OK, that will be more made-to-measure than bespoke - the difference there being that bespoke comes with a master tailor who does a really exhaustive initial consult on what patterns work for you, what fabrics work best, what specific cuts to choose, etc, while m-t-m is more "we measure you, you get a standard tshirt". It'll still be lightyears better than anything you get in a shop. I'd expect you'll be in the range of $100 per tshirt, +/- And yes, of course you get to choose a fabric, that's the point of bespoke :) It's also the major cost factor. Depending on your taste, there are some expensive fabrics to have.
  - timwaagh 7y ago
    Just take your tees to an (alterations) tailor if you want the perfect fit. They can do a lot. One problem though: your body changes.
  - gherkinnn 7y ago
    Good idea, actually. I’ll try a local taylor.
arandr0x 7y ago
Not all textiles are made to be worn -- and plenty of those that are are children's clothes that are outgrown.
- TeMPOraL 7y ago
  FWIW, these are at least shared by some people. More than half of the clothes my baby wears are used, sourced from Facebook groups for local exchange/givaways, and as she outgrows a particular size, we just box those clothes up (except for the few we want to keep for the possible second), and pass them forward to someone else in need.
sct202 7y ago
I read the linked sources and that statement is 85% of clothes disposed are sent to the dump and 15% are recycled. Not that 85% of what is produced is sent to the dump in the same year. Granted its all going to the trash eventually.

xyzzyz 7y ago

That's not a correct inference. It might be that all textiles produced make it to people's homes, but people also throw away lots of old clothes. Another reason might be that some textiles are not made into clothes, and are used only briefly for the purpose they were created before being tossed.

groby_b 7y ago

Yes and no :) "On-demand" clothing manufacturing is practiced today, in that fashions change rapidly, and in response, retailers produce what can only be described as "shitty quality, fast". (Exacerbated by Chinese clothing manufacturers + social media - they're extremely effective at churning out extremely glossy pictures for what's about the lowest possible bar of quality) That - "fast fashion" - is what gets discarded. That's not the way forward. On-demand manufacturing that's more along the lines of traditional high-quality bespoke clothing could be an answer, but it would mean that the vast majority of people likely can't afford to wear the latest fashion all the time. And even if we can sidestep that problem through technology, wearing "the latest" itself is a huge part of the problem. If you have clothes that are only meant for a season, you'll dump large amounts of textiles. So what's needed is both a move to higher quality, and a move away from "fast fashion". Given that the entire industry makes money mostly on "what's new and hot", this would require a significant cultural change.

gherkinnn 7y ago
Now, if only bespoke shorts and tshirts became a thing. I’d happily pay a decent sum for a set of charcoal tshirts that fit me perfectly and last for a few years of daily use. Bonus points of I get to choose a fabric other than pure cotton.
- Nicci00 7y ago
  Get a sewing machine and start making your own clothing. I've been trying my hand at it and I've made a few shirts and pants I wear during the weekends. They still look a bit shabby and not decent enough to wear for work thought.
- DoreenMichele 7y ago
  I imagine you could do this via a local tailor.
- groby_b 7y ago
  They are a thing. Find a local tailor. (They often hide out at dry cleaners, but not all of them are good :) OK, that will be more made-to-measure than bespoke - the difference there being that bespoke comes with a master tailor who does a really exhaustive initial consult on what patterns work for you, what fabrics work best, what specific cuts to choose, etc, while m-t-m is more "we measure you, you get a standard tshirt". It'll still be lightyears better than anything you get in a shop. I'd expect you'll be in the range of $100 per tshirt, +/- And yes, of course you get to choose a fabric, that's the point of bespoke :) It's also the major cost factor. Depending on your taste, there are some expensive fabrics to have.
- timwaagh 7y ago
  Just take your tees to an (alterations) tailor if you want the perfect fit. They can do a lot. One problem though: your body changes.
- gherkinnn 7y ago
  Good idea, actually. I’ll try a local taylor.

arandr0x 7y ago

Not all textiles are made to be worn -- and plenty of those that are are children's clothes that are outgrown.

TeMPOraL 7y ago
FWIW, these are at least shared by some people. More than half of the clothes my baby wears are used, sourced from Facebook groups for local exchange/givaways, and as she outgrows a particular size, we just box those clothes up (except for the few we want to keep for the possible second), and pass them forward to someone else in need.

sct202 7y ago

I read the linked sources and that statement is 85% of clothes disposed are sent to the dump and 15% are recycled. Not that 85% of what is produced is sent to the dump in the same year. Granted its all going to the trash eventually.