Textile Sustainability

• Ecological Issues :

  • Cotton is grown on land that could be used for food production
  • Synthetic fabrics are made from petroleum which is a finite resource
  • Gases from textile factories cause air pollution
• Ethical Issues :

  • Poor working conditions
  • Low wages
  • Child Labour
  • Health and Safety risks ( toxic pestisides )
• Reusing Clothes :

  • give them to a sibling
  • swap them with friends
  • donate them to charity shops
  • up cycle and reuse them
• Recycling Textiles :

  • reduces landfill space needed
  • decreases the amount of natural resources used of making the textiles
  • uses less energy then making fabric in a factory
  • it reduces pollution caused by manufacturing
• Repurposing Textiles :

  • sheet = aprons or patchwork quilts
  • curtains = shopping bags or table runners
  • towels = pet blanket or a table cloth
  • tablecloth = pinboard or cloth napkins
• When upcyling clothes you can alter them, change them into something new, make them into a household item or embellish them.