Did you know ? There is no better person than the consumer to determine the impact of an industry on the environment and clothing is no exception. Did you know? Your role as a consumer extends from the choice of consumer products to their end of life and clothing is far from being an exception.
Did you know ? Once your clothing has been purchased, it can, depending on your choices, have a grandiose or minimal ecological impact . Yes, yes, it depends on you!
But how can this be true? We'll explain it to you. It's a simple explanation, what's less simple is to change consumption habits . It’s so much in everyone’s hands!
Choosing a piece of clothing
Basically, the first step when we have identified our needs lies in the choice of eco-responsible clothing . That is to say a garment which, by its very design, has a reduced impact on the environment. We will therefore look at its origin in order to validate the working conditions in which it was potentially manufactured, the necessary transport and the environmental laws applied. We will also certainly evaluate which textiles it was designed from and we will favor natural fibers or certain semi-synthetic and organic ones. You can see a list of eco-friendly textiles here and note that Eco Loco does all this research for you!
Then, the impact of our clothes is linked to their use. Do you have a few key pieces of clothing that can be arranged to give you comfort, look and versatility or are your clothes spread across several wardrobes, therefore filled with several pieces that you almost never wear? Of course, there will never be anything more polluting than an unused item and this applies to what is in your wardrobe!
Maintaining a garment
Are you tired of seeing a mountain of laundry piling up? We have good news for you. Most of the time you wash clean clothes. Besides underwear and stockings, other clothing does not need to be washed every time you use it. Pants can be used 3-4 times before being washed! In fact, the care of your clothes is directly linked to their impact on the environment. Not only is it related, but maintenance has a major impact, representing up to 80% of the total ecological footprint of a garment.
So what do we do? We wash less often, in cold water, with ecological detergents, we hang our clothes on the washing line and mend when necessary. So, everyone wins: You save time and energy, you save on electricity and clothing costs (they will be damaged less quickly) and you reduce your ecological impact.
The end of life of a garment
The golden rule: Don't throw clothes in the trash ! Simple and clear. In addition to being a net waste, most clothing, especially synthetic fibers, takes centuries to decompose in landfills and emits toxic gases. So what do we do when a piece of clothing is out of date for us or badly damaged? We share it with our circle of acquaintances, we give it to a non-profit organization, we give it to artisan recyclers, we transform it (e.g.: cutting pants into shorts, assembling several items of clothing into one, etc.) or we turn him into rags!
Absolutely simple
We didn't say anything magical there! Quite simple in the end. It is therefore up to you to make intelligent choices in order to buy less and buy better! To do this, you must first ask yourself the right questions BEFORE making a purchase. The first question to ask yourself: Do you really need it ? Next, what is the provenance, composition of the garment and care recommendations? Finally, do you really like the ecological clothing you have chosen and will you wear it until it is completely worn out? You will therefore have to maintain it adequately.
So what if you took part in the game? What if you decided to change your habits one item of clothing at a time?
Ecologically yours
0 comments