When it comes to "dressing wisely", many people may think that it is about how to dress beautifully and fashionably. In fact, just from the perspective of the clothes we wear, it has nothing to do with environmental protection, a global human issue. The *** is also closely related to the theme. According to statistics from the Ministry of Science and Technology, 25 million people nationwide buy one less piece of unnecessary clothing each year, which can save about 625,000 tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 160,000 tons.
"Outdated" clothes without trademarks
Over-consumption of clothing and the pressure it puts on the environment are already a world problem. In Hong Kong, the Hong Kong "Friends of the Earth" has been promoting "used clothing recycling" activities for many years, but found that among the used clothes recycled, there are an average of 5 to 10 old clothes with "hangtags" with prices or brand names on them. It means the clothes are thrown away without ever being worn. The association estimates that Hong Kong recycled nearly 22.9 million pieces of used clothing in 2003, of which as many as 1.15 million to 2.29 million may be new clothes.
In the UK, someone launched the "Stop Buying" campaign, advocating that people who are addicted to buying ready-made clothing should stop buying any clothing for a year. Take good care of your existing clothes and make the most of them. During the year of operation, most people not only saved a lot of money, but also found beauty and confidence in their existing clothing.
Environmental pressure on fast-food clothing
In a contemporary society that pursues fashion and values ??convenience, more and more people prefer "fast-food clothing" that is cheap and frequently eliminated. The environmental problems caused by this cannot be ignored. A recent report pointed out that the popularity of "fast-food clothing" has caused humans to pay huge environmental costs, which should be attributed to various reasons such as consumption habits, misunderstandings and business models.
Except for those international famous brands and expensive furs, the clothes we wear are actually getting cheaper and cheaper. Many garments made from synthetic materials cost much less than they actually look. Therefore, when buying clothes, many people think they are cheap and often have the mentality of "wearing them for a while and then throwing them away will not be a pity". The cheap clothing they buy is called "fast food clothing". These clothes seem to be less "distressing" when they are eliminated, making it easier for buyers to keep up with new styles, especially among trend-chasing teenagers.
According to reports, global consumers spend more than 1 trillion US dollars on clothing and textiles every year. In many places, wearing one piece of clothing for several generations has become a thing of the past, and cheap "fast food clothing" has become the mainstream of clothing. Affected by this, British women's clothing sales increased by 21% from 2001 to 2005 alone, with expenditure reaching 24 billion pounds ($47 billion). While many people have become accustomed to recycling bottles, cans and paper, old clothes are often thrown away. According to statistics, the average weight of clothes and other textiles discarded by British people every year is 30 kilograms, and only one-eighth of old clothes are sent to charities for reuse.
Wearing ethical clothing
Is it necessary for you? Does fur harm small animals? Is it made of organic materials? Can it be recycled and regenerated? If you allocate your thoughts to environmental protection when you buy clothes, you may make some different choices.
Organic cotton: The production process of cotton is mainly based on organic fertilizer, biological control of pests and diseases, and natural farming management. Chemicals are not allowed to be used. From seeds to grown cotton, everything is completed in a pollution-free environment. .
Corn fiber: Chemical alcohol is extracted from corn, and then the chemical alcohol is used to produce polyester chips, spun into polyester fiber, and spun into cloth to make clothing. The biggest feature of "corn clothing" is that it is green and environmentally friendly, not easily deformed, does not generate static electricity, and is not irritating to the skin.
Bamboo fiber: Most people think that bamboo fiber feels like burlap, but in fact it feels like soft cotton, even softer than cotton. Moreover, bamboo fiber is a naturally antibacterial material and is suitable for people who engage in long-term outdoor activities.
Nano clothing: Clothing treated with nanotechnology can prevent and degrade dirt and even remove harmful gases.
Based on the above functions, self-cleaning clothing can reduce the number of washes and is therefore more environmentally friendly.
It is understood that environmentally friendly materials in the clothing industry are also entering the market. Because of such "green" effects, the price of nano-clothes is 30 RMB more than ordinary products, and the price of organic cotton clothes is about 50 RMB more than traditional cotton products. Producing clothing using corn as raw material requires the purchase of special processing machinery for printing, dyeing, drying and decorative patterns, which is also not cheap. But could you consider saving the price of a few pieces of clothing and buying an environmentally friendly, fashionable and ethical piece of clothing as your next new piece of clothing?
Compared with the environmental protection efforts in these new technological fields, some people have proposed some more practical and feasible ways to protect the environment through clothing. Some people have suggested that in order to meet people's temporary clothing needs, clothing rental can be adopted. Clothing can be recycled among different people like books in a library. Retailers are vigorously developing clothing rental business. For example, wedding shops can rent out evening dresses, or recycle old clothing from customers. They can even effectively dispose of used clothing by reasonably replacing old and new clothing. In addition, some people suggest that people use air drying instead of ironing to save a lot of energy.