SCAN SWAP | WHY A CLOTHING SWAP IS GOOD FOR THE EARTH
According to the American Chemical Society, “Since the 2000s, fashion production has doubled and it will likely triple by 2050… One survey found that in the US, 20% of clothes are never worn; in the UK, it is 50%”
“Fashion [production] is responsible for 10 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and 20 percent of global wastewater, and uses more energy than the aviation and shipping sectors combined.” (Cho, 2021)
95 BILLION METRIC TONS OF CLEAN WATER
are consumed by global fashion each year
715 GALLONS
How much water it takes to grow the cotton needed for one t-shirt – that is almost three years’ worth of drinking water. (WWF)
1,800 GALLONS
The approximate amount of gallons of water to produce just one pair of jeans.
1.3 TRILLION GALLONS
The amount of water used each year for fabric dyeing alone. (World Resources Institute)
53 MILLION METRIC TONS
discarded clothing are incinerated or go to landfills each year
20 PERCENT
The average amount of global industrial water pollution that can be tied to garment manufacturing. (World Resources Institute)
UP TO 85% OF TEXTILES GO INTO LANDFILLS EACH YEAR
(WeForum)
SWAP VS DONATE?
Despite best intentions, “up to 90 percent of clothing donations to Goodwill, Salvation Army, and other charities ends up with textile recyclers.” (De Souza, 2021)
Approximately 60% of all materials used by the fashion industry are made from plastic.
When we swap our clothes with others, we’re keeping clothes in closets and out of landfills.
SOURCES
Cho, Renee. “Why Fashion Needs to Be More Sustainable.” State of the Planet, Columbia Climate School. 10 June 2021. https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2021/06/10/why-fashion-needs-to-be-more-sustainable/
McFall-Johnsen, Morgan. “Is fashion bad for the environment?” World Economic Forum, 31 Jan 2020. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/fashion-industry-carbon-unsustainable-environment-pollution/
Geneva Environment Network. “Environmental Sustainability in the Fashion Industry.” 19 Nov 2021. https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/sustainable-fashion/
De Souza, Anna. “This Is What Really Happens to Your Used Clothing Donations.” Reader’s Digest, Trusted Media Brands. 20 July 2021. https://www.rd.com/article/what-happens-used-clothing-donations/