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Fashion industry emits more carbon than flights and maritime shipping combined

businessinsider.com

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Re: Fashion industry emits more carbon than flights and maritime shipping combined

#11

Post by seltzered_ »

The article references this report from a year ago: https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/putting... (2018)

“ The fashion industry produces 20 per cent of global wastewater and 10 per cent of global carbon emissions - more than all international flights and maritime shipping. Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of water globally and it takes around 2,000 gallons of water to make a typical pair of jeans.

Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned. If nothing changes, by 2050 the fashion industry will use up a quarter of the world’s carbon budget. ”

Re: Fashion industry emits more carbon than flights and maritime shipping combined

#13

Post by chimi »

amacalac wrote: post #5

That's interesting. I was thinking about this a lot over the past 2-3 weeks. The sheer amount of clothing lying in all the shops across the world. Talk a walk into any Macy's / Bloomingdales / Hudsons Bay and count the number of items of clothing. Then multiply that across that one store's chain of shops. Then realize there are multiple chains like that. Then realize there are multiple stores not in chains. Then real…

All the industries are competing to be the one by which you display your worth to society. The order as I see it is: House, Car, Clothes, Phone. Jewelry goes in there somewhere.

Each of these products is trying to convince you of their value, excess value really, so you will spend your money on them, yet the expense of the product isn't worth much. You need a house to protect you from the weather and other people. After having done that, the rest is extravagance. Jewelry is absolutely no value. If you can call, text, and browse the internet, you're good. If a car gets you from A to B and doesn't need a lot of maintenance, that's sufficient.

I remember a Sex in the City scene where Carrie was talking about her $40,000 worth of shoes.

Beyond providing the basics, these products aren't worth more except for their display of wealth.

Meanwhile, we destroy the planet a little more each day to prove we are worth mating.

Re: Fashion industry emits more carbon than flights and maritime shipping combined

#14

Post by rcMgD2BwE72F »

Flights are currently "used" by a tiny % of the global population, whereas clothing is a necessity for 100% of the population.

What does that comparison says, exactly? Changing the habits of a few persons would have much impact on the environment as changing the habits of every person on Earth? Which change should we prioritize? Mmmh...

Re: Fashion industry emits more carbon than flights and maritime shipping combined

#16

Post by rwmurrayVT »

chimi wrote: post #13
amacalac wrote: post #5

That's interesting. I was thinking about this a lot over the past 2-3 weeks. The sheer amount of clothing lying in all the shops across the world. Talk a walk into any Macy's / Bloomingdales / Hudsons Bay and count the number of items of clothing. Then multiply that across that one store's chain of shops. Then realize there are multiple chains like that. Then realize there are multiple stores not in chains. Then real…

All the industries are competing to be the one by which you display your worth to society. The order as I see it is: House, Car, Clothes, Phone. Jewelry goes in there somewhere. Each of these products is trying to convince you of their value, excess value really, so you will spend your money on them, yet the expense of the product isn't worth much. You need a house to protect you from the weather and other people. Af…

Who is to say that $40,000 in shoes is any worse than $100 in shoes constantly used and abused? In that extreme of a case I would say it's most likely worse, but there's something to be said for more expensive and longer-lasting.

In Carrie's case I would say it's worse just because she never struck me as the type to wear them for more than a single fashion season. Love the show, hate the movies.

Re: Fashion industry emits more carbon than flights and maritime shipping combined

#17

Post by helpPeople »

pkaye wrote: post #2

The quality of clothing has gone downhill over the years. Both the fabric and the stitching. They just fall apart faster.

I'm not sure I can agree. I'll give a few examples.

"Free clothing" quality has gone up and become more fitted. Instead of 1 gender neutral size, clothes are by gender, and fabric softer. Stitching seems unchanged. I've had to purchase these for groups.

High quality clothing has more accents. Quality of fabric is secondary to aesthetics.

Re: Fashion industry emits more carbon than flights and maritime shipping combined

#18

Post by esotericn »

We really need a better industry around re-use of essentially everything.

Let's say I need some X. Last week I bought a base layer because it's getting cold here.

I can order, or buy in a store, a brand new X trivially. I don't actually need a brand new X. A used X would do me just fine.

But the difficulty in doing so is ridiculous in comparison. Cottage industry eBay stuff (that you have to order online) vs. an entire infrastructure built around producing and selling new stuff.

Re: Fashion industry emits more carbon than flights and maritime shipping combined

#20

Post by TheGallopedHigh »

dr_dshiv wrote: post #7

I don't believe it, actually. Considering how much waste I use wrt food .. clothes seem much less wasteful. But, who is to know?

“Who is to know?” That’s what the report linked in the article is for. To provide evidence for the claim stated in the title of this post.
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